Sat, 19 Jun 2010, 02:58 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Rowe

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 10th annual NHRA Thunder Valley 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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Left Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 5.788/151.65, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 6.611/98.34, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.326/252.33, Was #12

1:36 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 52 percent, barometer 28.51 inches, adjusted altitude 4,218 feet, track temperature 126 degrees.

Diehl sat out qualifying yesterday. Hight had traction problems both runs, once early, the next a little before he crossed the finish line.

Hight with traction problems again, getting about 200 feet out and striking the tires. Diehl's engine was struggling at the hit, then gets about 700 feet out and goes up in a ball of flame. He coasts across the finish line and gets in the 13th spot just behind Hight.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon No Time, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.517/217.91, Now #13; No Prior Run

2:04 p.m. and we're back from the cleanup in the left lane. Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 45 percent, barometer 28.49 inches, adjusted altitude 4,392 feet, track temperature 134 degrees.

The crew chiefs are instructed to fire the cars and the chutes on Pedregon's car pop out. The crew tries to get the chutes back in but run out of time. Arend hits the throttle and starts moving around. he gets about 700 feet out, makes a hard move toward the centerline and has to back off the throttle to save the run. Pedregon will have one more chance to get in the show.

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Left Lane: Paul Lee Runs 4.758/180.60, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.321/275.34, Was #11
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 10.249/68.44, Now #15; No Prior Run

Head goes up in smoke at the hit and he has to back off the throttle. Lee was on a decent pass but the car noses over about 600 feet out, not sure why. Lee doesn't improve from his run yesterday and will stay in the 11th spot. Head had a decent run yesterday but not good enough to make the top twelve. He gets in the show with this run but will need to improve on the time in his final attempt.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.228/289.07, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.250/252.33, Was #10
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.324/279.32, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.244/284.45, Was #9

A couple of good looking runs here, both right down the groove. Tasca will move from the tenth spot to the seventh. Capps drops a notch to the tenth spot.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.299/282.78, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.216/297.55, Was #6
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 6.515/100.61, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.239/289.26, Was #9

Force makes a clean pass but can't improve on his numbers from yesterday. Troxel gets about 200 feet out, strikes the tires, then has to give up on the run.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 6.330/111.34, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.199/297.35, Was #5
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 5.485/117.61, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.238/283.67, Was #8

0 for 2 on this run. Beckman hits the throttle, gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. Wilkerson rattles the tires about 500 feet out, backs off the throttle and pulls the chutes.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.342/268.38, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.186/300.80, Was #4
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.268/284.87, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.185/292.58, Was #3

A couple of pretty good runs, both right down the groove and not a wisp of tire smoke from either car. Neither improve on their runs from last night but good data for the eliminations tomorrow.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.238/279.73, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.159/291.38, Was #2
Right Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 6.080/116.99, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.151/296.70, Was #1

Force-Hood leaves the line, gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. Pedregon goes right down Broadway and makes the quickest pass of the session.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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