Mon, 1 Sep 2008, 01:42 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7701 Mike Neff                               2 Robert Hight                 
E2                   0.107  4.207 289.94     ****WINNER****  0.084  4.193 288.03
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Head      ) 0.091  4.191 300.00      (F Hawley    ) 0.095  4.894 249.07
 Qualified:             #4  4.114 303.03                        #5  4.114 297.48

1:27 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 35 percent, barometer 29.22 inches, adjusted altitude 3,028 feet, track temperature 117 degrees.

It's teammates to open the second round and strangely enough it's Neff that holds a 3-1 lead over Hight for career. Neff was second at the hit and Hight never trailed as Hight's MOV was 0.0378 seconds (approximately 16 feet). That career record is tightening up.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  507 Melanie Troxel                        782 Gary Densham                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.107  4.191 293.22                     0.109  4.202 291.13
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Capps     ) 0.090  4.128 301.00      (T Bartone   ) 0.121  4.927 260.97
 Qualified:             #6  4.117 300.60                        #3  4.109 296.11

Densham is 2-0 against Troxel and the record shows they've never met in the second round. This was close. Not much to choose from at the hit and welded together all the way. Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.356, 660ft-3.364/254.66mph
Gary Densham's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.362, 660ft-3.367/252.85mph. Melanie Troxel's MOV: 0.0134 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Jack Beckman                           71 Cruz Pedregon                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.110  4.176 292.58                     0.058  5.135 155.44
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Force     ) 0.112  4.160 295.21      (B Tasca III ) 0.062  4.191 298.21
 Qualified:            #10  4.139 296.44                        #2  4.107 302.62

Pedregon is 4-2 overall against Beckman and is 2-0 in second rounds. Beckman was LATE! No other way to say it. He was on the trailer until C. Pedregon struck the tires at about 330ft. He couldn't recover and watches the double up money cross the stripe without him. Beckman retains choice in the semis when he races Troxel.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  347 Tim Wilkerson                           1 Tony Pedregon                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.085  4.161 299.53                     0.055  4.250 292.46
 Prior rounds:
E1    (D Worsham   ) 0.080  4.167 296.05      (M Hagan     ) 0.105  4.176 297.29
 Qualified:             #9  4.132 300.20                        #1  4.073 301.94

T. Ped was away first but Wilkerson drives around him for the win and lane choice over Hight in the other semi.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Oct 28- LAS VEGAS - Deecell Power Systems Comp Clash Preview
Oct 28- LAS VEGAS - NHRA Summit Racing Series Preview
Oct 28- LAS VEGAS - Funny Car Preview
Oct 27- Penwell Knights Raceway Joins NHRA Member Track Network for the First Time in Division 4
Oct 27- LAS VEGAS - Ted Wiens Trick or Traction Award Returns
Oct 26- LAS VEGAS - JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Series Preview
Oct 26- Little River Dragway Latest Track to Join Growing NHRA Member Track Network
Oct 26- Cordova Dragway Joins NHRA West Central Division
Oct 25- LAS VEGAS - Event Preview
Oct 22- NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Awards Ceremony Returns to Pechanga Resort Casino