Sun, 22 May 2016, 13:02 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 28th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Tim Wilkerson                         496 John Hale                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.081  3.935 325.45                     0.120  4.086 314.53
 Qualified:             #3  3.869 333.74                       #14  4.061 318.09

11:27 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 54 percent, barometer 28.87 inches, adjusted altitude 3,277 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

Wilkerson is 1 - 0 against Hale in prior events.

Wilkerson left first and increased his lead at every increment. Hale made a smooth pass with no visible problems. Tim Wilkerson's incremental margins: 60ft(0.072), 330 ft(0.105), 660ft(0.160). MOV: 0.1907 seconds (approximately 88 feet).

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.885 sec., 330ft-2.259, 660ft-3.183/278.17 mph.
John Hale's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.325, 660ft-3.304/265.01 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Matt Hagan                            556 Brian Stewart                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.066  3.943 325.69                     0.163  4.065 313.15
 Qualified:             #1  3.862 335.57                       #16  4.151 272.17

Matt Hagan's win in Atlanta was the 19th of his career and that is the 12th most by any Funny Car driver. Hagan is 1 - 0 against Stewart in prior events.

Career best numbers by Stewart weren't good enough as Hagan took it straight down the groove for the win.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.256, 660ft-3.192/276.86 mph.
Brian Stewart's incremental times: 60ft-0.902 sec., 330ft-2.308, 660ft-3.278/264.13 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Jack Beckman                          302 Dale Creasy Jr.              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.068  3.933 327.19                     0.089  4.311 239.19
 Qualified:             #2  3.866 332.10                       #15  4.086 305.49

Jack Beckman is the defending event champion. This is the 91st start for Dale Creasy Jr. Beckman is 2 - 0 against Creasy Jr. in prior events.

Creasy drops a cylinder, pushing the car toward the centerline and he has to lift. A very good looking pass for Beckman.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.253, 660ft-3.184/277.03 mph.
Dale Creasy Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.927 sec., 330ft-2.392, 660ft-3.385/256.06 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  746 Courtney Force                         77 Bob Tasca III                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.081  3.943 324.44                     0.085  4.004 305.29
 Qualified:             #4  3.871 331.12                       #13  4.000 311.63

Force is 11 - 2 against Tasca III in prior events.

Force has a better light and the better car, a solid pass for her. Courtney Force's incremental margins: 60ft(0.017), 330 ft(0.021), 660ft(0.031). MOV: 0.0654 seconds (approximately 29 feet).

Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.884 sec., 330ft-2.261, 660ft-3.193/278.12 mph.
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.897 sec., 330ft-2.278, 660ft-3.220/271.90 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  771 Alexis DeJoria                       3111 Chad Head                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.078  3.963 321.81                     0.098  4.188 268.06
 Qualified:             #5  3.875 332.18                       #12  3.972 320.43

Head is 2 - 0 against DeJoria in prior events.

Head drops a cylinder at about half track and his day is done. A smooth pass by DeJoria and she will give lane choice to Courtney Force in round two. Alexis DeJoria's incremental margins: 60ft(0.064), 330 ft(0.124), 660ft(0.158). MOV: 0.2455 seconds (approximately 97 feet).

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.272, 660ft-3.205/275.11 mph.
Chad Head's incremental times: 60ft-0.932 sec., 330ft-2.376, 660ft-3.343/263.82 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Del Worsham                             7 John Force                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.047  3.953 327.27                     0.067  3.951 328.70
 Qualified:             #6  3.880 332.67                       #11  3.962 318.84

John Force has six wins here and that is the most by any professional driver. His last win came in 2008. This is the 79th meeting between John and Del Worsham and that is the 6th most head-to-head meetings between any two pro drivers. Force is 51 - 27 against Worsham in prior events.

A very good looking drag race and Worsham gets the holeshot win! He'll give lane choice to Wilkerson in round two. Del Worsham's incremental margins: 60ft(0.022), 330 ft(0.022), 660ft(0.021). MOV: 0.0183 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.892 sec., 330ft-2.271, 660ft-3.203/276.86 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.894 sec., 330ft-2.273, 660ft-3.204/278.12 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Tommy Johnson Jr.                      71 Cruz Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.066  4.006 319.60                     0.058  9.397  79.86
 Qualified:             #7  3.889 320.66                       #10  3.923 311.41

Johnson Jr. is 15 - 11 against Pedregon in prior events.

Pedregon lost traction just past the tree. Johnson will give lane choice to Beckman in round two.

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.311, 660ft-3.245/275.34 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               6 Robert Hight                 
E1                   0.063  4.242 229.90     ****WINNER****  0.062  3.926 329.67
 Qualified:             #8  3.895 326.79                        #9  3.907 332.84

Ron Capps has won this race three times, in 1998, 2006 & 2009. Hight is 29 - 21 against Capps in prior events.

They were almost dead even at the tree, but Capps is off the throttle early and Hight runs low ET of the round. He will have lane choice over Hagan in round two.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.882 sec., 330ft-2.258, 660ft-3.183/280.14 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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