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Fri, 21 Feb 2020, 21:41 PM

Top Sportsman presented by Vortech Superchargers Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Sportsman 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
 404M Florentino Martin                    6636 Ray Martin                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  8.635 173.87                    -0.028 11.762  81.47
          TS  Dial: 7.08 (+/-):  1.555              TS  Dial: 6.80 (+/-):  4.962
 Qualified:            #20  7.152 189.23                        #8  6.742 225.03

7:17 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 39 percent, barometer 28.81 inches, adjusted altitude 2,776 feet, track temperature 76 degrees.

Lot of pedal pumping and darting around their lanes, but Ray Martin red and the race was already over.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  514 Phil Unruh                             76 Ken Ratzloff                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.036  6.517 204.29                     0.041  6.956 197.86
          TS  Dial: 6.51 (+/-):  0.007              TS  Dial: 6.92 (+/-):  0.036
 Qualified:             #3  6.506 222.11                       #15  6.944 198.88

ust 0.005 difference in their RT's and Phil Unruh runs seven to his dial for the win. MOV: 0.0345 seconds (approximately 10 feet).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7980 Joe Roubicek                          361 Bo Butner                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.010  6.625 199.26                     0.031  7.026 192.08
          TS  Dial: 6.62 (+/-):  0.005              TS  Dial: 7.01 (+/-):  0.016
 Qualified:             #6  6.623 207.72                       #18  7.043 191.95

Roubicek gets the starting line advantage and posts a fifteen package for the nine foot win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7534 Paul Mitsos                          752A Josh Edwards                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.045  6.702 205.07                     0.083  7.318 180.14
          TS  Dial: 6.69 (+/-):  0.012              TS  Dial: 7.35 (+/-): -0.032
 Qualified:             #9  6.746 205.47                       #21  7.344 205.19

Edwards was a little late and breaks out by -0.012. Mitsos get the win, running twelve to his dial.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7708 Jeff Taylor                          4979 Craig Liles                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.010  7.433 176.67                     0.073  6.807 202.88
          TS  Dial: 7.38 (+/-):  0.053              TS  Dial: 6.81 (+/-): -0.003
 Qualified:            #22  7.377 181.76                       #10  6.833 202.67

Liles was late and is -0.003 under his dial. Taylor has a ten light for the win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 7450 Don Meziere                           730 Bryan LaFlam                 
E1                   0.045  6.978 182.40     ****WINNER****  0.037  6.164 231.20
          TS  Dial: 6.94 (+/-):  0.038              TS  Dial: 6.16 (+/-):  0.004
 Qualified:            #14  6.940 195.11                        #2  6.159 232.15

Bryan LaFlam runs four to his dial for the win. MOV: 0.0422 seconds (approximately 11 feet).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 6432 Gary Miserva                         7728 Kelly Harper                 
E1                   0.021  6.968 193.99     ****WINNER****  0.024  6.560 217.21
          TS  Dial: 6.95 (+/-):  0.018              TS  Dial: 6.55 (+/-):  0.010
 Qualified:            #16  6.951 194.83                        #4  6.584 216.38

Just 0.003 difference in RT's and Kelly Harper just gets the close win. MOV: 0.0056 seconds (approximately 19 inches).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 4396 Sammy Gonzales                        502 Chris McCallum               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.012  7.790 177.74                     0.032  6.853 192.11
          TS  Dial: 7.78 (+/-):  0.010              TS  Dial: 6.90 (+/-): -0.047
 Qualified:            #24  7.773 178.33                       #12  6.916 197.16

Sammy Gonzales was strong on both ends of the track. MOV: Opponent broke out.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
    5 Richard Okerman                        73 Bud Preuss                   
E1                  -0.001  7.085 193.46     ****WINNER****  0.034  6.714 204.32
          TS  Dial: 7.07 (+/-):  0.015              TS  Dial: 6.73 (+/-): -0.016
 Qualified:            #19  7.097 193.10                        #7  6.729 203.71

OUCH! Okerman misses the green by just -0.001 seconds.

Preuss gets the easy win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
    2 Doug Crumlich                        7134 Bryan Warr                   
E1                   0.027  6.873 198.47     ****WINNER****  0.021  6.849 192.41
          TS  Dial: 6.86 (+/-):  0.013              TS  Dial: 6.84 (+/-):  0.009
 Qualified:            #11  6.887 198.17                       #23  7.768 130.78

Just 0.002 difference in their dials, 0.006 to their RT's and 0.004 to their dials at the finish line.

Bryan Warr gets the win. MOV: 0.0102 seconds (approximately 3 feet).


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
 D712 Phil Dion                            6502 Will Yakimetz                
E1                   0.038  6.371 223.47     ****WINNER****  0.045  6.976 192.11
          TS  Dial: 6.45 (+/-): -0.079              TS  Dial: 6.97 (+/-):  0.006
 Qualified:             #5  6.592 227.73                       #17  6.975 195.42

Will Yakimetz runs 0.006 to his dial. MOV: Opponent broke out.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
  733 Darin Dolezal                         550 Ed Olpin                     
E1                   0.000  7.825 174.64     ****WINNER****  0.054  6.923 198.35
          TS  Dial: 7.88 (+/-): -0.055              TS  Dial: 6.91 (+/-):  0.013
 Qualified:            #25  7.902 175.37                       #13  6.924 197.91

Perfect light for Dolezal and then breaks out!

Olpin gets the win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
        Bye                                7151 Jeff Connelly                
E1                                            ****WINNER****  0.056  6.073 225.79
                                                    TS  Dial: 6.10 (+/-): -0.027
 Qualified:                                                       #1  6.097 237.80

Bye run for Connally to round two. Check out the dial and ET!

7:37 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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