Sat, 4 Apr 2009, 08:34 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Tenth annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals 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: Jerry Toliver Runs 5.079/139.20, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.340/268.44, Was #16

4:55 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 14 percent, barometer 27.88 inches, adjusted altitude 3,575 feet, track temperature 101 degrees.

Toliver overpowered the track at about 400 feet and his engine expired with a bang at 660 feet.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.278/283.61, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.657/197.25, Was #17
Right Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 4.139/303.23, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.260/264.96, Was #15

Worsham had a cylinder or two out on the top end but he bumped his way into the field. Force Hood moves all the way to the top of the ladder for now.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.383, 660ft-3.424/245.94 mph.
Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.342, 660ft-3.335/258.71 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.167/301.67, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.224/293.92, Was #14
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.269/291.76, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.251/297.88, Was #15

A good looking pass for both drivers.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.923 sec., 330ft-2.381, 660ft-3.363/261.02 mph.
Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.399, 660ft-3.429/247.25 mph.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.202/302.69, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.222/263.15, Was #14
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 6.960/95.64, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.185/301.33, Was #11

Hagan was up in smoke at about 200 feet. No problems for Beckman.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.408, 660ft-3.397/260.31 mph.

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Right Lane: Brian Thiel Runs 7.568/87.83, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.182/298.47, Was #10

Thiel struck the tires at about 200 feet.

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Left Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.125/304.46, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.204/288.70, Was #13
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.100/302.62, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.178/297.02, Was #9

A strong pass for both drivers moves them into the top two spots for now.

Mike Neff's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.343, 660ft-3.325/262.13 mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.906 sec., 330ft-2.323, 660ft-3.302/263.15 mph.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 6.740/91.09, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.167/301.67, Was #7
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.115/305.15, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.170/298.40, Was #10

Pedregon struck the tires just before the 330-foot mark. A very good looking pass for Hight.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.332, 660ft-3.316/261.07 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.158/301.20, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.149/300.00, Was #7
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.670/181.15, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.169/293.86, Was #10

Wilkerson's engine went silent before half track, the reason not apparent from here. A good looking pass for Force.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.914 sec., 330ft-2.359, 660ft-3.349/258.71 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Bode Runs 6.533/102.28, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.145/303.43, Was #5
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 9.008/74.99, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.148/297.94, Was #6

Both drivers had traction troubles - Capps at about 100 feet and Bode at about 250 feet.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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