Top Alcohol Dragster

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Friday Results for Qualifying Round 1

BAYTOWN, Texas - HOUSTON - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run: Left Lane: K. Buff Pesz Runs 5.599/266.00, Now #1 Right Lane: Chase Copeland Runs 5.679/251.58, Now #2 12:35 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 74 percent, barometer 29.51 inches, adjusted altitude 2,495 feet, track temperature 92 degrees. Copeland is a new driver, in Gene Snow's dragster. Nice pass for Buff Pesz to open her season. Left Lane: V. Kazakevich Runs 7.389/170.34, Now #4 Right Lane: D. Brounkowski Runs 5.547/262.85, Now #1 Kazakevich lost traction almost immediately. Brounkowski took over the top spot on a very nice run. Left Lane: Carl Magee Runs 7.037/208.97, Now #5 Right Lane: Chris Holley Runs 6.823/153.18, Now #4 There might have been eight cylinders working between the two cars - lots of unburned fuel, both labored down the track. Left Lane: Malcolm Wahle Runs 5.695/248.75, Now #4 Right Lane: Darvin Martinets Runs 9.522/82.63, Now #8 Both shook, both lifted (in unison), Wahle got back in it, Martinets coasted. Left Lane: Brandon Lewis Runs 10.514/128.70, Now #9 Right Lane: Doug Hegge No Time, Now #10 Hegge didn't wait for the tree, launched, tried to take it back, then legged it out, for no time. Lewis launched, lost traction, and coasted through. Left Lane: Brittany Force Runs 5.648/241.76, Now #3 Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 5.772/247.02, Now #6 Brittany got the better run of the two Force sisters, neither team looked overjoyed with the result, both cars with early tire shake and slow 60-foot times. Left Lane: Darryl Hitchman Runs 6.271/170.45, Now #8 Right Lane: Dan Kracht Runs 5.351/261.83, Now #1 It's Kracht's second event and he's the #1 qualifier (for now) on a nice run. Hitchman was right there for about 200 feet, then started losing ground and falling off the pace. That's a career-best ET for Kracht (he's in the Randy Meyer dragster). Left Lane: Justin Davis Runs 5.464/260.51, Now #2 Right Lane: Michael Manners Runs 5.583/260.91, Now #4 Davis made a good opening pass, clean and straight, no visible problems. Manners' car was sluggish off the starting line, the engine loading up at the hit. After posting a 1.01 60-foot time, the car picked up the pace and the rest of the run looked normal. Left Lane: Del Cox Jr. Runs 5.646/256.89, Now #7 Right Lane: Bill Reichert Runs 5.587/253.14, Now #5 Cox is "doing the double," also competing in Top Fuel at this event. Both cars were sluggish at the start - no tire spin or shake, just slow acceleration. Might be the humidity... Left Lane: Arthur Gallant Runs 5.378/263.51, Now #2 Right Lane: Shayne Lawson Runs 5.565/249.76, Now #5 Gallant had a slow 60-foot time - a 1.202, then the car got up on the tires and ran hard. Lawson, on the other hand, had a better launch, but could not match Gallant on the top end. Left Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.435/262.90, Now #3 Right Lane: Bill Evans Runs 5.957/253.75, Now #15 This is the first time Pomona runner-up Demke has competed at Houston. Evans' car was also sluggish in the first part of the run, with visible tire spin. Demke had a clean launch, his 0.921 60-foot time the best of the round. Left Lane: John Finke Runs 5.651/258.27, Now #13 Right Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.566/263.00, Now #7 The sky is getting very dark west of the track - we could be seeing some bad weather soon. Both cars had relatively good launches, but only by comparison with earlier runs in this session. Finke had to pedal it once early in the run and neither car ran well until around half track. That's it, Competition Eliminator is up next. Kracht stayed atop the list and Courtney Force is on the bump spot at 5.772.

Friday Order for Qualifying Round 1

BAYTOWN, Texas - SUMMIT FastNews - Order after one round of qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil: Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed 1. Dan Kracht Randy Meyer Racing 5.351 261.83 2. Arthur Gallant Arthur Gallant Racing A/FD 5.378 263.51 3. Chris Demke Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 5.435 262.90 4. Justin Davis Pacific High Reach B/AD 5.464 260.51 5. David Brounkowski Run-N-Hide A/FD 5.547 262.85 6. Shayne Lawson Tigerflow A/FD 5.565 249.76 7. Duane Shields Shortline Express A/FD 5.566 263.00 8. Michael Manners A/FD 5.583 260.91 9. Bill Reichert Bars Leak/Rislone A/FD 5.587 253.14 10. Kimmelyn Buff Pesz Northwood Urology A/FD 5.599 266.00 11. Del Cox Jr. RG Industries A/FD 5.646 256.89 12. Brittany Force Brand Source A/FD 5.648 241.76 13. John Finke Bobcat Express 5.651 258.27 14. Chase Copeland Snowman Racing 5.679 251.58 15. Malcolm Wahle A/FD 5.695 248.75 16. Courtney Force Brand Source A/FD 5.772 247.02 --------- Not Qualified --------- 17. Bill Evans Evans Petroleum Services A/FD 5.957 253.75 18. Darryl Hitchman Hitchman Racing A/FD 6.271 170.45 19. Chris Holley Holley Race Cars A/FD 6.823 153.18 20. Darvin Martinets Tom Jones/NIC Motorsports B/AD 9.522 82.63 21. Brandon Lewis Tigerflow A/FD 10.514 128.70 22. Vitali Kazakevich Natural Dragster Racing A/FD DQ 23. Carl Magee A/FD DQ

Saturday Results for Qualifying Round 2

BAYTOWN, Texas - HOUSTON - Notes from final, round 2 qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil 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 9.423/224.40, Now #21 No Prior Run Right Lane: V. Kazakevich Runs 6.255/223.88, Now #18 No Prior Run 10:02 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 48 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.80 inches, adjusted altitude -307 feet, track temperature 68 degrees. Courtney Force is on the bump spot at 5.772 and this is the final qualifying session, everybiody losing a time trial or qualifying session to yesterday's weather. Hegge spun the tires immediately, pedaled, spun them again. Kazakevich lost some time with tire spin on the launch and his weekend is over. Left Lane: Darvin Martinets Runs 5.852/183.54, Now #17 Best prior run: 9.522/82.63, Was #22 Right Lane: Carl Magee Runs 6.433/221.49, Now #21 No Prior Run Magee spun the tires and dropped a cylinder immediately. Martinets was on a nice pass, looked like he was going to "make the show," but it sounded like the burst panel let go around half track and the car nosed over. Left Lane: Chris Holley Runs 6.043/221.67, Now #20 Best prior run: 6.823/153.18, Was #22 Right Lane: Brandon Lewis Runs 5.614/248.20, Now #11 Best prior run: 10.514/128.70, Was #24 Holley dropped a cylinder early, but Lewis kept them all lit long enough to bump into the field - not his best pass ever, but it should be "good enough" since there are only two cars left in line that are not in the field. Left Lane: Bill Evans Runs 5.639/269.03, Now #12 Best prior run: 5.957/253.75, Was #19 Right Lane: Darryl Hitchman Runs 5.855/231.64, Now #20 Best prior run: 6.271/170.45, Was #22 And these are the two - both should get in, but they have to get full runs, with Malcolm Wahle now on the bump spot at 5.695. Hitchman got a good start, but his car dropped a cylinder or two by half track and he did not make the field, his seventeenth appearance at this event coming up just short of the mark. Nice pass by Evans, putting him solidly in the field. That bumped Wahle, putting Chase Copeland on the bump spot at 5.679. Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 5.302/273.66, Now #1 Best prior run: 5.772/247.02, Was #18 Right Lane: Malcolm Wahle Runs 6.115/191.38, Now #18 Best prior run: 5.695/248.75, Was #17 These are the last cars in line that are outside the field at the moment, but that could change in a few seconds. Wahle hurt his chances by rolling in deep just as the tree fired, then hurt it even more by dropping a couple cylinders early in the run. There were no dropped cylinders in Force's lane, the car on all eight and up on the tires, going right to the head of the class. That's a career-best speed for Courtney and just 0.020 seconds slower than her career-best ET. Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.926 sec., 330ft-2.389, 660ft-3.524/221.20 mph, 1,000ft-4.483. Left Lane: Chase Copeland Runs 5.349/268.65, Now #2 Best prior run: 5.679/251.58, Was #17 Right Lane: John Finke Runs 5.688/257.48, Now #17 Best prior run: 5.651/258.27, Was #16 Copeland was just bumped from the field, putting John Finke on the bump spot. On his second career pass, Copeland moved way up in the field. Finke left hard, started to rattle the tires nearly ijn the run, and did a nice job of pedaling to save the run, but he came up short and was bumped from the field. Now Brittany Force is on the bump spot at 5.648, but there's nobody left in line to bump her out of the field. If she failes to imprpve, she could face her sister in round one. Left Lane: Bill Reichert Runs 5.422/272.56, Now #5 Best prior run: 5.587/253.14, Was #11 Right Lane: Brittany Force Runs 5.637/245.36, Now #14 Best prior run: 5.648/241.76, Was #16 Amazing run by Reichert - he started to rattle the tires about 200 feet out, pedaled it and pulled the wheels up a couple feet! He still improved over his run in yesterday's humid air and puts him in the top half of the field for the fourth time in five tries at this event. meanwhile, Brittany improved a bit and messed up the pairings. Left Lane: Michael Manners Runs 5.339/271.24, Now #2 Best prior run: 5.583/260.91, Was #11 Right Lane: Del Cox Jr. Runs 5.576/273.11, Now #12 Best prior run: 5.646/256.89, Was #16 Now Cox was on the bubble - this is his seventh national event in the A/Fuel car and he was a DNQ at Pomona - and on a hot streak hot since then. Cox's car chattered the tires on the launch, then got them hooked up and screamed to a big speed. Meanwhile, Manners quietly stormed to the #2 spot on the ladder, for now anyway. Left Lane: Duane Shields Runs 5.369/265.69, Now #6 Best prior run: 5.566/263.00, Was #11 Right Lane: K. Buff Pesz Runs 5.312/271.24, Now #2 Best prior run: 5.599/266.00, Was #13 Shields left hard, but also had to drive through tire shake and Buff Pesz ran away, posting a career-best speed to mix up the pairings once again. Left Lane: Shayne Lawson Runs 9.302/90.21, Now #12 Best prior run: 5.565/249.76, Was #12 Right Lane: Justin Davis Runs 5.729/188.31, Now #10 Best prior run: 5.464/260.51, Was #10 Lawson ran into violent tire shake about 200 feet out and he had to lift. David got out of the groove, near the wall, and had to shut it off early. Left Lane: D. Brounkowski Runs 5.358/265.27, Now #7 Best prior run: 5.547/262.85, Was #11 Right Lane: Chris Demke Runs 5.314/264.55, Now #3 Best prior run: 5.435/262.90, Was #9 Two nice-looking runs, but the two ladies stay atop the list. Left Lane: Dan Kracht No Time, Now #6 Best prior run: 5.351/261.83, Was #6 Right Lane: Arthur Gallant Runs 16.570/57.14, Now #9 Best prior run: 5.378/263.51, Was #9 Last pair - they were #1 and #2 after yesterday's session. Kracht pulled out of line without making a burnout, Gallant lost traction immediately and it's "Ladies' Day" atop the TAD qualifying list.

Saturday Order for Qualifying Round 2

BAYTOWN, Texas - SUMMIT FastNews - Final order after 2 rounds of qualifying in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil: Psn Driver Vehicle ET Speed 1. Courtney Force Brand Source A/FD 5.302 273.66 2. Kimmelyn Buff Pesz Northwood Urology A/FD 5.312 271.24 3. Chris Demke Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 5.314 264.55 4. Michael Manners A/FD 5.339 271.24 5. Chase Copeland Snowman Racing 5.349 268.65 6. Dan Kracht Randy Meyer Racing 5.351 261.83 7. David Brounkowski Run-N-Hide A/FD 5.358 265.27 8. Duane Shields Shortline Express A/FD 5.369 265.69 9. Arthur Gallant Arthur Gallant Racing A/FD 5.378 263.51 10. Bill Reichert Bars Leak/Rislone A/FD 5.422 272.56 11. Justin Davis Pacific High Reach B/AD 5.464 260.51 12. Shayne Lawson Tigerflow A/FD 5.565 249.76 13. Del Cox Jr. RG Industries A/FD 5.576 273.11 14. Brandon Lewis Tigerflow A/FD 5.614 248.20 15. Brittany Force Brand Source A/FD 5.637 245.36 16. Bill Evans Evans Petroleum Services A/FD 5.639 269.03 --------- Not Qualified --------- 17. John Finke Bobcat Express 5.651 258.27 18. Malcolm Wahle A/FD 5.695 248.75 19. Darvin Martinets Tom Jones/NIC Motorsports B/AD 5.852 183.54 20. Darryl Hitchman Hitchman Racing A/FD 5.855 231.64 21. Chris Holley Holley Race Cars A/FD 6.043 221.67 22. Vitali Kazakevich Natural Dragster Racing A/FD 6.255 223.88 23. Carl Magee A/FD 6.433 221.49 24. Doug Hegge TunedUp.com A/FD 9.423 224.40

Saturday Results for Elimination Round 1

BAYTOWN, Texas - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 1 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil: W/L Driver R-Time E-Time Speed (W) Duane Shields (Shortline Express A/FD) 0.099 5.284 267.22 (L) Arthur Gallant (Arthur Gallant Racing A/FD) 0.146 5.535 269.56 1:46 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 59 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 29.77 inches, adjusted altitude 523 feet, track temperature 99 degrees. These two are 2-2 in prior national events. Shields was away first, then Gallant ran into tire shake and had to pedal it - not a good thing when your opponent is running low ET for the weekend. (W) David Brounkowski (Run-N-Hide A/FD) 0.073 5.236 264.39 (L) Bill Reichert (Bars Leak/Rislone A/FD) 0.070 9.832 115.68 Brounkowski is the 139th different opponent for Reichert. Reichert was up in smoke immediately and Brounkowski earned his first-ever round win at a national event and he does it with a career-best run, the quickest run by a TAD at 94 percent nitro. (W) Justin Davis (Pacific High Reach B/AD) 0.079 6.779 201.19 (L) Dan Kracht (Randy Meyer Racing TA/D) -0.015(R) 7.123 235.10 As soon as Davis' car fired, the RPMs shot way up and the crew thrashed to get the idle slowed down. The crew chief finally got the right screws turned and Davis made a quick, short burnout. Kracht left early, then lost traction - and Davis was ripe for the picking, the car sluggish on the launch and slow going down the track, But against a red light, it's just another win. (W) Chase Copeland (Snowman Racing A/FD) 0.059 5.368 268.38 (L) Shayne Lawson (Tigerflow A/FD) 0.107 5.343 261.62 Copeland, in his first event in an A/Fuel dragster, gets his first round win on a holeshot. He left first, but Lawson had him covered at half track, then fell back. Chase Copeland's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.042), 330 ft(0.009), 660ft(-0.007), 1,000ft(0.005). MOV: 0.0232 seconds (approximately 9 feet). (W) Michael Manners (A/FD) 0.114 5.240 276.01 (L) Del Cox Jr. (RG Industries A/FD) 0.091 5.617 228.50 Cox struggled in qualifying and it looks like the team still doesn't have the car sorted out. Manners ate up Cox's apparent holeshot in the first 60 feet, then ran away from him for a surprisingly easy win. Manners ran second-quick ET of the round so far and will have lane choice against Copeland. He also ran the top speed of the meet, by the way. (W) Chris Demke (Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 0.047 5.349 262.23 (L) Brandon Lewis (Tigerflow A/FD) 0.020 13.572 94.37 Lewis "boiled the hides" and Demke was un challenged. He will have lane choice against davis in the quarterfinals when the two blown cars face off. (W) Bill Evans (Evans Petroleum Services A/FD) 0.061 5.497 267.00 (L) Courtney Force (Brand Source A/FD) 0.130 5.515 254.86 Force overcame Evans' holeshot in the first 330 feet, but then her car fell off the pace and Evans retook the lead to stay. (W) Kimmelyn Buff Pesz (Northwood Urology A/FD) 0.185 5.298 269.29 (L) Brittany Force (Brand Source A/FD) -0.177(R) NT-Broke After Staging There will be a female driver in round two...and it will be Buff Pesz. Force's car was popping and banging before the green and rolled through the beams, the engine going silent. She stopped before reaching the 330-foot marker. Buff Pesz ran quicker than her #2 qualifying time, but still lost lane choice to Brounkowski in round two.

Sunday Results for Elimination Round 2

BAYTOWN, Texas - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 2 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil: W/L Driver R-Time E-Time Speed (W) David Brounkowski (Run-N-Hide A/FD) 0.143 5.246 266.74 (L) Kimmelyn Buff Pesz (Northwood Urology A/FD) 0.257 5.277 273.55 1:41 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 30 percent, barometer 29.99 inches, adjusted altitude 1,033 feet, track temperature 108 degrees. Buff-Pesz is making just her sixth national event start in TAD, already has a career-best speed of 271.24, in qualifying here. Andy Reichert, Bill Reichert's son, is helping Brounkowski this weekend - ironically, Brounkowski beat Reichert in the first round, running low ET for the weekend. This one was all Brounkowski, just a hundredth slower than his first-round effort and his best speed of the weekend. (W) Duane Shields (Shortline Express A/FD) 0.056 5.294 271.73 (L) Bill Evans (Evans Petroleum Services A/FD) 0.156 5.522 268.65 Shields has been to the finals four times at this event, still seeking his first win. Evans is making his ninth career start, has just two round wins, including the one yesterday. Shields won this one easily, also losing just a hundredth from his best run, yesterday. (W) Chris Demke (Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 0.057 5.332 254.33 (L) Justin Davis (Pacific High Reach B/AD) 0.034 5.375 245.81 The only two blown cars in the field squared off here. Demke was the runner-up at this year's Winternationals, where he posted low ET of the event, and this is the first time he's raced at this event. Davis is making just his seventh start. Wow! Close race, Davis was away first, then the two traded the lead back and forth, Demke taking over on the top end for the win. Chris Demke's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.017), 330 ft(0.006), 660ft(-0.007), 1,000ft(-0.004). MOV: 0.0200 seconds (approximately 7 feet). Demke faces Brounkowski in the semifinals, Brounkowski has lane choice. (W) Michael Manners (A/FD) 0.082 5.285 274.22 (L) Chase Copeland (Snowman Racing A/FD) 0.067 5.381 269.29 Copeland is in his first-ever event. Manners has been on a streak lately, his last four runs in eliminations were 5.32, 5.27, 5.26 and 5.24, in that order (including three runs at Gainesville). Copeland had the holeshot and the early lead, but Manners once again rian in the twenties and took over on the top end for the win. Michael Manners' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.036), 330 ft(-0.006), 660ft(0.037), 1,000ft(0.063). MOV: 0.0811 seconds (approximately 32 feet). He will have lane choice against Shields in the semifinals.

Sunday Results for Elimination Round 3

BAYTOWN, Texas - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 3 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil: W/L Driver R-Time E-Time Speed (W) Duane Shields (Shortline Express A/FD) 0.068 5.303 271.52 (L) Michael Manners (A/FD) 0.096 6.162 166.87 3:27 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 31 percent, barometer 29.94 inches, adjusted altitude 1,134 feet, track temperature 114 degrees. manners hot streak came to an end here, his car shaking the tires and dropping a cylinder early in the run. Shields went from A to B with no fuss and very little muss, his car making consistent runs so far in eliminations. (W) Chris Demke (Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 0.063 5.310 267.69 (L) David Brounkowski (Run-N-Hide A/FD) 0.085 8.280 107.51 This is the first time Brounkowski and Demke have faced each other in eliminations at a national event. Neither has ever been in a national event final round. Brounkowski started shaking the tires about 100 feet out, pedaled, shook again. Demke was uncontested, making a nice, straight, smooth pass, his best of the event. He faces Shields in the final round, Shields has lane choice.

Sunday Results for Final Round

BAYTOWN, Texas - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil: W/L Driver R-Time E-Time Speed (W) Duane Shields (Shortline Express A/FD) 0.093 5.360 265.17 (L) Chris Demke (Peen-Rite-Abrasive Finishing B 0.027 DQ-Centerline 5:16 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 31 percent, barometer 29.91 inches, adjusted altitude 1,185 feet, track temperature 103 degrees. Shields has been to four prior final rounds here and was the runner-up last year. This is the first time Demke has run here. He was the runner-up at the Winternationals, running low ET of the race. It's a classic A/Fuel versus blown alcohol matchup. demke crossed the finish line a car length ahead of Shields, but his car was aimed at the centerline from the start and took out the 1,000-foot timing blocks, then swerved back to the right, barely missing the wall, almost sidways, then swerved back to the left, opnce again very, very sideways. He didn't hit anything, didn't roll over - in essence, "he crashed without hitting anything." Demke was disqualified, Shields gets the win.

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