Sat, 3 May 2008, 03:30 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol 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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Right Lane: John Force Runs 9.855/82.63, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.869/306.19, Was #10

Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 39 percent, barometer 29.45 inches, adjusted altitude 1,410 feet, track temperature 77 degrees.

Force lost traction right off the starting line and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.771/317.94, Now #1; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.786/322.04, Now #2; No Prior Run

This was great drag race for these two as they go to numbers one and two. Hight's car was mixing up cylinders on the top end, but still goes to the number one spot...Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.293, 660ft-3.275/261.78mph, 1,000ft-4.074 Pedregon's run appeared to be flawless...Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.893 sec., 330ft-2.306, 660ft-3.291/260.66mph, 1,000ft-4.094

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.834/318.32, Now #11; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 5.814/162.37, Now #16; No Prior Run

Ashley's car started to haze the tires and he shut if off. Beckman with his quickest pass of the season gets into the show at the number 11 spot. Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.915 sec., 330ft-2.351, 660ft-3.329/261.12mph, 1,000ft-4.136

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.744/326.16, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.883/301.27, Was #15
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 4.880/317.34, Now #15; No Prior Run

Bartone was able to get straight down the track with only just a little wiggle on the top end. Wilkerson with his season best pass and he goes to the number one spot...Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.892 sec., 330ft-2.294, 660ft-3.263/264.23mph, 1,000ft-4.060

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. No Time, Now #19; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.855/286.38, Now #14; No Prior Run

Johnson Jr. had some problems getting the car to fire and then he does burnout and he had problems stopping and he just drove it on through the 1320. Densham started dropping cylinders just past half track, but he stayed with it. He gets in the show in the number 14 spot and that bumps out Neff.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 12.633/57.54, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.848/316.90, Was #13
Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.796/316.30, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.882/272.01, Was #17

Worsham is up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Neff's car was mixing up cylinders on the top end, but he still runs his quickest pass of the season...Mike Neff's incremental times: 60ft-0.900 sec., 330ft-2.329, 660ft-3.308/262.44mph, 1,000ft-4.106 He goes to the number four spot, and that bumps out Bartone. John Force is on the bump spot at 4.869.

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Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 11.533/71.88, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.819/320.13, Was #9
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.798/319.67, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.825/315.71, Was #12

Scelzi with problems right off the starting line an he coast on through the 1320. Tasca with another career best to move into the top half of the show. Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.328, 660ft-3.300/262.64mph, 1,000ft-4.103

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Left Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 6.389/130.27, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.818/322.11, Was #9
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.828/308.99, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.822/316.08, Was #12

Toliver launched hard and then started to rattle the tires and clicked it off. Capps with real nice pass until on the top end when it got out of the groove and real close to the wall.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 12.501/76.76, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.806/317.64, Was #7
Right Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 8.053/99.17, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.822/324.98, Was #11

Pedregon smoke the tires as soon as he hit the throttle and clicked it off. Kalitta made it a little farther down track when he began to smoke the tires.

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 11.393/73.25, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.802/327.59, Was #6
Right Lane: Ashley Force Runs 4.882/274.55, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.813/321.04, Was #8

Troxel shook the tires right at the hit and she clicked it off. Force got real loose on the top end and clicked it off early.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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