Sat, 26 Jun 2010, 02:02 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By David Gerard

NORWALK, Ohio - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA 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:

---

Right Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 4.206/298.67, Now #15; No Prior Run

1:12 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 28.96 inches, adjusted altitude 3,302 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

We have had some good qualifying sessions so far, but the weather is changing the track conditions. Force-Hood is #1 at 4.032 and we start filling in from 13 to 16 on the FC ladder.

Wow! What a great looking pass for Diehl on a single. He gets past all of his prior problems and runs straight and true to the finish line. That's a career best speed and almost ET too.

Jeff Diehl's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.391, 660ft-3.393/257.33 mph.

---

Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.509/128.02, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Justin Schriefer Runs 5.160/180.07, Now #14; No Prior Run

Both cars leave together and then have problems between the 330 lights and 660 lights. Pedregon is first to have the back end step out and he lifts.

Schriefer has the chutes come out way early and it sounded like he was on and off the throttle to near the finish line.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.355, 660ft-3.799/147.62 mph.
Justin Schriefer's incremental times: 60ft-0.990 sec., 330ft-2.594, 660ft-3.839/174.77 mph.

---

Left Lane: Bob Bode Runs 4.142/293.60, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.191/295.46, Was #11
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 5.288/139.59, Now #15; No Prior Run

Head had a scary run yesterday, just clipping the wall, and has patched up his Solara.

Bode keeps improving the tune up and runs close to his career best ET, but stays #11.

Heads car moves hard towards the wall again and he just misses it this time. He finally gets a time and the #15 position on the ladder.

Bob Bode's incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.324, 660ft-3.322/257.09 mph.
Jim Head's incremental times: 60ft-0.889 sec., 330ft-2.360, 660ft-3.715/159.10 mph.

---

Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 6.922/96.11, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.140/297.16, Was #10
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.861/190.08, Now #14; No Prior Run

Force will be last car to attempt to get into the field in this session. Whoa! Talk about using all of the track to get to the finish line and into the field! Force's car loses traction after the 330 lights and he pumps and stabs the throttle again and again trying to get the car to settle down. The Mustang goes from center line to wall and back again before getting to the finish line. He will get into the field in the #14 spot.

Pedregon is up in smoke before the 330 and wisely clicks it off to stay #10.

Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.917 sec., 330ft-2.574, 660ft-4.584/105.89 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.386, 660ft-3.629/193.02 mph.

---

Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 7.384/91.56, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.233/291.95, Was #13

Jim Head is on the bump spot at 5.288.

Arend on a single, strikes the tires early and lifts. No drama here!

Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.901 sec., 330ft-2.631, 660ft-4.833/096.89 mph.

---

Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.989/154.53, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.110/304.46, Was #7
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 6.037/112.49, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.135/293.28, Was #9

Both cars leave hard and hit the "smoke the tires at the 330" wall together. They both lift and coast on down the track to stay #7 and #9 for now.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.894 sec., 330ft-2.329, 660ft-3.565/176.37 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.925 sec., 330ft-2.438, 660ft-4.086/129.34 mph.

---

Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.197/293.47, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.087/313.15, Was #6
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 6.618/98.09, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.069/306.40, Was #5

Worsham can't improve, but makes a clean pass through the lights and gets some tune up information for tomorrow's eliminations. He'll stay #6.

Capps kicks the tires near the 330 lights and slows.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.370, 660ft-3.375/256.50 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.494, 660ft-4.365/113.41 mph.

---

Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.829/167.16, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.067/310.05, Was #4
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 5.445/132.75, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.043/307.09, Was #2

Dueling tire smoke. The dreaded 330 shake and spin catches both cars and they have to lift.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.902 sec., 330ft-2.345, 660ft-3.510/189.52 mph.
Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.902 sec., 330ft-2.366, 660ft-3.786/151.14 mph.

---

Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.204/291.38, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.060/310.27, Was #3
Right Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 4.185/298.07, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.032/311.99, Was #1

Last two cars of the session. The sun has come out and really created problems for almost all of the Funny Cars in this session.

No problems for these two. They leave together and run side by side from start to finish, with Force-Hood recording just a little better incrementals. They will keep their current #1 and #3 positions.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.369, 660ft-3.375/254.42 mph.
Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.911 sec., 330ft-2.366, 660ft-3.369/256.99 mph.

1:47 p.m. Jim Head is on the bump spot at 5.288.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

Feb 13- NHRA and FOX Sports Announce TV Schedule for NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 12- 75th Anniversary Celebration Kickoff at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 10- Wally Parks 75th Anniversary Appreciation Fund Part of $27 Million Overall Purse
Feb 08- NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Releases 2026 Schedule
Feb 07- Huge List of Legends Set to Appear at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 05- NHRA and Legends Global Extend Merchandise Partnership Ahead of 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 04- Doug Foley Announces Addition of Ron Douglas as Consultant to Foley Lewis Racing Top Fuel Team
Feb 04- Tickets Now on Sale for NHRA's Debut at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park and Rockingham Dragway
Feb 04- Reed, Zetterström to Share Driving Duties of Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel Dragster
Jan 29- NHRA to Honor Iconic John Force in 2027 with "50 Years Of Force"