Sat, 4 Sep 2010, 05:40 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

CLERMONT, Ind. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil 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: John Smith Runs 4.174/299.20, Now #10; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Jeff Diehl No Time, Now #19; No Prior Run

5:00 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 32 percent, barometer 29.04 inches, adjusted altitude 2,452 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

Tony Pedregon is on the bump spot at 4.334.

Diehl's car goes silent in the staging lights and is pushed back.

Smith shows he hasn't forgotten how and sets a career best ET, moving into the field with a near full pass.

John Smith's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.373, 660ft-3.364/259.46 mph.

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Left Lane: Justin Schriefer Runs 4.624/203.09, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 6.467/97.55, Now #18; Best prior run: 8.128/81.84, Was #18

Worsham is zero for two, smoking the tires about where he did last night.

First pass of the weekend for Schriefer and he struggles down the track.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.112/299.86, Now #6; Best prior run: 7.949/80.02, Was #19
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.759/168.85, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.934/158.95, Was #17

Brian Thiel is on the bump spot at 4.262.

The two cars run close together until near the 660 lights, where Tasca's Mustang kicks the tires again.

Hagan gets near a full pass and moves into the top half of the field for now.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.894 sec., 330ft-2.305, 660ft-3.301/257.33 mph.
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.323, 660ft-3.465/194.83 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.803/167.36, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.334/214.59, Was #14
Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 6.942/97.96, Now #18; Best prior run: 4.920/162.70, Was #18

Jim Head is on the bump spot at 4.185.

Both cars have traction issues. Lee was away first and smokes the tires first. Pedregon has much better incrementals, but only gets a little further down the track.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 5.230/142.54, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.185/271.62, Was #12
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.136/303.16, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.525/189.10, Was #15

Jim Head is on the bump spot at 4.185.

Beckman gets a good strong baseline run this time and takes over the #8 spot on a clean pass.

Head stay with him for a while, but strikes the tires before the 660 lights.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.344, 660ft-3.332/259.66 mph.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.163/299.26, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.153/277.15, Was #11
Right Lane: Brian Thiel Runs 5.666/125.88, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.262/289.07, Was #14

John Smith is on the bump spot at 4.174.

Another strong pass for Wilkerson, running just a little slower than last night with a much better MPH.

Thiel was on a good pass too, but smokes the tires after the 330 lights.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.917 sec., 330ft-2.363, 660ft-3.350/259.51 mph.

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.770/169.64, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.146/303.64, Was #9
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.111/300.66, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.149/301.40, Was #10

Another great Team Schumacher pass and Capps gets bragging rights with a terrific looking into the current top half of the field.

Troxel was right behind him until near the 330 lights and then had the slicks start to spin and smoke.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.893 sec., 330ft-2.305, 660ft-3.300/257.78 mph.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 6.098/110.60, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.113/270.27, Was #8
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.541/189.07, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.110/307.02, Was #5

Two broken runs.

They leave together with Arend getting the early advantage and keeping it. He has traction problems near the top end and slows.

Pedregon's car was good until after the 330 lights and then smoked the tires.

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Left Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 6.065/114.81, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.059/310.98, Was #3
Right Lane: Bob Bode No Time, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.109/298.14, Was #4

Bode decided to pull out of line, as lat night pass would be hard to beat in the current conditions. It was reported last night that he had oiled the track on the top end end, but it was actually Thiel's FC that had the meltdown.

Force Hood had a strong leave and then drives into smoke before the 330 lights and slows.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.093/306.46, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.055/310.98, Was #1
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.835/163.91, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.058/312.86, Was #2

Last pair of the session and its a great one.

The Prock Rocket shows it power again with the AAA Mustang making the best run of the session. Force's car was not as strong down low and then smoked the tires just before the 660 lights.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.310, 660ft-3.295/261.57 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.341, 660ft-3.499/188.44 mph.

5:32 p.m. John Smith is on the bump spot at 4.174.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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