Sun, 4 May 2008, 01:10 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  347 Tim Wilkerson                         427 Tony Bartone                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.115  4.828 322.88                     0.108  9.509  85.48
 Qualified:             #1  4.744 326.16                       #16  4.824 318.77

Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 29 percent, barometer 29.70 inches, adjusted altitude 1,296 feet, track temperature 92 degrees.

Wilkerson is the number one qualifier fot the 14th time in his career, four times this season, and the second time here at Gateway International. But he has never won and event from the number one position. He won the Full Throttle Pit Crew Challenge this weekend. Wilkerson is 2 - 1 against Bartone in prior events. Bartone lost traction right off the starting line and he clicked it off. Wilkerson with real nice pass, straight down the groove. Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.344, 660ft-3.329/259.91mph, 1,000ft-4.137

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Mike Ashley                           319 Scott Kalitta                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.114  6.579 252.90                     0.087  6.622 138.12
 Qualified:             #2  4.768 327.82                       #15  4.822 324.98

This is Ashley's 41st start, and his first start this year. Ashley is 1 - 0 against Kalitta in prior events. Ashley is up in smoke right off the starting line and pedals it. Kalitta starts to smoke the tires around 330 feet, and he pedals it and the engine lets go around half track and he is coasting. Ashley then gets it to hook back up and is able to chase Kalitta down right at the stripe. Mike Ashley's MOV: 0.0164 seconds (approximately 3 feet). Mike Ashley's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.806, 660ft-4.452/153.84mph, 1,000ft-5.667
Scott Kalitta's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.394, 660ft-3.718/169.47mph, 1,000ft-5.123 Ashley oiled the track, but he had a freebie.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Ashley Force                            1 Tony Pedregon                
E1                   0.118  4.869 309.98     ****WINNER****  0.067  4.892 297.42
 Qualified:             #4  4.773 325.45                       #13  4.806 317.64

This Pedregon's 290th start, Force and Pedregon have each won 2 times against the other in prior events. Pedregon is out of the gate first and has the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Pedregon's car started mixing up cylinders around half track, but takes the win by 13 feet. Pedregon has qualified in the number 13 spot six times, and now has three round wins from that position.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Robert Hight                          729 Jerry Toliver                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  4.834 301.00                     0.109  4.910 308.85
 Qualified:             #3  4.771 317.94                       #14  4.818 322.11

This his Hight's 72nd start and 44 of those have been from the top three starting spots. Hight is 1 - 0 against Toliver in prior events. Hight with the starting line advantage and never looked back for the win, appears he clicked it early as it was moving around on the top end. Toliver got loose around half track, but he stayed with it.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                           3 Gary Scelzi                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.048  4.873 311.34                     0.064  4.863 314.17
 Qualified:             #5  4.786 322.04                       #12  4.804 317.94

Scelzi is 15 - 8 against Pedregon in prior events. Pedregon with the starting line advantage and has the power to hold off the hard charging Scelzi, MOV: 0.0062 seconds (approximately 3 feet). This was a great drag race...Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.920 sec., 330ft-2.348, 660ft-3.341/259.66mph, 1,000ft-4.159
Gary Scelzi's incremental times: 60ft-0.940 sec., 330ft-2.374, 660ft-3.350/260.86mph, 1,000ft-4.159 He will have lane choice over his brother in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 John Force                             28 Ron Capps                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  4.862 320.20                     0.109  4.856 319.07
 Qualified:             #6  4.794 326.08                       #11  4.803 320.36

Force on his birthday going for his 1000 round win...Force is 38 - 17 against Capps in prior events, but in round one Capps holds the advantage five to four. Force goes in deep and then has the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for a hole shot win...John Force's MOV: 0.0398 seconds (approximately 19 feet). John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.960 sec., 330ft-2.384, 660ft-3.360/262.44mph, 1,000ft-4.166
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.381, 660ft-3.358/262.18mph, 1,000ft-4.161 Force will give up lane choice to Hight in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7701 Mike Neff                             507 Melanie Troxel               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.086  4.904 310.63                     0.113  4.920 292.46
 Qualified:             #7  4.796 316.30                       #10  4.802 327.59

This is Neff's ninth start, and is still looking for his first round win. This is the 38th different driver Troxel has faced in her career. Neff with the starting line advantage and drives away for his first round win. Troxel's car started to drop cylinders around 330 feet and then it appeared the engine went away just past 1000 feet. He will have lane choice over Ashley in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  750 Del Worsham                          1777 Bob Tasca III                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.101  4.817 316.30                     0.071  4.924 310.13
 Qualified:             #8  4.797 320.36                        #9  4.798 319.67

This is Worsham's 330th start and the 69th different driver he has faced in his career. Worsham with a great pass, low E.T. of the round for the win and lane choice in the next round. Tasca with a good clean pass, just not enough for Worsham. Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.920 sec., 330ft-2.332, 660ft-3.309/261.12mph, 1,000ft-4.115

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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