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Fri, 13 Jun 2003, 07:15 PM

Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

HEBRON, Ohio - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Pontiac Excitement Nationals presented by Summit Racing listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

Left Lane: Arnie Karp Runs 5.101/255.97, Now #1

Current weather conditions: 75 degrees, 75 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.94 inches after a brief rain delay prior to Pro Stock we have blue skies. Karp launched hard and was on a good clean pass until about 1000 feet and then the header flames went down. Not sure if he had problems or it was a planned shut off.

Left Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 5.078/291.32, Now #2
Right Lane: Scotty Cannon Runs 5.007/282.90, Now #1

Creasy was mixing up the cylinders on the top end. Cannon with a clean pass to open the weekend.

Left Lane: Dean Skuza Runs 5.009/300.26, Now #2
Right Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 5.012/305.98, Now #3

Another pair of clean passes here and looks like a low 5.00s is what everyone is shooting for in this first session. Skuza got close to the wall after he let the chutes out.

Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.934/298.60, Now #1
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.001/293.03, Now #2

Wilkerson was straight down the groove and was hazing the tires from a 1000 feet on, but gives us our first four-second pass of the weekend. Looked like Pedregon was losing traction on the top end too.

Left Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 5.096/292.58, Now #8
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.978/313.29, Now #2

Scelzi again with that big top end speed here for the number two spot for now. Pedregon with a clean pass to start the weekend out.

Left Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 5.167/242.15, Now #10
Right Lane: John Force No Time, Now #11

Gray started dropping cylinders on the top end and clicked it early. Force was on a good looking pass similar incrementals to Wilkerson to the 330 and then no times from there on. It was explained there was a power outage and that is why Force didn't get a time.

Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.935/303.57, Now #2
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 5.837/165.70, Now #12

Capps got out of the groove and close to the centerline and finally lifted around half track. Johnson Jr with a real nice looking pass and it might of dropped a cylinder or two right in the lights.

Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.900/313.00, Now #2
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.891/303.50, Now #1

Best drag race of the day so far, side by side all the way down the 1320 for the number one and two spots

Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 5.021/300.60, Now #11
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.820/318.02, Now #1

Bazemore started mixing up cylinders from about 900 feet on. Pedregon with a great pass to let everyone else know what they have to shoot at this weekend. Pedregon with a 0.071 second advantage over the number two qualifier and teammate Densham. He also has top speed of the session and that wraps up round one with Capps on the bubble.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink