Sun, 30 Sep 2001, 06:31 PM CHICAGO-2 - Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the Inaugural NHRA Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Frank Pedregon      4.817 313.00  Q   13 Bob Gilbertson      4.856 312.86
   (G Densham   ) 0.499  4.779 322.96  E1   (T Wilkerson ) 0.480  4.881 309.42
 *****WINNER***** 0.508  4.834 317.19  E2                  0.496  4.866 305.08

1:15 PM Pedregon has had the performance edge over Gilbertson and is in the "good" lane. Gilbertson gave him a run for his money on this one, ahead until just before half track, then Pedregon drove around for the win. Margin of victory = 0.020 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Tony Pedregon       4.794 313.51  Q    6 Tommy Johnson Jr.   4.817 308.78
   (R Capps     ) 0.497  4.773 322.88  E1   (D Worsham   ) 0.501  4.837 313.07
 *****WINNER***** 0.484  4.840 319.07  E2                  0.521  5.516 182.70

Johnson gave up a bunch off the line but had caught Pedregon by the time they reached the sixty foot mark. They stayed even until about half track, then Johnson started hazing the tires and shutting down.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Whit Bazemore       4.750 323.27  Q    8 Johnny Gray         4.822 312.71
   (C Etchells  ) 0.510  4.764 325.45  E1   (S Cannon    ) 0.501  4.862 306.74
 *****WINNER***** 0.530  4.794 320.58  E2                  0.490  4.925 298.60

Bazemore continues with his dominating performance, the car right down the groove and extending his lead at every incremental.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 John Force          4.756 311.49  Q    7 Jerry Toliver       4.818 316.45
   (D Skuza     ) 0.519  4.771 321.96  E1   (B Sarver    ) 0.487  4.838 316.23
 *****WINNER***** 0.499  4.822 319.67  E2                  0.535 12.322  76.80

Toliver hits the throttle, gets about sixty feet out and goes up in smoke. No problems for Force, right down the groove. In round three it will be Force with lane choice over Tony Pedregon and Bazemore with lane choice over Frank Pedregon.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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