Sat, 16 Nov 2019, 14:47 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 55th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Chris Demke                          7015 Jasmine Salinas              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  5.293 275.06                     0.119  5.377 269.13
 Qualified:             #8  5.290 274.33                        #9  5.305 269.51

Weather conditions: air temperature 77 degrees, relative humidity 28 percent, barometer 28.85 inches, adjusted altitude 2,860 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

This is the first time Demke and Salinas have faced each other in eliminations.

Demke with the starting line advantage, he drives through tire shake and gets the win. He is just a few ticks off his qualifying time.

Salinas with a good clean pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  724 Casey Grisel                          727 Ron August Jr                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.061  5.247 275.11                    -0.038  5.378 269.19
 Qualified:             #7  5.283 272.89                       #17 12.203  96.59

This is the first time Grisel and August Jr have faced each other in eliminations.

August Jr. is in an alternate for Hanssen. August Jr. goes red to give Grisel the win. Grisel with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   15 Dan Mercier                           589 Gord Gingles                 
E1                   0.116  5.290 279.04     ****WINNER****  0.009  5.307 276.58
 Qualified:             #4  5.227 276.63                       #13  5.388 269.89

This is the first time Mercier and Gingles have faced each other in eliminations.

Gingles with a great light and holds on for the hole shot win. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

Mercier with good pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Julie Nataas                         4824 Shane Conway                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.067  5.178 277.66                     0.059  7.519 118.13
 Qualified:             #1  5.138 281.36                       #16  9.400  88.16

Nataas is 1 - 0 against Conway in prior events.

Conway with a slight starting line advantage, but is up in smoke right at the hit. Nataas has lead by 100 feet and never trails from there on for the win. She runs low E.T. of the day for the win. She will have lane choice over Demke in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Joey Severance                         54 James Stevens                
E1                   0.042  6.477 156.25     ****WINNER****  0.062  5.415 269.08
 Qualified:             #3  5.221 274.39                       #14  5.394 262.39

Severance is 3 - 0 against Stevens in prior events.

Severance with the starting line advantage, but has severe tire shake right at the hit and makes a move toward the centerline before he clicks it off.

Stevens is straight down the groove for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Shawn Cowie                             6 Jackie Fricke                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.054  5.269 276.75                     0.069  9.454  86.42
 Qualified:             #6  5.274 276.01                       #11  5.320 273.27

Cowie is 4 - 2 against Fricke in prior events.

Cowie with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He runs his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. He will have lane choice over Stevens in the next round.

Fricke rattles the tires right at the hit and goes up in smoke before she clicks it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  611 Garrett Bateman                      7078 Ron Anderson                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.055  5.294 275.00                     0.206  5.306 281.77
 Qualified:             #5  5.253 275.56                       #12  5.360 256.84

This is the first time Bateman and Anderson have faced each other in eliminations.

Bateman with the starting line advantage and the win. He is straight down the groove. He will have lane choice over Gingles in the next round.

Anderson with his quickest pass of the weekend and fastest of his career in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Duane Shields                        7134 Chris McNicol                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.031  5.295 272.34                     0.064  5.599 214.42
 Qualified:             #2  5.216 278.06                       #15  5.546 260.51

This is the first time Shields and McNicol have faced each other in eliminations.

Shields with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He will give up lane choice to Grisel in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink