Fri, 26 Oct 2007, 09:24 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals 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:

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Left Lane: Jon Capps Runs 4.898/298.54, Now #11; Best prior run: 11.171/71.06, Was #23
Right Lane: Peter Russo No Time, Now #25; No Prior Run

5:17 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 18 percent, barometer 27.82 inches, adjusted altitude 3,997 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

Russo started drifting to the left after half track. He continued to move left and he took out the 1000-foot timing cone as well as the 1254-foot finish line speed cone.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.763/322.58, Now #1; Best prior run: 7.417/114.68, Was #19
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.989/309.63, Now #16; No Prior Run

No visible problems for Haddock. Hight makes a flawless pass to move into the top spot for now.

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Left Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 4.935/301.47, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.940/136.47, Was #20
Right Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 4.846/319.52, Now #8; Best prior run: 13.252/82.12, Was #25

Gilbertson's car was laboring on this pass -- it wasn't running at its full potential. A good looking pass for Toliver.

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Left Lane: James Day Runs 5.272/273.77, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.635/196.53, Was #21
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.820/317.87, Now #5; Best prior run: 10.753/79.96, Was #25

No problems for Capps as he moves to the top half of the ladder. Day lost his engine at the finish and the Safety Safari is doing some clean up.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.839/318.84, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.416/241.58, Was #22
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 4.869/314.83, Now #12; Best prior run: 10.224/97.50, Was #25

A good looking pass for both drivers.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.894/316.23, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.951/310.20, Was #19
Right Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 4.908/316.38, Now #18; Best prior run: 8.882/90.57, Was #25

Another good looking pair, though Bernstein isn't quick enough to make the field on this one.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 4.864/310.98, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.919/305.56, Was #19
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.834/316.08, Now #6; Best prior run: 8.032/110.54, Was #25

Both drivers improve with Densham moving into the top half of the field for now.

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Left Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.784/326.40, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.896/313.44, Was #17

A strong pass for Neff moves him into the number two spot for now.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 9.973/83.06, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.875/313.44, Was #7
Right Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 4.819/326.95, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.010/302.62, Was #13

Bob Gilbertson is on the bump spot at 6.940. Johnson was up in smoke at about 150 feet. Ashley was on a good looking pass, then his engine caught on fire just before the finish line. It wasn't a huge fire, he was able to bring the car safely to a stop and he exited the car quickly.

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Left Lane: Ashley Force Runs 9.307/89.18, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.836/315.78, Was #10
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.876/307.02, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.986/286.25, Was #22

Papa John is track-side again, watching his team cars go down the track. Force struck the tires at about 200 feet and she lifted. There weren't any visible problems for Worsham, but he wasn't quick enough to make the field. Tommy Johnson Jr. is on the bump spot at 4.875.

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Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 4.848/319.07, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.835/317.57, Was #9
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.950/305.08, Now #19; Best prior run: 4.896/292.14, Was #19

All of the candle were lit, and both drivers kept it in the groove, but neither driver improves.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.782/321.81, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.818/317.27, Was #5
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.815/322.11, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.856/318.54, Was #13

A trouble-free pass in both lanes and both drivers move up the ladder.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.770/314.09, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.810/317.57, Was #5
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.799/316.67, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.808/324.28, Was #4

A clean pass for both drivers to end this round of Funny Car qualifying.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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