Top Alcohol Dragster

Thursday

Saturday

Tuesday

Thursday Results for Qualifying Round 1

POMONA, Calif. - POMONA 1 - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run: Right Lane: Bill Dunlap Runs 12.816/65.14, Now #1 1:17 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 65 degrees, relative humidity 42 percent, barometer 28.90 inches, adjusted altitude 2,081 feet, track temperature 77 degrees.. Its getting really dark now, with both high cloud cover and low broken clouds streaming past.. We start the session with a Nostalgia TF driver and a unique "Cab Forward" dragster. There are major tuning issues with only three or four cylinder burning at the hit. He gives it up after 60 feet or so. Left Lane: Ashley Bart Runs 6.000/242.93, Now #2 Right Lane: D. Swearingen Runs 5.629/252.57, Now #1 Nice clean pass for Swearingen to tune from. No joy in the left lane, Bart's engine seemed to be puffing out the headers, as the car ran down the track. Left Lane: Kevin Wayman Runs 5.586/243.19, Now #1 Right Lane: Larry Miersch Runs 6.374/160.98, Now #4 Wayman was on a good pass until just before the lights, where there is a big flash from the engine and a some brief fire. He still will be #1 for a while. Kevin Wayman's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.397, 660ft-3.598/202.79 mph, 1,000ft-4.665. Miersch has issues with keeping the pipes clean and slows. Left Lane: Brittany Force No Time, Now #8 Right Lane: Doug Hegge No Time, Now #7 Looks like the start of the season Yips got both drivers, as they leave before the tree and will get no time. Left Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 5.703/239.87, Now #4 Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 5.687/251.58, Now #3 Ahten gets a head start off the line and then starts to drop cylinders big time after mid track. Force keeps more candles lit and takes over the current #3 spot. Left Lane: Del Cox Jr. No Time, Now #4 Right Lane: Brandon Johnson No Time, Now #3 1:37 p.m. Well, we have our first time out of the weekend for sprinkles. This was expected, but not this early. The cars were starting to roll forward for their burnouts, when Rick Stewart gave them the universal "Kill It" sign with a slash across the throat. 3:50 p.m. The news just came down that today's activities are officially at an end. While the schedule calls for Time Trials and Qualifying to resume early Friday morning, the weather will likely make that an impossibility. We will start reporting again when the next pair goes down the track. No bump and Kevin Wayman is today's #1 qualifier.

Thursday Order for Qualifying Round 1

POMONA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Order after one round of qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals: Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed 1. Kevin Wayman Strange Performance 5.586 243.19 2. Dennis Swearingen Ameica's Heros of Freedom 5.629 252.57 3. Courtney Force Brand Source A/FD 5.687 251.58 4. Johnny Ahten Hedman Hedders/Stump Puller A/ 5.703 239.87 5. Ashley Bart Lucas Oil B/AD 6.000 242.93 6. Larry Miersch Miersch Racing A/FD 6.374 160.98 7. Bill Dunlap Holiday Smog 12.816 65.14

Saturday Results for Qualifying Round 2

POMONA, Calif. - POMONA 1 - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run: Left Lane: Doug Hegge Runs 5.579/263.92, Now #1 No Prior Run 11:04 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 56 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 28.75 inches, adjusted altitude 1,595 feet, track temperature 71 degrees. Weak burnout for Hegge as he warms up for his first hit. He left before the tree on Thursday but goes straight to the top of the eight cars that have recorded runs. Burnouts have never meant much about how the car runs. Left Lane: Brandon Johnson Runs 5.512/258.67, Now #1 No Prior Run Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 5.547/246.89, Now #2 No Prior Run B.Force was another driver that lost a run due to leaving before the tree so this should be her first hit. Johnson was waiting his turn when the rains came on Thursday. Lots of clouds and very dark outside right now. Johnson popped and banged at the hit but when the numbers came up on the boards he was the new #1. Force was just .03 behind and she goes to #2. Left Lane: Justin Davis Runs 5.467/250.41, Now #1 No Prior Run Right Lane: Del Cox Jr. Runs 7.840/137.40, Now #11 No Prior Run Cox rattled the tires hard at the start and it just didn't get any better from there. He was coasting before half track. Davis used every inch of his lane and got really close to the center stripe at the finish. He wandered all the way to the top of the field though. Left Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.408/263.62, Now #1 No Prior Run Right Lane: Edwin Schmeeckle Runs 5.537/243.37, Now #4 No Prior Run Davis's #1 lasted only until Demke's numbers hit the screen. He just missed top speed by .3 mph as well. Schmeeckle goes well into the field at #4. This makes fourteen cars that have recorded numbers for the class. Left Lane: Shawn Cowie Runs 5.356/268.65, Now #1 No Prior Run Right Lane: Randy Eakins Runs 5.421/261.88, Now #3 No Prior Run It appears that rain is all around us but so far it's held off. Cowie is the new leader in the clubhouse and now holds top speed as well. Eakins wasn't far behind but that 5.421 will only make him #3. We now have a bump and it's Bill Dunlap. Left Lane: Jim Whiteley Runs 5.374/266.64, Now #2 No Prior Run Right Lane: Joey Severance Runs 6.148/165.54, Now #15 No Prior Run This is unusual, two blown cars. Whitely just misses the top spot and has to settle for the second spot. Severance had good numbers but there was a loud bang from the burst panel that was followed by that whine. Left Lane: Bill Dunlap Runs 7.329/159.19, Now #18 Best prior run: 12.816/65.14, Was #18 Right Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.396/264.55, Now #3 No Prior Run Dunlap is up in Mark Foster's very different rear engined car. He's also been bumped down to #18. The tree came down and Dunlap waited until Shields had crossed the finishline. Shields goes to #3 but Dunlap lost several cylinders and was coasting on the top end. They likely will not get another shot at qualifying. Left Lane: Larry Miersch Runs 5.784/247.70, Now #16 Best prior run: 6.374/160.98, Was #17 Right Lane: Ashley Bart Runs 5.607/217.21, Now #12 Best prior run: 6.000/242.93, Was #15 Miersch had holes in the left bank out at the hit and goes into the field on the bump. Bart was #15 but runs a career best to move to twelfth. Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 6.132/224.88, Now #15 Best prior run: 5.687/251.58, Was #14 Right Lane: Johnny Ahten Runs 5.427/256.26, Now #6 Best prior run: 5.703/239.87, Was #15 Way to many holes out on Force's racer and it shows in the ET. There are two cars left and she's now #15. Ahten goes right into the top half of the field. Left Lane: D. Swearingen Runs 5.648/232.51, Now #14 Best prior run: 5.629/252.57, Was #14 Right Lane: Kevin Wayman Runs 6.109/166.52, Now #17 No Prior Run Swearingen did get a hit on Thursday so he's in the show at #14. Wayman did not have that advantage so this is do or die. He was well on his way until there was a flash and a bang from the manifold area of his blown alky racer. He just misses. Swearingen wandered the lane and actually failed to improve on his second run. He's still in the show. That ends the qualifying for the dragster field and round one is scheduled for later today.

Saturday Order for Qualifying Round 2

POMONA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Final order after 2 rounds of qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals: Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed 1. Shawn Cowie Mundies Towing 5.356 268.65 2. Jim Whiteley J&A Service/Rator B/AD 5.374 266.64 3. Duane Shields Shortline Express A/FD 5.396 264.55 4. Chris Demke Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 5.408 263.62 5. Randy Eakins Edgecomb Racing A/FD 5.421 261.88 6. Johnny Ahten Hedman Hedders/Stump Puller A/ 5.427 256.26 7. Justin Davis Pacific High Reach B/AD 5.467 250.41 8. Brandon Johnson Ti-Xp Xtreme Springs A/FD 5.512 258.67 9. Edwin Schmeeckle LSS Racing B/AD 5.537 243.37 10. Brittany Force Brand Source A/FD 5.547 246.89 11. Doug Hegge TunedUp.com A/FD 5.579 263.92 12. Kevin Wayman Strange Performance 5.586 243.19 13. Ashley Bart Lucas Oil B/AD 5.607 242.93 14. Dennis Swearingen Ameica's Heros of Freedom 5.629 252.57 15. Courtney Force Brand Source A/FD 5.687 251.58 16. Larry Miersch Miersch Racing A/FD 5.784 247.70 --------- Not Qualified --------- 17. Joey Severance Severance Racing B/AD 6.148 165.54 18. Bill Dunlap Holiday Smog 7.329 159.19 19. Del Cox Jr. RG Industries A/FD 7.840 137.40

Tuesday Results for Elimination Round 1

POMONA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals: W/L Driver R-Time E-Time Speed (W) Dennis Swearingen (Ameica's Heros of Freedo 0.038 5.564 250.41 (L) Duane Shields (Shortline Express A/FD) -0.025(R) 5.381 256.50 12:53 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 62 degrees, relative humidity 23 percent, barometer 29.04 inches, adjusted altitude 1,538 feet, track temperature 72 degrees. Ouch! It's Shields from start to finish with times better than he qualified with. Unfortunately, the -0.025 red light spoils his day. Swearingen makes a clean pass and improves on his qualifying time to get the free pass to round two. (W) Shawn Cowie (Mundies Towing TA/D) 0.128 5.333 266.48 (L) Larry Miersch (Miersch Racing A/FD) 0.047 12.610 83.08 Miersch gets a big advantage off the line and then has the tires go up in smoke. Cowie is way late and all over the lane down low. He pulls the blown car back into the center of the lane without further drama. (W) Jim Whiteley (J&A Service/Rator B/AD) 0.145 5.516 263.46 (L) Courtney Force (Brand Source A/FD) 0.093 5.858 232.35 Lots of shake and spin off the line for Force at the green. She recovers well and then dropped cylinders doom her efforts. Whiteley was late off the line. He has his own shake issues and gets back by Force just before the 660 lights to take the win. (W) Chris Demke (Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 0.216 5.307 265.06 (L) Ashley Bart (Lucas Oil TA/D) -9.999(R) NT-No Show Bart is a no show. Demke makes a strong pass after a big move towards the center line at the 330 lights. Over a tenth better than he qualified. Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.898 sec., 330ft-2.334, 660ft-3.480/216.00 mph, 1,000ft-4.464. (W) Kevin Wayman (Strange Performance TA/D) 0.095 5.706 235.43 (L) Randy Eakins (Edgecomb Racing A/FD) 0.092 5.785 249.90 Both cars took a long time to start to stage and then went in quickly. They leave together and Wayman's blown car pulls away until after the 330 lights, where there is a big flash and flame off the top of the engine. He legs it on down the track to take the car length win. Thing got a lot worse for Eakins after that, as he is not able to get the dragster stopped. The car went well into the trap at the end of the track and almost to the net. No emergency vehicle , so he is likely OK 1:11 p.m. Demke will get lane choice in the next round. (W) Johnny Ahten (Hedman Hedders/Stump Puller T 0.068 5.517 239.91 (L) Doug Hegge (TunedUp.com A/FD) 0.132 5.584 262.49 1:49 p.m. There is no "Instant Replay" or announcer feed for us today, but it looked like the Eakins' car was basically in one big piece when the the crain pulled it out of the gravel trap. The call goes out to start the next pair. Ahten gets a big advantage off the line and wins the first half of the track easily. The engine starts to drop cylinders and Hegge begins to reel him back in. There is not enough race track and Ahten stays well out in front for the win. He will have lane choice over Swearingen in round two. (W) Justin Davis (Pacific High Reach B/AD) 0.061 5.366 265.43 (L) Brittany Force (Brand Source A/FD) 0.092 5.453 265.53 The Steve Federlin tuned dragster is out first and pull strong until past track. Force gives it a valiant try, improving on her qualifying time, but is no match for the blown car. Davis will have lane choice over Whiteley in the next round. (W) Edwin Schmeeckle (LSS Racing B/AD) 0.044 5.405 245.81 (L) Brandon Johnson (Ti-Xp Xtreme Springs A/FD) 0.065 5.497 260.41 Johnson's car was late to start, but makes a strong pass, better than his qualifying times. Schmeeckle is away first and picks up a bunch over his qualifying times and drives away for a forty foot plus win. 2:00 p.m. Cowie will have lane choice later today. Just got a note from NHRA that Eakins was checked out released by NHRA emergency services officials...the front of the dragster was damaged.

Tuesday Results for Elimination Round 2

POMONA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals: W/L Driver R-Time E-Time Speed (W) Edwin Schmeeckle (LSS Racing B/AD) 0.290 5.287 270.54 (L) Shawn Cowie (Mundies Towing TA/D) 0.113 5.508 229.98 3:11 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 29.02 inches, adjusted altitude 1,666 feet, track temperature 77 degrees. Two blown cars come to the line. Cowie is 1 - 0 against Schmeeckle in prior events. Neither car wanted to leave first. Cowie had a big advantage all the way to past the 1000 foot lights where the engine startrd to grumble. After a starting line RT stumble, Schmeekle's car just rockets on down the track to card a close win with a new career best ET and MPH. Edwin Schmeeckle's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.161), 330 ft(-0.133), 660ft(-0.124), 1,000ft(-0.072). MOV: 0.0444 seconds (approximately 15 feet). Shawn Cowie's incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.395, 660ft-3.536/216.38 mph, 1,000ft-4.561. Edwin Schmeeckle's incremental times: 60ft-0.926 sec., 330ft-2.351, 660ft-3.483/218.48 mph, 1,000ft-4.456. (W) Chris Demke (Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 0.087 5.315 264.29 (L) Kevin Wayman (Strange Performance TA/D) -9.999(R) NT-No Show Wayman is a no show after round one carnage. Demke just misses a new career best with a clean and straight single. He gives up lane choice next round to Schmeekle. (W) Johnny Ahten (Hedman Hedders/Stump Puller T 0.071 5.475 249.12 (L) Dennis Swearingen (Ameica's Heros of Freedo 0.053 5.790 219.97 Swearingen gets away first and leads until near the 330 lights, where Ahten's fueler drives on by. Ahten's dropped cylinders on the top end still give him a new career best ET by 0.001 seconds. I couldn't see why Swearingen slowed down track. (W) Jim Whiteley (J&A Service/Rator B/AD) 0.052 5.292 268.92 (L) Justin Davis (Pacific High Reach B/AD) 0.075 5.391 265.22 ...and the hits keep comming. Both cars make clean passes close to their career bests. Whiteley gets away first and stays there to the finish with his best pass of the race. He'll ahve lane choice in round three. 3:24 p.m.

Tuesday Results for Elimination Round 3

POMONA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals: W/L Driver R-Time E-Time Speed (W) Chris Demke (Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 0.062 5.270 266.85 (L) Edwin Schmeeckle (LSS Racing B/AD) 0.101 5.305 268.06 4:52 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 29.02 inches, adjusted altitude 1,666 feet, track temperature 77 degrees. The sun is starting to set and the track conditions are still primo. WOW! What a race! Demke gets a head start and a nice 0.888 sixty foot time to hold off a charging Schmeeckle. From the 330 lights to the finish line the two cars kept a 0.074 plus margin. Demke also gets a new career best ET. Chris Demke's incremental margins: 60ft(0.054), 330 ft(0.071), 660ft(0.074), 1,000ft(0.075). MOV: 0.0745 seconds (approximately 29 feet). Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.314, 660ft-3.450/217.11 mph, 1,000ft-4.431. Edwin Schmeeckle's incremental times: 60ft-0.903 sec., 330ft-2.346, 660ft-3.485/216.72 mph, 1,000ft-4.467. (W) Jim Whiteley (J&A Service/Rator B/AD) 0.076 5.285 269.35 (L) Johnny Ahten (Hedman Hedders/Stump Puller T 0.065 5.762 251.63 Ahten gets his fueler off the line first, but starts to drop holes by the three thirty lights. Whiteley was only 0.010 behind at the green and was in front before sixty feet. He continued to power ahead the rest of the way down the track for the hundred foot win. He runs within 0.020 seconds of his career best ET. 4:58 p.m. Whiteley will have lane choice in the finals.

Tuesday Results for Final Round

POMONA, Calif. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals: W/L Driver R-Time E-Time Speed (W) Jim Whiteley (J&A Service/Rator B/AD) 0.043 5.435 268.49 (L) Chris Demke (Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 0.012 5.511 251.86 6:23 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 58 degrees, relative humidity 36 percent, barometer 29.02 inches, adjusted altitude 1,351 feet, track temperature 59 degrees. 2008 National #2 vs. Division 7 #2 come to the line for the first Full Throttle Top Alcohol Championship. Demke is away first by 0.031 and stays out in front until after the 1000 foot lights, where he may have started to drop cylinders, based on his MPH. Whiteley runs clean all the way and was still -0.009 behind at 1000 feet. He thunders on by near the finish line for a seventeen foot win. Jim Whiteley's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.049), 330 ft(-0.105), 660ft(-0.064), 1,000ft(-0.009). MOV: 0.0453 seconds (approximately 17 feet). Chris Demke's incremental times: 60ft-0.931 sec., 330ft-2.386, 660ft-3.580/205.82 mph, 1,000ft-4.621. Jim Whiteley's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.460, 660ft-3.613/215.07 mph, 1,000ft-4.599.

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