ENGLISHTOWN - Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

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Fri, 20 Jun 2008, 05:32 PM

Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Larry Sullivan

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

Left Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 5.007/298.54, Now #1
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 8.674/100.43, Now #2

5:00 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 83 degrees, relative humidity 39 percent, barometer 29.87 inches, adjusted altitude 2,264 feet, track temperature 114 degrees.

Rick Cassel is now listed as crew chief on the Monster Energy flopper. The change didn't appear to have any immediate effect, TJ losing traction about 300 feet out. Ashley got a lot further before hazing the tires for the last 300 feet or so.

Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 9.230/85.55, Now #6
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 10.923/74.15, Now #7

Looked like synchronized tire smoke, both losing traction early in the run.

Left Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 5.133/276.63, Now #5
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 5.497/188.44, Now #6

Both had problems with traction on the top end and Head may have lost a blower belt, the pipes goingt wet.

Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 5.024/288.64, Now #3
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 5.008/265.33, Now #2

Pretty much the same pattern, the top end of the track obviously not offering the traction these cars need.

Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 7.268/118.05, Now #6
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 6.099/153.23, Now #5

Both cars had traction problems before half track.

Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 6.752/128.42, Now #9
Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 6.624/133.01, Now #8

More synchronized tire smoke, about 400 feet out.

Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 7.459/110.90, Now #12
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 5.051/280.25, Now #4

Capps was up in smoke about 400 feet out. Densham went right down the right lane, obviously on a soft, safe setup. It wasn't spectacular, but he got to the other end without smoking the tires.

Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.963/283.55, Now #1
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 5.850/201.13, Now #9

Ron Capps is on the provisional bump spot at 7.459.

Hight went all the way with just a trace of tire smoke (and some wacky header flames). Pedregon was up in smoke between half track and 1,000 feet.

Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.932/301.60, Now #1
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.182/224.88, Now #9

Force made a pretty run with no tire smoke or wacky flames to take over the top spot. Pedregon looked good to about half track, then started hazing the tires on the top end.

Left Lane: Ashley Force Runs 4.976/300.20, Now #4
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.953/304.67, Now #2

The top two in the points close out the first session and both make relatively good runs given the problems we saw from many of the teams. Both got into the fours at 300 mph with minimal tire smoke on the top end and no obvious problems.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink