Sun, 23 Sep 2001, 04:49 PM MEMPHIS - Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the 14th annual AutoZone NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Tony Pedregon       4.900 308.78  Q   12 Frank Pedregon      5.014 291.70
                  0.484  5.297 225.30  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.437  5.026 296.57

11:20 AM These two have met twice this year, each winning one. Tony gets to the 330' cone and starts hazing the tires.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Jerry Toliver       4.899 308.85  Q   13 Del Worsham         5.019 296.31
                  0.539  9.506  82.07  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.513  5.207 289.32

Worsham leaves first and starts pulling away to the 330' mark. The tires break loose, he pedals and drives on through for the win. Toliver went up in smoke about 400 feet out and never recovered. Worsham gives up lane choice to Frank Pedregon in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 John Force          4.824 302.82  Q   16 Jim Epler           5.048 280.89
 *****WINNER***** 0.473  4.944 301.20  E1                  0.507  5.752 175.05

These two have met three times this year, Epler with a 2-1 advantage. Force gets the holeshot and starts pulling away. He gets a little past halftrack and starts spinning the tires. He starts mixing up cylinders on the right side of the engine but still makes a great run for the win. Epler starts spinning the tires at the transition and can't recover.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Ron Capps           4.858 306.12  Q   15 Vinny Arcadi        5.030 295.72
 *****WINNER***** 0.501  5.026 280.37  E1                  0.533  5.022 274.89

This was a great race. Capps gets the advantage off the line and starts pulling away. He gets about 400 feet out and starts hazing the tires. Arcadi was starts making a move but can't make up the difference he gave up at the starting line. Margin of victory = 0.028 seconds (approximately 11 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Whit Bazemore       4.881 313.29  Q   14 Al Hofmann          5.029 295.53
 *****WINNER***** 0.476  4.870 306.67  E1                  0.524  8.113 102.18

Bazemore has a 3-1 advantage over Hofmann this year...and he makes it 4-1 after this. Hofmann gets about 300 feet out and starts boiling the hides. Bazemore went right down down the groove, not even a wisp of tire smoke was present.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Gary Densham        4.943 305.98  Q   11 Chuck Etchells      5.011 303.03
 *****WINNER***** 0.473  4.977 301.40  E1                  0.535  5.661 184.07

These two have met once this year, Densham winning that one. Densham gets the jump off the line but Etchells starts making up the difference right off the line. He gets about 300 feet out, hazes the tires, pedals a couple of times and finally has to give up on the run.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Scotty Cannon       4.943 299.73  Q   10 Dean Skuza          4.982 301.00
                  0.497  7.149 120.98  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.502  4.995 298.47

Cannon started moving around right off the line. He gets out of the groove, the tires break loose and he backs off the throttle. No problems for Skuza, he went right down the groove. He will have lane choice over Capps in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Tommy Johnson Jr.   4.974 294.05  Q    9 Bob Gilbertson      4.977 299.66
 *****WINNER***** 0.495  4.901 302.75  E1                  0.483  7.152 123.67

Johnson is 1-1 against Gilbertson so far this year. Gilbertson gets to the 330' cone and starts smoking the tires. The engine starts putting out cylinders and he has to abort the run. Johnson makes a great run, his best of the weekend and will have lane choice over Force in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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