Shawn Cowie and Sean Bellemeur took command of the Top Alcohol divisions Thursday as qualifying opened for the 61st annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Cody Lane (Competition Eliminator), Kevin Motter (Super Stock) and Pete Lanciers (Stock Eliminator) also led their respective categories as the final NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national event of the season got underway.
The Top Alcohol categories completed two qualifying sessions, with Cowie leading a 20-car Top Alcohol Dragster field and Bellemeur setting the pace among the Top Alcohol Funny Cars. The remaining Sportsman divisions completed their qualifying programs, establishing the fields for eliminations.
Cowie put his Top Alcohol Dragster at the top of the qualifying sheet with a 5.225-second run at 275.51 mph while recent Vegas winner Melanie Johnson was close behind with a 5.239 at 274.89 mph, leaving just .014 seconds between the two quickest competitors.
Braiden Chesleigh ended the day as third with a 5.249 at 272.01 mph, followed by Kirk Wolf at 5.252 and 271.62 mph. Jackie Fricke completed the top five with a 5.264 at 271.79 mph.
Mitchell Myers occupied the bump spot after Thursday’s sessions with a 5.490 at 261.42 mph, leaving those outside the field needing to improve.
Bellemeur, meanwhile, had the quickest Top Alcohol Funny Car with a 5.480 at 264.96 mph while Annie Whiteley followed with a 5.506 at 265.69 mph, putting the two rivals within .026 seconds of one another.
Shane Westerfield was third with a 5.521 at 264.44 mph, followed by Doug Gordon at 5.530 and 263.46 mph. Will Martin’s nitro-burning TAFC rounded out the top five with a 5.559 at 284.09 mph, recording the fastest speed among the top ten qualifiers.
Lane claimed the No. 1 qualifying position in Competition Eliminator, driving his A/Econo Altered entry to a 7.242-second run against a 7.91 index. His performance was .668 seconds under the class standard, giving him a .056-second advantage over the next two competitors.
Joseph Mozeris qualified second in C/Dragster Automatic with a 6.978 against a 7.59 index, placing him .612 under. Ryan Priddy matched that .612-under performance in A/Altered with a 6.468 against a 7.08 index, but Mozeris held the higher position.
Super Stock produced one of Thursday’s tighter qualifying battles, with Motter taking the top position by just .005 seconds over Jim Grossi. Motter’s SS/KA entry ran 10.149 against an 11.25 index, putting him -1.101 seconds under the standard.
Grossi followed with an 8.704 in FGT/C, running -1.096 seconds under his 9.80 index. Jeff Adkinson, coming off a Stock Eliminator victory at Las Vegas, qualified third in FSS/F with a 9.113, which was -1.087 seconds under his 10.20 index.
Lanciers led Stock Eliminator with a 10.737 elapsed time in F/Stock Automatic trim, running -1.113 seconds under the 11.85 index. Michael Cotten, competing in the same classification, was second with a 10.749, just .012 seconds behind Lanciers on elapsed time.
Steven Wann qualified third in AA/SA with a 9.606 against a 10.70 index, placing him 1.094 seconds under. The three leading Stock qualifiers were separated by only .019 seconds in their performances relative to their respective indexes.
Former Pro Comp racer Alan Kenny was tops in Top Dragster with a 6.093-second pass at 227.57 mph, narrowly beating Aaron Steinkey for the top position. Steinkey qualified second with a 6.118 at 229.16 mph, while Steve Schneider was third with a 6.179 at 223.69 mph.
Steinkey. pulling double duty, took the Top Sportsman No. 1 qualifying position with a 6.198 at 231.52 mph. He finished with a 046-second over Kirk Lanz, who qualified second with a 6.244 at 234.90 mph.
Mike Doushgounian completed the top three in Top Sportsman with a 6.484 at 228.31 mph. Steinkey’s appearances near the top of both the Top Dragster and Top Sportsman qualifying sheets put him in contention for two Sportsman eliminator titles at Pomona.
Lucas Oil NHRA Drag Racing Series competition resumes Friday at 8 a.m. at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, with Sportsman eliminations and additional Top Alcohol qualifying on the schedule.
