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Sat, 11 Oct 2003, 02:33 PM

Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 18th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

Right Lane: Dean Skuza Runs 5.414/198.80, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.087/154.18, Was #17

12:48 PM Current weather conditions: 78 degrees, 57 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.94 inches, with a track temperature of 111 degrees.

Skuza was on a good run until he was about 800 feet out, then he starts hazing the tires and has to abort the run. He runs well enough to move into the field in the 15th spot, but makes not stay there through this round.

Left Lane: Jack Wyatt Runs 7.971/107.74, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.694/134.34, Was #18
Right Lane: Keith Jackson Runs 6.091/150.45, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.323/243.57, Was #14

Wyatt starts hazing the tires early and shuts down about 300 feet out. Jackson gets to about half-track, loses traction and aborts the run.

Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.007/309.70, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.709/105.32, Was #19
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 4.922/311.63, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.090/297.22, Was #13

Pedregon had problems last night and could not get the engine to fire. He is still not qualified. Burkart made one full run yesterday and is in the 13th spot. A pretty good side-by-side here, Pedregon was out in front until the 330-foot mark then Burkart pulled even and drove around. pedregon moves into the field in the 11th spot, Burkart moves up to the 7th spot.

Left Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 5.757/173.81, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.782/167.41, Was #18
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 9.607/85.84, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.015/296.83, Was #13

Johnson gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. Pedregon started hazing the tires at half-track. He doesn't back off the throttle, gets to the 1000 foot mark and bangs the blower, sending the burst panel flying into the air.

Left Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 4.963/294.79, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.607/151.36, Was #17
Right Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 5.135/300.80, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.011/301.20, Was #12

Gilbertson is able to make a full pass this time and gets into the field in the 10th spot. Creasy makes another clean run, just mixing up the cylinders a little as he goes through the lights.

Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.988/312.28, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.955/314.24, Was #9
Right Lane: John Force Runs 5.401/197.49, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.866/311.20, Was #4

Force was on a good pass until just past half-track, then he hazes the tires, goes another 100 feet or so and gives up on the run. Bazemore had another good pass and will stay in the ninth spot.

Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 5.039/301.40, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.019/267.14, Was #15
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.899/315.67, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.942/309.49, Was #8

A great run for Wilkerson, the quickest of the round so far, and he moves up to the sixth spot. Capps makes a decent pass, no apparent problems, but he doesn't improve and stays in the 15th spot.

Left Lane: Cory Lee Runs 6.129/156.87, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.000/314.57, Was #11
Right Lane: Scotty Cannon Runs 5.193/252.31, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.902/318.58, Was #7

Lee gets about 400 feet out, strikes the tires and shuts down. Cannon makes it to the 1000-foot mark, then the car noses over, not sure why.

Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.868/308.74, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.832/323.39, Was #2
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 5.087/259.51, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.894/300.00, Was #5

Pedregon was out in front at the sixty-foot mark, then started losing cylinders.

Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 12.238/79.93, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.828/323.97, Was #1
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 5.021/274.39, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.865/321.19, Was #3

Scelzi hits the throttle and goes up in smoke. Worsham was on a decent pas, then started mixing up cylinders about 900 feet out.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink