Sun, 22 Feb 2009, 03:30 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 25th annual Lucas Oil Slick Mist NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                            2814 Matt Hagan                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.083  4.118 304.67                     0.109  4.135 302.41
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Arend     ) 0.113  4.105 305.91      (J Head      ) 0.106  4.098 294.82
 Qualified:             #1  4.023 305.63                        #8  4.106 298.93

1:12 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 23 percent, barometer 28.90 inches, adjusted altitude 2,549 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

This is the first time Capps and Hagan have faced each other in eliminations, no real surprise there since Hagan is only in his second event for DSR. Capps runs his winning streak to six rounds as he leaves first on Hagan and holds the lead from 'A' to 'B', so the drivers always say. Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.923 sec., 330ft-2.348, 660ft-3.320/262.59 mph.
Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.923 sec., 330ft-2.349, 660ft-3.331/261.07 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tim Wilkerson                           3 Jack Beckman                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.107  4.286 228.42                     0.118  5.845 122.53
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Force     ) 0.095  4.808 251.20      (T Pedregon  ) 0.101  4.075 305.22
 Qualified:            #14  4.148 297.09                       #11  4.125 301.40

Wilkerson and Beckman have each won two times against the other in prior events. Beckman struck the tires early in the run and Wilkerson built a huge lead. All seemed to be decided until the fire went out on one side of Wilkerson's engine and it drove him hard towards the concrete wall before the end of the 1K. The officials looked hard at the tape but decided there was no contact, and the win stood.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1777 Bob Tasca III                           9 Mike Neff                    
E2                   0.120  4.122 301.00     ****WINNER****  0.161  4.037 304.19
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Toliver   ) 0.140  4.095 302.41      (G Densham   ) 0.134  4.047 308.92
 Qualified:             #7  4.106 301.94                        #2  4.050 309.06

Tasca III and Neff have each won one time against the other in prior events. Neff lays down the forth quickest pass in 1000ft history and makes it plain he believes this is his day. Mike Neff's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.267, 660ft-3.241/263.10 mph. Mike Neff's MOV: 0.0442 seconds (approximately 20 feet). he also takes lane choice into his semi final match against Capps.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  750 Del Worsham                             4 Robert Hight                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.085  4.069 304.74                     0.107  9.268  79.10
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Pedregon  ) 0.086  4.096 302.28      (A Force Hood) 0.097  4.057 305.49
 Qualified:             #4  4.072 305.22                        #5  4.077 303.71

This was a bit of a surprise. Hight rattled the tires loose very hard at 200ft and could only watch Worsham streak away to another healthy 4.0 pass and lane choice over Capps in the other semi match. Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.903 sec., 330ft-2.321, 660ft-3.278/267.43 mph. According to Worsham right at the end of that pass he banged the blower and had no warning. Sounds like the team has a little work to do.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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