Fri, 17 Apr 2009, 07:12 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Rick Green

COMMERCE, Ga. - Notes from round 2 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 this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

---

Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.158/298.27, Now #3; Best prior run: 7.764/67.54, Was #16

Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 29.48 inches, adjusted altitude 1,820 feet, track temperature 99 degrees.

Pedregon with a great looking pass until right before the finish line when it got a little loose. He still goes to the number three spot. Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.887 sec., 330ft-2.326, 660ft-3.341/254.95 mph.

---

Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.154/303.23, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.072/148.82, Was #13
Right Lane: Mike Smith Runs 4.778/175.00, Now #14; No Prior Run

Smith was on good looking pass until about half track when the engine went silent and the pipes went wet. Pedregon with a real nice pass to go the number two spot. Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.353, 660ft-3.348/259.01 mph.

---

Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.120/304.05, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.512/192.93, Was #12
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.137/301.47, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.837/116.90, Was #17

This was a great looking drag race as these two go to the number two and three spots. Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.338, 660ft-3.320/262.18 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.340, 660ft-3.328/260.11 mph.

---

Left Lane: Andy Kelley Runs 4.349/257.48, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.402/279.90, Was #13
Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 6.387/103.10, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.512/127.51, Was #17

Neff got out of the groove early and then smoked the tires. Kelley's engine really started mixing up cylinders and then had a quick flash of flames., but he still got into the show for now.

---

Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.160/301.33, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.201/296.31, Was #9
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 6.402/98.38, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.492/129.03, Was #16

Tasca III blistered the Goodyears around 300 feet and clicked it off. Arend with his quickest pass of the season on this pass to go to the number seven spot. Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.355, 660ft-3.352/258.07 mph.

---

Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.100/306.19, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.195/292.14, Was #9
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 5.365/133.74, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.557/198.85, Was #14

Worsham goes up in smoke around 300 feet. Force launched hard and keep it hooked up all the way through the 1000 feet. He goes to the number one spot. John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.892 sec., 330ft-2.323, 660ft-3.303/261.88 mph.

---

Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 5.138/144.57, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.189/295.46, Was #9
Right Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 4.225/287.47, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.399/277.77, Was #13

Head started to lose traction and then drop cylinders before he clicked it off. Toliver was on good pass and then dropped a cylinder or two on the top end. He was trailing a lot smoke as he crossed the finish line, but he still gets into the show.

---

Left Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 4.073/310.05, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.155/297.81, Was #6
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.114/303.84, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.253/260.26, Was #12

Hagan with a really nice pass to go to the number three spot. Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.905 sec., 330ft-2.332, 660ft-3.313/262.95 mph. Force Hood with a great pass to go the number one spot. This pass ties her pass from last year at Las Vegas for the second fastest pass in the 1000-foot era. Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.899 sec., 330ft-2.320, 660ft-3.285/265.59 mph.

---

Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 5.457/129.16, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.116/298.27, Was #4
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.448/202.79, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.244/286.68, Was #12

Capps loses traction early and clicks it off. Hight starts to lose traction and mix up cylinders on the top end. Hight will stay on the bump spot and Capps will stay number four.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Top Alcohol Funny Car Final, Round 4 Eliminations
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Competition Eliminator Final, Round 5 Eliminations
Nov 06- LAS VEGAS - Top Dragster Final, Round 5 Eliminations
Nov 05- POMONA 2 - Event Preview
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Top Alcohol Funny Car
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Top Alcohol Dragster
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Competition Eliminator
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Super Stock
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Stock Eliminator
Nov 02- LAS VEGAS - Summary of Eliminations in Super Gas