Sat, 4 Jun 2011, 05:10 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Jim Samuel

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 42nd annual NHRA SuperNationals 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: Mike Smith Runs 4.259/288.39, Now #16; No Prior Run

4:33 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.96 inches, adjusted altitude 1,543 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

Smith was disqualified in the third qualifying session this afternoon for crossing the outer boundary. He needed to beat the bump time of 4.280 seconds to make the field for eliminations tomorrow. This time, he took his Funny Car down the groove to make the field. That puts him on bump spot with three drivers waiting to bump him out of the field.

---

Left Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 4.170/299.46, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.648/283.19, Was #18
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.302/275.79, Now #19; Best prior run: 4.881/170.49, Was #19

Neither driver was in the field when they staged their cars. Gray got the run he needed to make the field. Haddock's run looked okay but was not quick enough to make it into the field of 16. Jack Beckman is on the bump spot at 4.218.

---

Left Lane: Bob Bode Runs 4.198/297.81, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.280/281.01, Was #18
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.115/306.12, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.218/292.77, Was #16

Bode was not in the field and was the only non-qualified driver left to run in this session. Beckman was sitting in the bump spot. Both drivers got took their cars down the groove. Beckman moved into the number seven spot for now, Bode is sitting in the bump spot with John Force outside the field and waiting to make his last qualifying attempt.

---

Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.107/307.23, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.209/290.82, Was #17
Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 7.406/89.09, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.168/294.56, Was #12

Force came out of the gate strong, with a 0.889 second 60-foot time. He took the car down the groove to make the field and push Bode out. Lee's car launched, the shook the rear tires so he clicked it off early. There are no non-qualified drivers left to run, so the field is set. From here on, they will be running for position.

---

Left Lane: John Smith Runs 4.209/294.63, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.186/296.31, Was #16
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 5.287/138.36, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.123/302.28, Was #9

Arend had a good run going to 330 feet when the rear tires started to smoke, the back end got loose and he clicked it off. Smith had a good run but was not as quick as he was earlier today.

---

Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 5.669/121.50, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.169/292.77, Was #14
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.108/305.15, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.115/307.51, Was #7

Pedregon's car smoked the tires at 660 feet. Capps had a good run to move up one spot in the order.

---

Left Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.111/306.95, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.156/301.81, Was #12
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.117/302.89, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.113/305.70, Was #7

Neff moved up five spots with a strong run down the middle of his lane. Tasca was not as quick, so he dropped down spot in the qualifying order.

---

Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 6.519/101.76, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.142/299.86, Was #12
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 7.736/77.85, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.098/306.12, Was #4

Both drivers got out to about 300 feet when the shut their cars down because of tire shake.

---

Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.144/302.35, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.137/300.93, Was #11
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.138/305.63, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.094/306.33, Was #3

Both drivers took their cars down the groove without incident, but neither improved their place in the qualifying order.

---

Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 5.120/144.61, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.090/310.34, Was #2
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.056/148.56, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.048/302.82, Was #1

Two different drivers, same result as the pair before. Funny Car qualifying is done, with Cruz Pedregon in the top spot for eliminations tomorrow.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]

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"
Jan 28- Top Fuel All-Star Callout Returns to Open NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season at Gatornationals
Jan 28- John Force Racing Announces Crew Chiefs for NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season