Sun, 5 Apr 2009, 03:04 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Tenth annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                             717 Brian Thiel                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.077  4.214 295.72                     0.083  6.404 107.44
 Qualified:             #6  4.148 297.94                       #11  4.182 298.47

11:22 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 20 percent, barometer 28.15 inches, adjusted altitude 3,105 feet, track temperature 89 degrees. This is the first time Capps and Thiel have faced each other in eliminations.

Thiel loses traction at about 300 feet and Capps advances to round two in his 300th NHRA event.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.941 sec., 330ft-2.391, 660ft-3.395/256.26 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Ashley Force Hood                       3 Jack Beckman                 
E1                   0.090  4.164 305.77     ****WINNER****  0.090  4.156 299.66
 Qualified:             #4  4.139 303.23                       #13  4.202 302.69

Force Hood and Beckman have each won 1 time against the other in prior events. This is Force Hood's 50th race.

Beckman was a little to the right of the groove on the top end, but he was able to stay on the throttle for the win.

Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.378, 660ft-3.365/260.56 mph.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.933 sec., 330ft-2.369, 660ft-3.350/261.78 mph.
Jack Beckman's MOV: 0.0084 seconds (approximately 4 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Tony Pedregon                         750 Del Worsham                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.057  4.155 305.01                     0.057  4.278 277.37
 Qualified:             #1  4.100 302.62                       #16  4.278 283.61

Pedregon is 29 - 16 against Worsham in prior events.

Worsham made a move to the left after dropping a cylinder and he was pressing the centerline from 660 feet through the finish. A good looking pass for Pedregon.

Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.380, 660ft-3.359/263.92 mph.
Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.403, 660ft-3.415/248.61 mph.
Tony Pedregon's MOV: 0.1233 seconds (approximately 50 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Robert Hight                          170 Jeff Arend                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.075  4.370 237.55                     0.104  4.498 215.17
 Qualified:             #2  4.115 305.15                       #15  4.251 297.88

Hight is 7 - 0 against Arend in prior events.

Arend struck the tires just before the 660-foot mark. Hight's engine was on fire at 800 feet but he had enough momentum to hang on for the win.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.933 sec., 330ft-2.387, 660ft-3.424/238.64 mph.
Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.914 sec., 330ft-2.356, 660ft-3.422/218.48 mph.
Robert Hight's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.010), 330 ft(-0.002), 660ft(0.027). MOV: 0.1575 seconds (approximately 50 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Mike Neff                              10 Gary Densham                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.123  4.117 306.26                     0.110  4.761 171.42
 Qualified:             #3  4.125 304.46                       #14  4.212 289.94

Neff is 2 - 0 against Densham in prior events.

Densham started smoking the tires at about 500 feet and he had to lift. A very good looking pass for Neff and he'll have lane choice over Capps in round two.

Mike Neff's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.347, 660ft-3.322/264.03 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  340 Bob Bode                             2814 Matt Hagan                   
E1                   0.138  4.846 192.80     ****WINNER****  0.089  4.144 291.45
 Qualified:             #5  4.145 303.43                       #12  4.185 301.33

This is the first time Bode and Hagan have faced each other in eliminations.

Bode struck the tires at about 330 feet and he could only watch Hagan drive away. Hagan will have lane choice over Beckman in round two.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.906 sec., 330ft-2.328, 660ft-3.316/256.41 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 John Force                              2 Tim Wilkerson                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.084  4.128 305.84                     0.085  4.182 301.27
 Qualified:             #7  4.149 300.00                       #10  4.169 293.86

Force is 24 - 9 against Wilkerson in prior events, 8-3 in round one.

A very good looking drag race! The candles were lit and tires were hooked up for both drivers all the way down the track. Force will have lane choice over Hight in round two.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.359, 660ft-3.332/263.15 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.945 sec., 330ft-2.383, 660ft-3.371/258.07 mph.
John Force's incremental margins: 60ft(0.008), 330 ft(0.025), 660ft(0.040). MOV: 0.0557 seconds (approximately 25 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Cruz Pedregon                        1777 Bob Tasca III                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  4.149 303.98                     0.064  4.302 267.11
 Qualified:             #8  4.167 301.67                        #9  4.167 301.67

Pedregon is 4 - 0 against Tasca III in prior events.

Tasca had traction troubles around the 660-foot mark and Cruz will advance to get lane choice over his brother Tony in round two.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.925 sec., 330ft-2.359, 660ft-3.346/260.26 mph.
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.388, 660ft-3.410/242.67 mph.
Cruz Pedregon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.002), 330 ft(0.014), 660ft(0.049). MOV: 0.1386 seconds (approximately 54 feet).

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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