Mon, 02 Sep 2013, 14:10 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 59th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Robert Hight                            6 Johnny Gray                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.094  4.557 273.44                     0.090  4.676 210.21
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Pedregon  ) 0.069  4.054 315.27      (T Pedregon  ) 0.071  4.060 313.66
 Qualified:             #7  4.056 310.91                        #2  4.012 312.13

1:50 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 62 percent, barometer 28.97 inches, adjusted altitude 3,479 feet, track temperature 110 degrees.

Hight is 10 - 7 against Gray in prior events and has lane choice.

WOW! Gray has a small 0.004 head start and starts to pull steadily ahead to just before the 660 lights, where both cars kick the tires. Hight pumps and gets the tires to quickly recover and Gary pumps and doesn't. It's all Hight after that.

Robert Hight's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.001), 330 ft(-0.057), 660ft(-0.070). MOV: 0.1157 seconds (approximately 36 feet).

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.397, 660ft-3.636/213.91 mph.
Johnny Gray's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.344, 660ft-3.570/196.85 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Tim Wilkerson                          28 Ron Capps                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.111  4.155 300.26                     0.075  4.405 235.10
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Tasca III ) 0.090  4.028 315.86      (A DeJoria   ) 0.062  4.062 315.05
 Qualified:            #13  4.086 312.50                        #5  4.049 315.27

Capps is 27 - 15 against Wilkerson in prior events.

Capps gets a big starting line advantage and pulls steadily ahead until just before the 660 lights. The tires start to smoke at that point and won't recover. Wilkerson drives on by for an easy win.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.056), 330 ft(-0.071), 660ft(0.017). MOV: 0.2144 seconds (approximately 74 feet).

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.361, 660ft-3.345/260.61 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.326, 660ft-3.398/218.83 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Jeff Arend                              1 Jack Beckman                 
E2                   0.088  4.586 244.21     ****WINNER****  0.113  4.219 285.71
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Hagan     ) 0.112  4.144 307.86      (C Head      ) 0.104  4.019 316.45
 Qualified:            #16  4.138 306.12                        #8  4.062 310.20

Beckman is 14 - 4 against Arend in prior events and on a march for the 100K Double Up win.

Arend is looking for an upset and jumps ahead at the green and is on a strong pass until right after the 330 lights, where the tires start to smoke. Beckman's motor wasn't happy, but he still gets by for the vital win. Wilkerson will have lane choice next round.

Jack Beckman's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.006), 330 ft(-0.004), 660ft(0.187). MOV: 0.3425 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.390, 660ft-3.595/205.98 mph.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.369, 660ft-3.383/252.10 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 John Force                            750 Del Worsham                  
E2                   0.070 10.601  73.27     ****WINNER****  0.091  4.135 309.91
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Lee       ) -0.039  4.062 319.14      (C Force     ) 0.128  4.054 317.57
 Qualified:             #6  4.052 313.58                        #3  4.045 313.15

Force is 46 - 22 against Worsham in prior events.

Force gets away first and has the slicks smoking before sixty feet.

Worsham drives on by and takes the easy win. The win secures him a spot in the Countdown. That also ends any chance for Tasca.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.919 sec., 330ft-2.363, 660ft-3.348/263.46 mph.

2:04 p.m. Capps locks in the #2 spot on the Countdown ladder.

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"