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Fri, 21 Feb 2020, 20:49 PM

Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 36th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
   73 Linzi Meserve                         708 Jeff Taylor                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.003  6.857 179.40                     0.051  7.375 181.25
         T/D  Dial: 6.80 (+/-):  0.057             T/D  Dial: 7.36 (+/-):  0.015
 Qualified:            #14  6.772 196.44                       #28  7.345 181.54

6:27 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 28.79 inches, adjusted altitude 2,794 feet, track temperature 78 degrees.

Strong three light for Meserve and the really close hole shot win. Linzi Meserve's MOV: 0.0066 seconds (approximately 21 inches).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7102 Art Hoover                            710 Mike Mendenhall              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.041  6.630 178.38                     0.027  6.265 204.45
         T/D  Dial: 6.53 (+/-):  0.100             T/D  Dial: 6.30 (+/-): -0.035
 Qualified:            #13  6.726 162.31                       #27  7.131 191.29

OK,Mendenhall hasn't been the sixes this year and dials a 6.30! He fixes his problems too well and breaks out by -0.045!

Hoover dumps early for the win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
    9 Steve Casner                         7902 Brianna Wiens                
E1                   0.043  6.999 192.06     ****WINNER****  0.006  6.673 197.51
         T/D  Dial: 6.97 (+/-):  0.029             T/D  Dial: 6.65 (+/-):  0.023
 Qualified:            #25  6.984 193.63                       #11  6.626 204.29

Brianna Wiens nails the tree with a six light to take the win. MOV: 0.0432 seconds (approximately 12 feet).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 6591 Moe Trujillo                           79 Jennifer Wiens               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.044  6.822 194.07                     0.054  6.216 218.12
         T/D  Dial: 6.80 (+/-):  0.022             T/D  Dial: 6.14 (+/-):  0.076
 Qualified:            #17  6.818 199.85                        #3  6.195 225.15

They leave with close RT's and Moe Trujillo runs a lot closer to his dial for the easy win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7774 Rodger Comstock                      5149 Phil Unruh                   
E1                   0.014  7.720 128.31     ****WINNER****  0.036  6.648 170.43
         T/D  Dial: 6.87 (+/-):  0.850             T/D  Dial: 6.38 (+/-):  0.268
 Qualified:            #21  6.884 193.24                        #7  6.374 222.22

Strong fourteen light for Comstock, but the car drives to the centerline and had to lift.

Easy win for Unruh.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 D712 Phil Dion                            6087 Mark Colton                  
E1                   0.029  6.368 212.36     ****WINNER****  0.016  6.959 193.32
         T/D  Dial: 6.23 (+/-):  0.138             T/D  Dial: 6.86 (+/-):  0.099
 Qualified:             #6  6.268 216.17                       #20  6.861 196.56

Colton gets the starting line advantage and Dion dumps too soon and gives him the win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7796 John Richardson                      7167 Ryan Priddy                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.022  6.525 163.83                    -0.017  6.985 159.29
         T/D  Dial: 6.21 (+/-):  0.315             T/D  Dial: 6.82 (+/-):  0.165
 Qualified:             #2  6.189 223.02                       #16  6.797 196.70

Priddy goes red and Richardson goes to round two.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7237 Steve Will                           6010 Grant Durie                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.023  6.222 210.34                     0.022  6.875 194.32
         T/D  Dial: 6.13 (+/-):  0.092             T/D  Dial: 6.76 (+/-):  0.115
 Qualified:             #1  6.150 230.61                       #15  6.776 195.14

Just 0.001 difference in RT's and Will runs Durie down for the six foot win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7730 Mike MacBrair                          74 Cody Webber                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.020  6.540 208.17                    -0.004  7.001 170.64
         T/D  Dial: 6.53 (+/-):  0.010             T/D  Dial: 6.94 (+/-):  0.061
 Qualified:             #9  6.536 208.71                       #23  6.937 191.76

Webber misses the green by -0.004 to give the free pass to rond two to MacBrair.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
   78 James Warden                         5186 George Slatten               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.005  6.959 190.67                     0.033  6.646 197.59
         T/D  Dial: 6.97 (+/-): -0.011             T/D  Dial: 6.68 (+/-): -0.034
 Qualified:            #24  6.940 191.40                       #10  6.594 202.09

Strong five light for James Warden and the close win. MOV: Took the stripe by 0.0050 seconds (approximately 17 inches) in a double breakout.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
    6 Paul Nero                              10 Ed Olpin                     
E1                   0.009  6.977 190.70     ****WINNER****  0.019  6.727 197.83
         T/D  Dial: 6.99 (+/-): -0.013             T/D  Dial: 6.73 (+/-): -0.003
 Qualified:            #26  6.984 192.00                       #12  6.706 199.02

Two good lights and Ed Olpin takes the win on a double breakout.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 3896 Steve Hamilton                       703Y Shaunda Blinzler             
E1                   0.022  7.043 188.83     ****WINNER****  0.039  6.242 222.47
         T/D  Dial: 7.05 (+/-): -0.007             T/D  Dial: 6.24 (+/-):  0.002
 Qualified:            #19  6.859 191.19                        #5  6.245 226.58

Shaunda Blinzler runs two to her dial for the win. Hamilton Misses by -0.007.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7942 Thomas Bayer                         7029 Bobby Ray McMahan            
E1                   0.055  6.869 179.95     ****WINNER****  0.049  6.212 222.51
         T/D  Dial: 6.86 (+/-):  0.009             T/D  Dial: 6.21 (+/-):  0.002
 Qualified:            #18  6.856 191.54                        #4  6.222 221.23

Just 0.007 difference to their dials!

Bobby Ray McMahan gets the close win. MOV: 0.0137 seconds (approximately 4 feet).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7155 Jeff Connelly                        7182 John Taylor                  
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.058  6.728 184.35
         T/D  Dial: 6.10 (+/-): 93.899             T/D  Dial: 6.10 (+/-):  0.628
 Qualified:             #8  6.418 228.38                       #22  6.892 169.06

Connelly is a no show.

6:45 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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