Sun, Feb 28, 02:08 PM CHANDLER - Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Michael L. Jex Classic Matchup Ready for Round Two

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the 15th annual NHRA Checker Shuck's Kragen Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  11 Frank Pedregon      5.007 297.35  Q    6 Cory Lee            4.969 297.61
                  0.570  5.308 226.39  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.517  4.921 298.93

11:25 AM The crowd is still buzzing over the first 330 mph speed in NHRA history in Top Fuel. Now it's time for the "Queens of the Sport" to show what they can do with this fast racetrack.

Cory left first, and lengthened his lead all the way to the finish line. Pedregon clicked it early when he knew there was no catching the Pioneer driver.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Whit Bazemore       4.908 306.12  Q   14 Dale Creasy, Jr.    5.103 286.56
 *****WINNER***** 0.538  5.011 309.63  E1                  0.505  6.181 155.60

Dale drifted out towards the guard rail and lost traction at half track. Bazemore pedaled very quickly coming off the concrete pad, then blazed all the way to the finish line in the Kendall Camaro. Great driving job by Bazemore. He will face Cory Lee in Round two, and Cory will have lane choice.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  16 Randy Anderson      5.362 266.69  Q    1 John Force          4.853 311.20
                  0.520  5.123 294.56  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.523  4.896 301.40

Randy Anderson has a pretty good won and loss record against Force, so this could get interesting. They left together, but John's Mustang was already pulling ahead by the 60-foot markers, it was never close after that. Anderson started mixing up some cylinders at the top end, and John had a big puff of smoke at the finish line. Looks like Force sacrificed some Aluminum on that run.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  15 Mitch McDowell      5.296 283.67  Q    2 Cruz Pedregon       4.888 309.84
                  0.526  5.370 279.56  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.535  4.892 304.80

Cruz matches Force's performance, he was going 23 mph faster than McDowell by the eighth mile marker. McDowell's engine went away at the top end, so the safety safari is rolling for the first time today. 11:39 AM

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  13 Gary Densham        5.102 285.83  Q    4 Tony Pedregon       4.918 310.20
                  0.470  5.112 286.98  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.529  4.924 311.92

11:42 AM Densham's got an added incentive this weekend, his number was pulled for the Winston No Bull Challenge, and this is a rematch of the final round in Pomona a few weeks ago. Pedregon takes the track speed record away from his boss John Force, beating Densham by over two car lengths.

Densham tried, the NEC machine lifted the front wheels several times downtrack as the clutch timers locked up the clutch.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  12 Del Worsham         5.043 253.33  Q    5 Dean Skuza          4.944 303.30
 *****WINNER***** 0.501  5.184 262.03  E1                  0.478  5.289 263.82

Skuza left first, but lost traction and had to pedal. Worsham started smoking the tires at the middle of the track first, followed almost immediately by Skuza, so we had a top end pedal slugfest to the finishline, won by the Checker Shuck's Kragen car. Del will face Tony Pedregon in round two.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
  10 Jerry Toliver       5.001 295.93  Q    7 Jim Epler           4.973 298.93
 *****WINNER***** 0.591  5.368 216.00  E1                  0.586  6.201 162.27

Last night Jerry Toliver and the WWF team had artist Kenny Youngblood in their pit area, creating masterpieces for several people. This race was not artistic or pretty for that matter, both drivers had trouble, Epler headed sideways towards the wall and had to get out of it, and Toliver's car had troubles too, spinning the tires at the top end of the track. Jerry will race Cruz Pedregon in round two.

  
 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Ron Capps           5.000 295.34  Q    8 Al Hofmann          4.997 299.00
                  0.525  5.037 300.60  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.539  4.998 286.98

Capps almost caught Hofmann the last 300 feet, but Hofmann had enough distance in the bank to beat Capps to the stripe by .025 seconds, approximately 11 feet. Hofmann's engine was going away at the top end of the track, it almost cost him this race.

In round two Hofmann was race his old friend John Force, Force will have lane choice. Del Worsham will race Tony Pedregon, Jerry Toliver will face Cruz Predregon, and Whit Bazemore will race Cory Lee.




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