Sun, 15 Apr 2007, 03:06 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

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

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  782 Gary Densham                          750 Del Worsham                  
E1                   0.113  4.804 317.05     ****WINNER****  0.069  4.842 325.69
 Qualified:             #7  4.787 322.04                       #10  4.803 316.97

11:33 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 27.73 inches, adjusted altitude 3,780 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.

We open with the 7 vs 10 match between Densham and Worsham. Densham was late and opened the door for Worsham. Both cars were a bit loose but Densham used just a little more lane and it cost him. Worsham actually trailed at 1000ft but made it up when Densham wandered. Del Worsham's MOV: 0.0065 seconds (approximately 3 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7321 Ashley Force                           10 Cruz Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.089  4.883 302.75                     0.046  5.958 157.72
 Qualified:             #3  4.748 321.27                       #14  4.819 292.71

Pedregon put a light on A. Force at the hit and she trailed to 330ft. She drove her Mustang around Pedregon after that and scored the round win. She still had a bit more excitement as she left some used parts laying on the track at the finish. As soon as the Safari gets done in the left lane we'll continue the round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  180 Mike Ashley                           711 Jack Beckman                 
E1                   0.099  5.106 250.74     ****WINNER****  0.068  4.775 327.19
 Qualified:             #1  4.725 334.32                       #16  4.837 321.73

Ashley became the 83rd different driver to qualify #1 at an NHRA National Event this weekend. That didn't help a bit today though as Beckman lays down his best run of the weekend to take out the top qualifier. Ashley really had his hands full as the car got very close to the wall near the stripe.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Robert Hight                          503 Tommy Johnson Jr.            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  4.777 320.81                     0.073  7.831 112.98
 Qualified:             #2  4.740 288.70                       #15  4.822 323.97

As Frey would say...Right down Broadway! Hight made that one look easy as the AAA Mustang stayed dead center in the lane and pulled right to the lights. Johnson struck the tires pretty early and that was the end of his day. Hight has also earned lance choice over Worsham in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                             170 Jeff Arend                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.088  4.820 317.42                     0.074  4.845 324.75
 Qualified:             #4  4.762 322.11                       #13  4.818 318.69

Capps gets the win but he really drifted over towards the concrete wall in his lane. We do have a cross wind that's blowing pretty hard right now. Arend was in the game but he just couldn't catch Capps. Ron Capps' MOV: 0.0119 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Tony Pedregon                         404 Kenny Bernstein              
E1                   0.055  4.992 248.02     ****WINNER****  0.095  4.818 319.37
 Qualified:             #5  4.763 328.70                       #12  4.816 316.97

The King comes from behind to take a round one win over T. Pedregon. This was close until the candles went out in Pedregon's car. Bernstein didn't catch and pass Pedregon until about 1000ft. That also gives Bernstein lane choice over Capps next round by .002.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  388 Jim Head                                7 Gary Scelzi                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.122  4.846 313.66                     0.104  5.157 307.09
 Qualified:            #11  4.806 322.04                        #6  4.772 325.61

Neither driver will want to keep the timeslip because of the reaction times. Scelzi sort of left first but Head drove around him before 330ft. The fact that Scelzi struck the tires might have had a lot to do with that. Head has lane choice over Force in the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  427 Tony Bartone                          319 Scott Kalitta                
E1                   0.105  9.882  79.92     ****WINNER****  0.094  4.841 320.43
 Qualified:             #8  4.799 314.75                        #9  4.799 313.15

Bartone got some animation out of Big Jim Dunn when he motioned his driver to the starting line. Instead the car lurched backwards and really got Dunn's attention. That all got straightened out but Bartone was up in smoke before 330ft. Beckman will choose the lane when he meets Kalitta in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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