Sun, 01 Nov 2026, 15:03 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 26th annual MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                          28 Ron Capps                    
E1                   0.073  3.935 322.58     ****WINNER****  0.076  3.899 332.18
 Qualified:             #9  3.900 327.74                        #8  3.897 333.25

11:24 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 60 degrees, relative humidity 79 percent, barometer 29.69 inches, adjusted altitude 3,155 feet, track temperature 79 degrees.

This is the 89th meeting between Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon and that's the 5th most races between any two Pro drivers.

Capps is 57 - 31 against Pedregon in prior events.

A coin flip off of the line, Capps takes the lead and starts pulling away. Pedregon started moving around late in the run but was able to stay on the throttle. Capps pulls away and takes the stripe for the win.

Ron Capps' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.007), 330 ft(0.018), 660ft(0.019). MOV: 0.0338 seconds (approximately 16 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Chad Green                            373 J.R. Todd                    
E1                   0.096  3.885 320.66     ****WINNER****  0.054  3.909 332.75
 Qualified:            #10  3.905 319.52                        #7  3.889 336.82

J.R. Todd's 26 round wins are the most for him since 2021.

Since Brainerd Chad Green is 0 - 5 in Rd. 1.

Todd is 5 - 1 against Green in prior events.

Todd gets out of the gate first but Green starts making up ground quickly. Green continues to gain ground, pulling even at the 660 foot mark, then Todd is able to pull back in front and take the stripe for the win.

J.R. Todd's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.055), 330 ft(0.021), 660ft(0.000). MOV: 0.0185 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Paul Lee                                9 Spencer Hyde                 
E1                   0.078  5.008 193.99     ****WINNER****  0.085  4.209 316.67
 Qualified:            #11  3.913 330.23                        #6  3.887 328.62

This is the 3rd race between Spencer Hyde and Paul Lee this year. They each won once.

Lee gets the advantage off of the line but smokes the tires about 100 feet out. He pedals, stays on the throttle, but finally gives up on the run about 600 feet out. Hyde rattled the tires early, pedals and recovers, then pulls away for the win.

Spencer Hyde's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.035), 330 ft(0.206), 660ft(0.413). MOV: 0.7922 seconds (more than 100 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  717 Jeff Diehl                              3 Jack Beckman                 
E1                   0.121 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.081  3.851 329.67
 Qualified:            #16  3.968 317.94                        #1  3.836 335.32

Jack Beckman is 34 - 3 in Rd. 1 when qualified #1. In his last 20 starts from the #1 spot Beckman has won twice.

The last time the #16 FC qualifier won a round here was 2007.

Beckman is 8 - 0 against Diehl in prior events.

Beckman gets out of the gate first and goes down the groove with the quickest pass of the round so far to take the win.

Diehl gets out of the groove, starts moving to the right, then takes out the timing blocks at the end of the track.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.881 sec., 330ft-2.232, 660ft-3.119/289.76 mph.

Beckman will have lane choice over Capps in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  139 Dave Richards                          14 Matt Hagan                   
E1                   0.100  3.928 329.10     ****WINNER****  0.061  3.882 332.18
 Qualified:            #15  3.962 330.31                        #2  3.868 332.51

Matt Hagan wins 81% of his Rd. 1 races when he has lane choice.

Hagan is 9 - 1 against Richards in prior events.

Dave Richards 9 losses to Hagan are the most for him against any opponent.

Hagan gets out of the gate first and starts pulling away. Richards keeps him honest, going down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend but it wasn't enough.

Matt Hagan's incremental margins: 60ft(0.050), 330 ft(0.068), 660ft(0.076). MOV: 0.0857 seconds (approximately 41 feet).

Hagan will have lane choice over Todd in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 8002 Julie Nataas                           24 Jordan Vandergriff           
E1                   0.074  3.985 323.50     ****WINNER****  0.075  3.876 324.28
 Qualified:            #14  3.938 322.50                        #3  3.868 327.74

This is the first time Nataas and Vandergriff have faced each other in eliminations.

Jordan Vandergriff is 16 - 2 in Rd. 1 this year.

Julie Nataas is making her 6th start.

They leave the line together but Vandergriff starts pulling away early. Nataas makes a clean, straight pass but fell behind at every marker.

Jordan Vandergriff's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.042), 330 ft(0.066), 660ft(0.097). MOV: 0.1082 seconds (approximately 51 feet).

Vandergriff will have lane choice over Hyde in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 4494 Hunter Green                          771 Alexis DeJoria               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.069  3.923 321.73                     0.082  3.931 289.88
 Qualified:            #13  3.921 324.75                        #4  3.874 333.33

Alexis DeJoria is 12 - 3 in Rd. 1 when starting from the #4 spot.

Hunter Green is making his 17th start.

DeJoria is 1 - 0 against Green in prior events.

Green with the advantage off of the line and stays in front for about 300 feet. DeJoria goes around him at that point, then she loses traction late in the run, loses a cylinder, then the car noses over. Green goes around her and pulls away for the win.

Hunter Green's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.010), 330 ft(-0.007), 660ft(-0.021). MOV: 0.0219 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Daniel Wilkerson                        1 Austin Prock                 
E1                   0.068  4.750 170.13     ****WINNER****  0.094  3.955 319.29
 Qualified:            #12  3.914 328.14                        #5  3.878 312.71

Austin Prock wins 76% of his Rd. 1 races when he has lane choice.

Daniel Wilkerson has "left first" in 1 of his 5 races with Prock (and it's the only round he beat Prock).

Prock is 4 - 1 against Wilkerson in prior events.

Wilkerson gets the advantage off of the line, stays in front past the 330 foot mark, then he loses traction and has to give up on the run. Prock goes around him and pulls away for the win.

Austin Prock's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.024), 330 ft(-0.024), 660ft(0.211). MOV: 0.7692 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Hunter Green will have lane choice over Prock in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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