Fri, 27 Oct 2006, 07:35 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Sixth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: John Lawson Runs 9.060/94.55, Now #1
Right Lane: Stephen Neese Runs 10.159/74.13, Now #2

3:54 p.m. Lawson hits the throttle and goes to the right, Neese goes to the left, then both click it off about 300 feet out.

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Left Lane: Bob Bode Runs 10.409/82.95, Now #4
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.824/322.81, Now #1

Bode gets about 200 feet out, strikes the tires, then clicks it off. Beckman makes a nice run right out of the box, right down the groove.

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Left Lane: Frank Pedregon No Time, Now #6
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.953/306.53, Now #2

Pedregon's crew has problems getting the body to latch and does a late and abbreviated burnout. He then has problems getting the car in reverse, then finally idles on down the track. Wilkerson had completed his burnout and had to wait at the line for Pedregon to get off the track. He hits the throttle, moves around a little early in the run, but makes a decent pass. He commented that they were just looking for a baseline to run against tonight.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 5.308/204.57, Now #3
Right Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 9.877/115.46, Now #5

Gilbertson gets about 100 feet out and goes up in smoke. Head was making a strong pass, then struck the tires about 800 feet out and had to back off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 9.301/86.11, Now #6
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.261/216.48, Now #3

Kalitta gets about 400 feet out and goes up in smoke. Bartone aw on a decent pass, then hazed the tires about 800 feet out and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 6.875/129.43, Now #5
Right Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 7.445/107.46, Now #6

Dueling tire smoke, both get about 300 feet out and lose traction.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 6.623/128.19, Now #5
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 7.800/113.15, Now #8

We seem to be developing a pattern here, both drivers hit the throttle, start to lose traction about 300 feet out, then both abort the run.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.087/256.84, Now #3
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 10.156/80.50, Now #13

Pedregon gets about 200 feet out and strikes the tires. He pedals once, then gets the slicks to bite and goes on through for a decent pass. Scelzi gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 10.478/99.77, Now #17
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.925/301.47, Now #2

Johnson goes up in smoke at the hit and has to give up on the run. Pedregon goes right down the groove and makes a decent pass to get in the second spot for now.

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Left Lane: Eric Medlen Runs 4.773/319.52, Now #2
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.768/326.87, Now #1

A couple of really good passes, both go right down the groove, keeping all the cylinders lit all the way through the run.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 12.128/83.33, Now #21
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.760/324.20, Now #1

Capps goes up in smoke at the hit and has to abort the run. Force goes right down the groove to take the pole and put the Force cars in the 1-2-3 spots to end this round of qualifying.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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