Fri, 17 Apr 2009, 04:42 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

COMMERCE, Ga. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 29th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Andy Kelley Runs 4.402/279.90, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 29.54 inches, adjusted altitude 1,699 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

Kelley making his first pass on the 1000-foot course, and he has a nice clean pass to start the weekend.

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Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.189/295.46, Now #1

Head with a soft set up, but goes straight down the groove with no problems. Jim Head's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.367, 660ft-3.369/257.48 mph.

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Left Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 4.399/277.77, Now #3
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.201/296.31, Now #2

The guys are backing the cars down and focusing on getting down the track, and both of these guys do it.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 5.837/116.90, Now #6
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.072/148.82, Now #5

Wilkerson moved around a little right off the starting line, and gets out of the groove and loses traction. Pedregon over powers the track around 300 feet.

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Left Lane: Mike Neff Runs 5.512/127.51, Now #7
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.195/292.14, Now #2

Neff starts to lose traction around the 300-foot mark, and clicks it off. Force gets a little loose on the top end, but still goes to the number two spot. John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.368, 660ft-3.373/256.80 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.244/286.68, Now #4
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.512/192.93, Now #7

Beckman started to lose traction around half track and clicked it off. Hight dropped a cylinder and still goes to the number four spot. Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.366, 660ft-3.397/247.43 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 5.492/129.03, Now #9
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 7.764/67.54, Now #12

Pedregon with a lot tire shake and he got out of the groove and it appears it bang the blower as the chut came out. Tasca III was up in smoke and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.557/198.85, Now #9
Right Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 4.155/297.81, Now #1

Force Hood with a great looking pass, straight down the groove and into the number one spot. Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.894 sec., 330ft-2.344, 660ft-3.340/258.81 mph. Worsham started mixing up cylinders around 660 feet.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.253/260.26, Now #7
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.116/298.27, Now #1

Capps continue to be on a roll as he goes to the to of the list with a great pass. Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.901 sec., 330ft-2.330, 660ft-3.307/263.56 mph. Hagan slowed on the top end, but still had a nice pass to go to the number seven spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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