Sun, 07 Apr 2013, 15:14 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 14th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2814 Matt Hagan                             77 Bob Tasca III                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.061  4.246 292.27                     0.072  7.632  82.66
 Qualified:             #6  4.115 306.53                       #11  4.165 307.09

11:38 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 27.72 inches, adjusted altitude 4,311 feet, track temperature 110 degrees.

Tasca III is 6 - 4 against Hagan in prior events. Tasca lost traction just past the tree. He unsuccessfully tried to pedal through it. Hagan lost the blower belt just before the finish.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Jack Beckman                           72 Tony Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.083  4.189 286.98                     0.059  4.246 267.85
 Qualified:             #3  4.095 306.05                       #14  4.195 293.03

Beckman is 11 - 5 against Pedregon in prior events. Pedregon had a cylinder out on the top end of the track. Beckman started drifting left before half track but he stayed on the throttle for the win. He'll have lane choice over Hagan in round two.

Jack Beckman's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.004), 330 ft(-0.010), 660ft(0.009). MOV: 0.0332 seconds (approximately 13 feet).

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.921 sec., 330ft-2.359, 660ft-3.353/256.65 mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.373, 660ft-3.386/250.37 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Jeff Arend                              7 Robert Hight                 
E1                   0.101  4.225 300.80     ****WINNER****  0.096  4.216 297.94
 Qualified:            #16  4.363 232.23                        #1  4.053 315.19

This is Robert Hight's first #1 spot since Atlanta last year and it's his 4th top spot at this event. He won last year from the #1 spot and is the only FC driver ever to win from the top spot at this event.

This is the 14th time Jeff Arend has qualified 16th in the field. In his previous tries he has won his first round match three times. He has met Robert Hight four times when Robert was #1 and he has yet to beat him in the first round.

This was a pretty good drag race. Arend kept it close all the way down the track.

Robert Hight's incremental margins: 60ft(0.014), 330 ft(0.018), 660ft(0.017). MOV: 0.0149 seconds (approximately 7 feet).

Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.925 sec., 330ft-2.384, 660ft-3.406/251.49 mph.
Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.371, 660ft-3.394/251.67 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Tim Wilkerson                           5 Courtney Force               
E1                   0.113  6.554 100.37     ****WINNER****  0.104  4.109 314.46
 Qualified:            #15  4.225 287.78                        #2  4.068 315.86

Force is 3 - 0 against Wilkerson in prior events. Wilkerson was up in smoke at about 200 feet. Force was skating around on the top half of the track and still managed to run the quickest time of the round so far.

Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.919 sec., 330ft-2.364, 660ft-3.332/267.75 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 3111 Chad Head                               6 Johnny Gray                  
E1                   0.100  8.405  80.43     ****WINNER****  0.085  4.163 298.87
 Qualified:            #13  4.183 267.16                        #4  4.096 308.71

Chad Head is making his fist race day start in his second appearance (he DNQ'd at Gainesville).His father made nine appearances at this event and went to the semi-finals in 2007. Head was out of shape right after the hit and he had to lift. No visible problems for Gray.

Johnny Gray's incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.366, 660ft-3.350/259.46 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  782 Gary Densham                            4 Cruz Pedregon                
E1                   0.095  4.185 296.63     ****WINNER****  0.100  4.158 302.75
 Qualified:            #12  4.171 298.27                        #5  4.113 307.72

This is Gary Densham's 453rd race and that is second most in the Funny Car class behind John Force (614). Cruz Pedregon has beaten Gary 24 times and the only driver he has beaten more times than that is John Force (28).

This was a good looking drag race! Pedregon will have lane choice over Gray in round two.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.009), 330 ft(0.013), 660ft(0.010). MOV: 0.0221 seconds (approximately 10 feet).

Gary Densham's incremental times: 60ft-0.935 sec., 330ft-2.365, 660ft-3.364/254.42 mph.
Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.921 sec., 330ft-2.347, 660ft-3.349/256.55 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  750 Del Worsham                            28 Ron Capps                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.114  4.149 302.82                     0.091  4.203 301.13
 Qualified:            #10  4.148 299.66                        #7  4.133 302.55

Capps is 31 - 13 against Worsham in prior events. Capps moved to the right of the groove at about 200 feet and that may have cost him the race. Worsham will give lane choice to Courtney Force in round two.

Del Worsham's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.033), 330 ft(-0.012), 660ft(0.018). MOV: 0.0317 seconds (approximately 14 feet).

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.365, 660ft-3.349/261.17 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.376, 660ft-3.390/255.00 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 John Force                            771 Alexis DeJoria               
E1                   0.003  6.114 113.39     ****WINNER****  0.102  4.181 296.76
 Qualified:             #9  4.141 308.28                        #8  4.138 299.60

Force is 5 - 2 against DeJoria in prior events. Force lost traction at about 200 feet. He tried to pedal through it without success. DeJoria will have lane choice over Hight in round two.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.935 sec., 330ft-2.377, 660ft-3.366/258.07 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Jul 20- DENVER - Racing At Home Track Still Has Big Challenges for Pro Stock's Deric Kramer
Jul 19- Media Expert Desser Named to NHRA Board of Directors
Jul 19- DENVER - For Jack Beckman it Was Love at First Sight for Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway
Jul 19- Morgan & Katie Lucas to Host 9th Annual Eric Medlen Golf Tourney
Jul 18- DENVER - Top Fuel Points Leader Steve Torrence Banking on Recent Success at Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals to Keep Hot Streak Going
Jul 18- DENVER - Fact Sheet
Jul 17- Homegrown Top Fuel Dragsters Part III
Jul 14- Homegrown Top Fuel Dragsters Part II
Jul 12- Original NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Competitor Returns to Where it All Began
Jul 12- DENVER - Pro Stock's Allen Johnson Looks to Add to Unprecedented Level of Success on The Mountain