Sat, 01 May 2021, 16:05 PM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

COMMERCE, Ga. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 40th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 737M Madison Payne                         238 Mick Steele                  
E1                   0.095 12.730  77.79     ****WINNER****  0.081  5.328 275.00
 Qualified:             #8  5.340 276.97                        #7  5.303 269.13

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 30 percent, barometer 30.10 inches, adjusted altitude 1,902 feet, track temperature 119 degrees.

Payne making her first race day start in Top Alcohol dragster. Payne is up in smoke right at the hit and clicks it off.

Steele with the starting line advantage and the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   51 Rachel Meyer                         2030 Will Smith                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.027  5.271 277.03                     0.050  5.311 274.50
 Qualified:             #2  5.193 278.92                       #13 12.097  74.11

This is the first time Meyer and Smith have faced each other in eliminations.

Meyer with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Rachel Meyer's MOV: 0.0633 seconds (approximately 25 feet). She will have lane choice over Steele in the next round.

Smith with his quickest pass of the weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Jackie Fricke                         178 Earl Nichols Jr.             
E1   ****WINNER****  0.056  5.287 276.75                     0.056  5.702 256.60
 Qualified:             #3  5.267 277.89                       #12  5.681 258.67

Fricke is 1 - 0 against Nichols Jr. in prior events.

They leave at the same time and Fricke never trails from there on for the win. Fricke is just a few ticks off her qualifying time for the win.

Nichols was also just a few ticks off his qualifying time in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Julie Nataas                          250 Megan Smith                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.089  5.203 278.75                     0.071  5.806 220.15
 Qualified:             #5  5.279 273.39                       #10  5.620 264.13

Smith is making her first Top Alcohol dragster race day start.

Smith with the starting line advantage, but Nataas had the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree and never trails from there on for the win. She runs her quickest pass of the weekend and low E.T. of round one.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  613 Joey Severance                       1011 Dan Dietrich                 
E1                   0.070 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.258  5.645 198.90
 Qualified:             #6  5.287 273.88                        #9  5.421 241.50

Severance is 2 - 0 against Dietrich in prior events.

Severance with the starting line advantage and the lead until the car has problems and is trailing sparks. The car then makes a quick move into the left wall. The car bounced off the wall and is sideways, it rolls on to its top. The word from the top end is Severance is out of the car and is okay. It is also reported the transmission failed.

Dietrich drives around for the win. He will give up lane choice to Fricke in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 110J Rich McPhillips Jr.                    54 Robin Samsel                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.107  5.398 269.40                     0.186  5.328 269.56
 Qualified:            #11  5.652 259.96                        #4  5.267 273.94

McPhillips Jr. is making his National event debut.

McPhillips Jr. with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. McPhillips Jr. with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. Rich McPhillips Jr.'s MOV: 0.0091 seconds (approximately 4 feet). He will give up lane choice to Nataas in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1128 Karen Stalba                           15 Tom Fox Jr.                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.353  5.235 279.67                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #1  5.172 280.19                       #14 12.301  92.61

Stalba is 1 - 0 against Fox Jr. in prior events.

Fox Jr. rolled the beams and then came to a stop around 330 feet.

Stalba gets the win, she makes a great looking pass for the win. She will have a bye in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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