Fri, 10 Feb 2017, 16:02 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.936/329.42, Now #1
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 4.470/280.66, Now #2

12:16 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 60 percent, barometer 29.81 inches, adjusted altitude 2,542 feet, track temperature 76 degrees.

This will be the first "official" pass in the DHL Funny Car for Todd. They ran some strong times in Winter testing.

Todd is off the line first and pulls steadily ahead to the finish line. Nice clean pass to start the season.

Burkart's Impala got loose off the stating line and he had to do a quick pedal slap. He was right back after it and lifts a little early. Things got interesting then, as one of the fire bottles flew out from under neath the car and across the track. Just a little touch up on the top end.

J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.266, 660ft-3.195/280.49 mph.
Phil Burkart's incremental times: 60ft-0.958 sec., 330ft-2.523, 660ft-3.602/239.74 mph.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 8.618/81.03, Now #4
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 8.310/92.61, Now #3

Both car leave together, shake together, and lift together!

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Left Lane: Bob Bode No Time, Now #6
Right Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 8.722/73.62, Now #5

Bode was way late getting up to start the engine. After the burnout and engine check, when they were lowering the body down, it came loose at the back. The crew worked hard, but couldn't not get it re-latched. He was forced to shut off.

Jim Dunn is running the old MOONEYES livery this weekend. Campbell has a 0.906 sixty foot time and had a bunch of tire shake. The burst panel is loose on the body, as the car coasts on down the track.

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Left Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 7.431/91.61, Now #3
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon No Time, Now #8

The craziness continues, as Pedregon can't get the Camry in reverse after the burnout and he has to motor on down the track.

Diehl waits patiently and posts a 0.892 sixty foot time before the engine goes silent. The car was getting loose and he had to lift.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 3.932/304.94, Now #1
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 7.551/107.97, Now #5

Two great looking new wraps for these two racers.

Wilkerson gets a small starting line advantage and the tires are shaking and smoking.

DeJoria leaves with a strong 0.890 sixty foot time and thunders on down the track. The pipes go wet well before the 1000 foot lights, but the pass is still good enough for the new number one spot

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.266, 660ft-3.176/283.73 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 6.042/117.39, Now #5
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.043/298.80, Now #3

HIght is away first with a strong 0.866 sixty foot time. The tires shake and he has to pump the pedal. The CHP Theme Camaro gets way loose and he has to give it up.

Worsham makes a clean pass to get some number to tune to later.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 3.849/330.23, Now #1
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.153/295.14, Now #5

NO twelve car ladder for Friday this year.

Force continues to show the same big power demonstrated in winter testing and power right up to the top of the ladder with a big speed to boot. Nice!

Beckman was away first and was a little quicker to 60 feet, but the tires on the Charger shake loose and he has to lift.

Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.217, 660ft-3.116/286.13 mph.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.388, 660ft-3.371/270.16 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 5.846/137.32, Now #8
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.840/330.15, Now #1

Two strong leaves with both cars posting a 0.871 sixty foot time. Force's Camaro powers the tires loose before the 330 lights and pushes the back end around.

Hagan is long gone and hard to find, as he just nips Courtney Force's ET by 0.009 to take the new top spot for now.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.386, 660ft-4.116/124.73 mph.
Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.218, 660ft-3.110/288.95 mph.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.723/183.97, Now #9
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.158/325.14, Now #7

A BIG NUMBER ONE on the side of Capps' Charger this year Well earned.

They leave close together and both cars get loose at almost the same time. Capps is able to slap the pedal and finish the pass, but TJ's car gets the tires loose again and he ha to lift,

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.418, 660ft-3.515/203.61 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.870 sec., 330ft-2.433, 660ft-3.405/272.56 mph.

12:51 p.m. Mat Hagan is number one at 3.840 and Jim Campbell is on the bump spot at 8.722.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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