Fri, 24 Feb 2017, 19:11 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 33rd annual NHRA Arizona 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:

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Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.479/202.91, Now #12; No Prior Run

4:33 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 28.83 inches, adjusted altitude 2,024 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Field not filled, no bump spot. Courtney Force is number one at 3.838.

Strong leave for Arend, but the engine goes silent after the 660 lights.

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Left Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 4.950/167.57, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.572/104.89, Was #14
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 11.700/90.12, Now #16; Best prior run: 10.652/83.29, Was #16

Phil Burkart is on the bump spot at 10.652, but only 16 cars so far. Things go from bad to worse, as the car shutters hard at the green and then slowly coasts on down the track.

Campbell has an initial good leave, but strikes the tires after the 330 lights, He pedals and then has the Charger drive towards the wall. Wisely, he quickly gives it up as a bad idea.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 3.852/329.42, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.519/184.62, Was #13
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.035/256.70, Now #12; Best prior run: 8.946/79.49, Was #15

Strong pass for Wilkerson to set a new career best ET and season best speed and move 10 spots up the ladder into the top four.

Pedregon's Camry has comparable times to right after the 660 lights. The engine drops a cylinder and drives the car towards the wall. He has to lift, but still moves up three positions on the ladder to #12.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.855 sec., 330ft-2.220, 660ft-3.118/286.74 mph. Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.870 sec., 330ft-2.242, 660ft-3.172/275.73 mph.

4:40 p.m. Oil after the lights on the top end. Cruz Pedregon was charged with an oildown, #1 for the season. That will cost 5 points.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.897/325.45, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.955/311.27, Was #11
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 7.900/84.09, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.226/215.82, Was #13

4:47 p.m. Back to qualifying.

Hight is back to running the AAA livery this weekend, after a special California Highway Patrol wrap at Pomona. He gets a full pass this time and moves up into the top half of the field in the number five spot.

Capps' car is quicker early, but kicks the tires about 100 feet out.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.235, 660ft-3.151/281.71 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 6.814/104.08, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.941/313.15, Was #11
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 3.896/328.22, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.929/319.14, Was #9

Another season best ET best ET and speed for Worsham and a four spot move up to the number five position. NICE!

Force's Camaro is away first and has better low numbers, but is two strong for the track. Tires are smoking before 100feet.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.875 sec., 330ft-2.246, 660ft-3.157/281.07 mph.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 3.877/327.43, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.899/323.50, Was #7
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 4.460/190.03, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.920/325.14, Was #9

DeJoria was running well until right before the 660 light. The tires come loose and the Camry slows.

Strong clean pass for TJ and he moves up two spots to the new number five position.

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.222, 660ft-3.133/283.13 mph.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 5.187/140.52, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.873/329.18, Was #4
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.904/328.22, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.913/325.77, Was #8

Nice clean pass for Todd, but his small improvement in ET still leaves him in the number eight spot for today.

Beckman was away first and better numbers until after the 330 lights. The tires are loose after that and he is coasting. He stays in the top Four for now.

J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.877 sec., 330ft-2.251, 660ft-3.165/282.60 mph.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.841/330.31, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.839/329.67, Was #2
Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 8.672/57.86, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.838/332.67, Was #1

Force's low end power is too much for the track and she is coasting early. She will stay number one.

Hagan makes another top ten best run to give him half of the top spots on a clean and straight pass. He will stay number two.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.219, 660ft-3.112/291.45 mph.

5:02 p.m. Phil Burkart is on the bump spot at 10.652.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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