Sun, 06 Sep 2026, 11:22 AM Top Alcohol Dragster Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

INDIANAPOLIS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Melanie Johnson                      2122 TJ Tindle                    
E1                   0.033  5.389 265.59     ****WINNER****  0.047  5.273 271.19
 Qualified:             #8  5.352 269.73                        #9  5.365 272.06

Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 78 percent, barometer 30.01 inches, adjusted altitude 2,338 feet.

Melanie Johnson qualified #8 and in the last 20 years the #8 TAD qualifier is 8 - 12 in Rd. 1 at this event. TJ Tindle is making his 1st start.

JOhnson with the starting line advantage, but Tindle chased her down by half track and took the win. He makes his quickest and fastest pass of the weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  342 Mitch Kalitta                        1490 Brandon Greco                
E1                   0.016 15.082  52.76     ****WINNER****  0.056  5.300 269.73
 Qualified:            #10  5.400 263.77                        #7  5.306 272.12

Brandon Greco is 10 - 21 in Rd. 1. Mitch Kalitta won the D-3 race last weekend.

Kalitta with a great light, but was up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off. Greco kept it hooked up and makes his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2192 Sarah Allen                          703Y Shaunda Blinzler             
E1                   0.080 27.789 130.23     ****WINNER****  0.040  5.296 269.67
 Qualified:            #15  5.458 265.06                        #2  5.255 276.97

This is the best starting spot for Shaunda Blinzler. The #2 TAD qualifier is 36 - 9 in Rd. 1 at this event. Sarah Allen is making her 12th start.

This is the first time Allen and Blinzler have faced each other in eliminations.

Blinzler with the starting line advantage and was straight down the groove for the win. She will have lane choice over Greco in the next round by 0.004 seconds.

allen was up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 358R Richie Crampton                       303 John Paul Gutierrez          
E1   ****WINNER****  0.038  5.298 269.51                     0.011  5.350 266.48
 Qualified:             #6  5.302 270.16                       #11  5.406 264.75

Richie Crampton went to the semi-finals in Norwalk, his 1st race in TAD. John Gutierrez is 2 - 10 in Rd. 1.

This is the first time Crampton and Gutierrez have faced each other in eliminations.

Gutierrez with a great light, but Crampton chased him down by 1000 feet and took the win. Richie Crampton's MOV: 0.0256 seconds (approximately 10 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Jackie Fricke                          24 Megan Smith                  
E1                   0.052  8.451  97.24     ****WINNER****  0.029  5.618 257.58
 Qualified:             #5  5.285 274.44                       #12  5.409 277.37

Jackie Fricke set Low E/T here in 2018 & 2021. Megan Smith set Top Speed (278.75) here last year.

Fricke and Smith have each won 1 times against the other in prior events.

Smith with the starting line advantage and is mixing up cylinders, but still gets the win.

Fricke's pulls the front end around 150 feet and then bounced back down hard and she lifts.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Anthony Troyer                         16 John Ausherman               
E1                   0.071  5.583 269.78     ****WINNER****  0.057  5.387 255.15
 Qualified:             #1  5.227 276.75                       #16  5.608 257.53

The #1 TAD qualifier is 40 - 5 in Rd. 1 here. John Ausherman is making his 13th start.

This is the first time Troyer and Ausherman have faced each other in eliminations.

Ausherman with the starting line advantage and makes his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

He will give up lane choice to Tindle in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Jamie Noonan                          104 Corey Michalek               
E1                   0.078  5.896 200.62     ****WINNER****  0.042  5.358 265.38
 Qualified:             #4  5.276 269.62                       #13  5.420 268.44

Jamie Noonan set Low E/T (5.156) here in 2025. Corey Michalek went to the semi-finals in Gainesville.

This is the first time Noonan and Michalek have faced each other in eliminations.

Michalek with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He will have lane choice over Smith in the next round.

Noonan's chute shook out and he motored on down track with the chutes in tow.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  491 Angelle Sampey                          1 Shawn Cowie                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.041  5.402 269.89                     0.080  5.482 272.12
 Qualified:            #14  5.449 267.69                        #3  5.270 274.27

Shawn Cowie is 118 - 34 (78%) in Rd. 1. Angelle Sampey is 24 - 24 overall and 13 - 13 in Rd. 1.

Sampey and Cowie have each won 1 times against the other in prior events.

Sampey with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. she make her quickest pass of the weekend for the win. She will give up lane choice to Crampton in the next round.

Cowie drives through tire shake and can't chase her down.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink