Sun, 30 Sep 2001, 05:04 PM CHICAGO-2 - Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

JOLIET, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the Inaugural NHRA Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Tim Wilkerson       4.817 313.66  Q   13 Bob Gilbertson      4.856 312.86
                  0.493 12.220  78.88  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.480  4.881 309.42

11:27 AM Wilkerson is 1-0 against Gilbertson this year and 2-1 for his career. Gilbertson evens the score with a great pass right down the groove. Wilkerson gets about 100 feet out and goes up in smoke.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Frank Pedregon      4.817 313.00  Q   12 Gary Densham        4.844 280.19
 *****WINNER***** 0.499  4.779 322.96  E1                  0.370  5.396 192.91

These two have met once this year, Pedregon winning that one. Densham gets in a hurry and turns on the redlight. Pedregon runs a career best ET and speed and earns lane choice over Gilbertson in round two.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 John Force          4.756 311.49  Q   15 Dean Skuza          4.868 303.57
 *****WINNER***** 0.519  4.771 321.96  E1                  0.521  4.889 312.71

Force is 3-1 over Skuza this year......make that 4-0 after this one. This was a good race, they were even off the line, and Force gains a little at each incremental.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Tony Pedregon       4.794 313.51  Q   14 Ron Capps           4.856 307.23
 *****WINNER***** 0.497  4.773 322.88  E1                  0.484  4.813 312.06

These two have met five times this year, Capps with a 3-2 lead. This was a good one, Capps gets the jump off the line and holds it to half-track. Pedregon then starts making up ground, finally passing Capps at the 1000 foot mark.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Whit Bazemore       4.750 323.27  Q   16 Chuck Etchells      4.925 306.95
 *****WINNER***** 0.510  4.764 325.45  E1                  0.484  4.813 312.06

Bazemore lays down another great pass and sets the national speed record at 325.45, his earlier run was enough to use for a backup. Etchells was actually ahead at the sixty foot mark but then hazed the tires about 200 feet out. Margin of victory = 0.023 seconds (approximately 11 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Tommy Johnson Jr.   4.817 308.78  Q   11 Del Worsham         4.840 317.79
 *****WINNER***** 0.501  4.837 313.07  E1                  0.483  4.874 317.94

Another good race, Johnson was behind until the 330 foot mark, then drove by and held on for the win. A 4.83 and he won't have lane choice against Pedregon in the next round.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Jerry Toliver       4.818 316.45  Q   10 Bruce Sarver        4.837 314.09
 *****WINNER***** 0.487  4.838 316.23  E1                  0.471  4.936 364.55

Sarver is 4-0 against Toliver this year....make that 4-1 after this one. Toliver gets the early lead and starts stretching out the lead. Sarver started drifting toward the centerline, tries to get it back in the groove but finally takes out the 1000 foot cone. Toliver will run Force in round two, Force with the lane choice.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Johnny Gray         4.822 312.71  Q    9 Scotty Cannon       4.828 309.27
 *****WINNER***** 0.501  4.862 306.74  E1                  0.526 11.110  73.26

This is getting tough, if you can't run a 4.7, you don't get lane choice. Gray gets the holeshot and never looks back. Cannon hits the throttle, gets about 200 feet out and goes up in smoke. Gray will run Bazemore in round two, Bazemore with the lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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