Sat, 28 Oct 2006, 05:01 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 3 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 this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 6.099/149.45, Now #18; Best prior run: 17.152/40.01, Was #23
Right Lane: Stephen Neese Runs 6.279/218.69, Now #19; Best prior run: 6.315/152.87, Was #18

1:07 p.m. Pedregon had mechanical problems on his first attempt yesterday, not able to get the car in reverse after the burnout, so he didn't get a time. In the second round, the engine had problems and he lost power early. Neese lost traction and got out of the groove on his first attempt, had problems late in the run on his second attempt

The problems continue for both drivers, Neese loses power about 300 feet out, Pedregon makes it a little past half-track and his car noses over.

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Left Lane: John Lawson Runs 5.258/217.07, Now #17; Best prior run: 9.060/94.55, Was #21
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 4.848/315.71, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.957/293.92, Was #15

Lawson got out of the groove early, drifted toward the right, then back to the left. He crosses back over the groove about 700 feet out, then strikes the tires and clicks it off. Bartone goes right down the groove and improves to the 13th spot.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 5.331/268.17, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.308/204.57, Was #18
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 5.032/300.26, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.868/309.42, Was #14

Head gets about 200 feet out, strikes the tires and has to pedal. He gets the slicks to bite but slows from his quickest run yesterday. Wilkerson makes a decent pass but slowed from his earlier passes.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.806/322.58, Now #11; Best prior run: 12.128/83.33, Was #23
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 11.027/83.86, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.821/322.65, Was #12

Burkart gets about 200 feet out and strikes the tires. Capps finally gets the slicks to bite, drifts a little out of the groove toward the center-line, but hangs on to get in the show in the 11th spot for now. Cruz Pedregon is now out, Gary Densham is on the bump spot at 4.883.

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Left Lane: Bob Bode Runs 5.095/242.89, Now #18; Best prior run: 10.409/82.95, Was #23
Right Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 13.255/48.27, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.809/321.04, Was #12

Gilbertson strikes the tires about 100 feet out and clicks it off. Bode was on a decent pass, then flames come from under the car about 900 feet down.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.895/306.95, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.087/256.84, Was #17
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.814/320.97, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.805/317.72, Was #10

Cruz makes a good run, his quickest of the weekend, but he still doesn't make it in the show. Tony makes another decent pass and will stay in the 10th spot.

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Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.806/323.04, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.883/294.56, Was #16
Right Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 4.764/324.98, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.787/326.71, Was #8

A couple of really good runs, both go right down the groove. Densham gets off the bump, Tim Wilkerson is on the bump spot at 4.868 and has already made his run this round.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 7.262/115.04, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.794/301.33, Was #9
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 6.656/123.24, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.770/328.46, Was #8

Worsham gets about 300 feet out and strikes the tires. Beckman makes it about 20 feet further, strikes the tires, then clicks it off.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.771/322.73, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.739/323.97, Was #5
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 7.337/111.18, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.746/320.05, Was #6

Scelzi was on a decent pass, then lost traction about 300 feet out and clicked it off. Johnson goes right down the groove and makes another good run.

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Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 9.020/91.32, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.726/325.69, Was #4
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.805/289.51, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.711/329.34, Was #2

Lots of tire smoke this round, Kalitta gets about 300 feet out, loses traction, then clicks it off. Force makes another clean pass.

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Left Lane: Eric Medlen Runs 4.750/323.43, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.712/320.81, Was #3
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 10.677/49.50, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.687/330.96, Was #1

Hight shakes the tires at the hit, the chute comes out, then he strikes the tires about 300 feet out and bangs the blower. Medlen goes right down the groove and makes the quickest pass of the round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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