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Sat, 05 Oct 2013, 16:06 PM

Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual Auto-Plus 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:

Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.188/305.01, Now #15; Best prior run: 8.552/76.78, Was #17
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 4.145/305.42, Now #13; Best prior run: 9.852/81.72, Was #18

3:38 p.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 29.45 inches, adjusted altitude 2,968 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.
There were 18 cars here competing to be in the field of 16. At the start of the final qualifying session, Paul Lee was on the bump spot at 7.032 seconds with Arend and DeJoria both not in the field for eliminations tomorrow.

Nice time out, both drivers made solid runs down the track to make the field. DeJoria is safely in, Arend could still be bumped out. Tony Pedregon is on the bump spot at 4.572 with Mike Smith and Paul Lee waiting to bump their way into the field.

Left Lane: Paul Lee Runs 4.329/287.72, Now #16; Best prior run: 7.032/91.79, Was #18
Right Lane: Mike Smith Runs 6.815/119.05, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.062/110.70, Was #17

Neither Lee nor Smith were in the field before this run. Lee's car -- running the "Twilight Zone" name in honor of the late Bobby Lagana, Senior -- had a bumpy ride down the track to make the field for now. He's on the bump spot with Tony Pedregon waiting for his chance to bump his way back in. Smith's car smoked the rear tires from the start and he clicked it off.

Left Lane: Chad Head Runs 4.912/162.76, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.109/307.16, Was #11
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.139/306.81, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.572/211.49, Was #17

Pedregon was the last non-qualified driver to make his final qualifying attempt here. He not only bumped his way back into the field, Pedregon moved up into the number 13 spot for now. That means that Paul Lee and Mike Smith will not be back for eliminations tomorrow. Head took his car a few hundred feet down the track before it started smoking the rear tires and he backed shut it off.

Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.135/306.46, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.081/313.00, Was #9
Right Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 4.168/267.48, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.156/300.20, Was #15

Tasca's car started losing its engine at mid track and trailed smoke all the way to the finish line. The chutes did not come out on Alexander's car but he got it stopped fine anyway.

Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.341/138.97, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.077/311.13, Was #8
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.137/291.70, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.110/311.56, Was #12

Pedregon's car was shaking around to mid track, then it started letting out smoke and slowed significantly. Capps' car went down the groove but was not quick enough to move him up in the order.

Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.683/178.38, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.072/312.42, Was #7
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.180/306.74, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.084/313.37, Was #10

Neither driver was as quick as yesterday so there was no change in their qualifying positions.

Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.103/314.39, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.035/319.45, Was #4
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.173/259.21, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.072/315.86, Was #6

These two were side-by-side at 660 feet but then Hight's car fell off the pace. Neither driver moved in the qualifying order.

Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.099/312.42, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.034/318.99, Was #3
Right Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 4.659/177.11, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.067/313.29, Was #5

Both runs looked good to 660 feet, then Gray backed off the throttle. Beckman ran it through but was not quick enough to take over the second or first spots in the qualifying order.

Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 4.630/175.48, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.025/0.00, Was #2
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.036/315.12, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.987/323.50, Was #1

John Force took his car straight down the groove for the best ET of the session. Courtney got off the throttle a little bit early but will stay in the number two spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink