Sun, 25 Jul 2010, 01:54 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

MORRISON, Colo. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 31st annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Ashley Force Hood                       5 Jack Beckman                 
E1                   0.104  4.203 299.40     ****WINNER****  0.068  4.238 295.92
 Qualified:             #8  4.247 280.84                        #9  4.251 290.51

11:24 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 24.33 inches, adjusted altitude 8,757 feet, track temperature 98 degrees.

Force Hood and Beckman have each won 3 times against the other in prior events. Force Hood was runner up here in 2009. By qualifying for this event, she clinched a spot in the countdown. Beckman won this event in 2007 and he was runner up in 2008.

Now that was a drag race! Beckman left first and Force Hood was closing in on him at every increment.

Jack Beckman's incremental margins: 60ft(0.026), 330 ft(0.021), 660ft(0.007). MOV: 0.0015 seconds (approximately 8 inches).

Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.921 sec., 330ft-2.375, 660ft-3.384/255.00 mph.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.931 sec., 330ft-2.390, 660ft-3.413/253.37 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Robert Hight                          709 James Day                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.083  4.319 286.25                     0.095  6.700  97.18
 Qualified:             #4  4.218 295.34                       #13  5.228 153.63

This is the first time Hight and Day have faced each other in eliminations. Hight won this event in 2005. This is Day's first Funny Car start in his fourth race.

Day's engine started eating itself at the 330-foot mark and he had to lift.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.410, 660ft-3.464/244.83 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Del Worsham                           719 Jeff Diehl                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.090  4.267 298.67                     0.143  4.451 277.54
 Qualified:             #3  4.191 294.75                       #14  5.349 148.20

This is the first time Worsham and Diehl have faced each other in eliminations. Worsham won this event in 2002.

Diehl was skating around his lane while Worsham took it straight down the groove for the win.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.410, 660ft-3.444/252.05 mph.
Jeff Diehl's incremental times: 60ft-0.975 sec., 330ft-2.519, 660ft-3.584/243.06 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 John Force                            116 Paul Lee                     
E1   ****WINNER****  0.108  4.221 296.24                     0.125  4.293 290.13
 Qualified:             #2  4.191 296.76                       #15  5.710 118.42

Force is 2 - 0 against Lee in prior events. Force has five wins and two second place finishes at this event.

A good looking drag race. Force was to the right of the groove at the finish.

John Force's incremental margins: 60ft(0.048), 330 ft(0.084), 660ft(0.085). MOV: 0.0891 seconds (approximately 38 feet).

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.924 sec., 330ft-2.385, 660ft-3.397/254.62 mph.
Paul Lee's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.452, 660ft-3.465/255.77 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2814 Matt Hagan                             34 Jack Wyatt                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.082  4.231 294.18                     0.111  4.598 259.96
 Qualified:             #1  4.161 301.33                       #16 No Time      

This is the first time Hagan and Wyatt have faced each other in eliminations. This is Hagan's 4th start from the number one position - his second this year. He has not made it past the second round in his three previous number one starts.

Wyatt was not running on all eight cylinders. Hagan's pass was good enough to give him lane choice over teammate Beckman in round two.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.371, 660ft-3.398/250.69 mph.
Jack Wyatt's incremental times: 60ft-0.991 sec., 330ft-2.549, 660ft-3.670/227.04 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               6 Tony Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.089  4.204 299.73                     0.062  4.365 272.83
 Qualified:             #5  4.221 293.73                       #12  4.341 280.14

Pedregon is 27 - 19 against Capps in prior events. Capps won this event in 2009 and he has finished second on Thunder Mountain twice. Pedregon won this event in 1998 and 1999.

A flawless pass for Capps. Pedregon was not up to the challenge today. Capps will have lane choice over Hight in round two.

Ron Capps' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.004), 330 ft(0.029), 660ft(0.083). MOV: 0.1348 seconds (approximately 54 feet).

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.926 sec., 330ft-2.383, 660ft-3.390/256.99 mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.957 sec., 330ft-2.439, 660ft-3.500/242.76 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                         170 Jeff Arend                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.129  4.191 301.20                     0.077  4.626 206.51
 Qualified:             #6  4.238 296.96                       #11  4.267 290.44

Pedregon is 5 - 3 against Arend in prior events. Pedregon won this event in 1993.

Arend was dropping cylinders on the top half of the track. Pedregon runs low ET of the round to take lane choice over Worsham in round two.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.375, 660ft-3.379/258.17 mph.
Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.940 sec., 330ft-2.407, 660ft-3.536/208.10 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Bob Tasca III                           4 Tim Wilkerson                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.094  4.285 294.37                     0.071  5.241 145.99
 Qualified:             #7  4.240 293.86                       #10  4.263 289.01

Wilkerson is 9 - 3 against Tasca III in prior events. Wilkerson won this event in 2008. By qualifying for this event, Tasca clinched a spot in the countdown.

Wilkerson lost traction at about 400 feet and he was almost sideways at 600 feet. Tasca will have lane choice over Force in round two.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.922 sec., 330ft-2.405, 660ft-3.450/247.88 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.951 sec., 330ft-2.423, 660ft-3.732/166.44 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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