BRAINERD - Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

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Sun, 20 Aug 2017, 13:13 PM

Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

BRAINERD, Minn. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 36th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Courtney Force                        750 Del Worsham                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.087  3.862 334.90                     0.091  4.808 195.11
 Qualified:             #4  3.863 335.98                       #13  3.979 323.27

11:42 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 69 percent, barometer 28.60 inches, adjusted altitude 3,153 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.
Del Worsham is the defending event champion. Only three FC drivers have won in Brainerd in consecutive years. Worsham is 10 - 7 against Force in prior events.

Worsham lost traction at about 250 feet. Force takes it straight down the groove for the win. Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.226, 660ft-3.129/286.92 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Robert Hight                          302 Dale Creasy Jr.              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.081  3.850 331.45                     0.116  4.168 258.32
 Qualified:             #1  3.793 338.00                       #16  4.188 297.29

Robert Hight won here in 2015. Robert starts the day with 399 round wins and that is 6th best in Funny Car history. The last #1 Funny Car qualifier to win in Brainerd was Eric Medlen in 2005. This is the 96th start for Dale Creasy Jr. Hight is 4 - 0 against Creasy Jr. in prior events.

Creasy started trailing smoke just before the finish. Hight makes a solid pass to move on to round two. Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.222, 660ft-3.118/289.07 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Matt Hagan                             71 Cruz Pedregon                
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.087  5.714 128.92
 Qualified:             #2  3.807 336.57                       #15  4.118 306.19

Cruz Pedregon won in Brainerd in1992. This is his 537th race and that is 5th most among all pro drivers. Hagan is 17 - 9 against Pedregon in prior events.

Hagan's engine stopped running after be backed up from the burnout. Pedregon struck the tires just before the 330-foot mark.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 John Force                            703 Jim Campbell                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.108  3.901 333.25                     0.085 No Time      
 Qualified:             #3  3.852 334.15                       #14  4.079 306.88

John Force has 11 wins here and that is the most for John at any event on tour. Jim Campbell is the 143rd different driver to race against John Force. This is the first time Force and Campbell have faced each other in eliminations.

Campbell was up in smoke on the hit and his chutes deployed at about 100 feet. His car rolled to a stop before the finish line.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tommy Johnson Jr.                     801 Jonnie Lindberg              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.028  3.922 328.86                     0.106  7.147 106.26
 Qualified:             #5  3.880 329.58                       #12  3.962 325.61

Tommy Johnson won here in 2006. Johnson Jr. is 3 - 1 against Lindberg in prior events.

Lindberg hazed the tires at about 200 feet. Johnson makes a solid pass. He will give lane choice to Courtney Force in round two. Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.259, 660ft-3.179/281.95 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Jack Beckman                          556 Brian Stewart                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.091  4.290 207.56                    -0.138  4.083 247.25
 Qualified:             #6  3.886 333.25                       #11  3.961 295.40

This is the first time Beckman and Stewart have faced each other in eliminations.

Stewart left too early. Beckman was there for the taking, if Stewart hadn't left too early. Beckman will give lane choice to John Force in round two.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Tim Wilkerson                         771 Alexis DeJoria               
E1                   0.083  4.650 271.13     ****WINNER****  0.100  4.416 210.05
 Qualified:             #7  3.898 329.26                       #10  3.941 327.43

DeJoria is 5 - 3 against Wilkerson in prior events.

Wilkerson lost traction at about 250 feet. DeJoria did the same at about 600 feet but she was able to hang on for the win. She will have lane choice over Pedregon in round two.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Ron Capps                             373 J.R. Todd                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  3.894 330.96                     0.052  3.973 323.35
 Qualified:             #8  3.928 325.14                        #9  3.937 327.98

Ron Capps has five wins in Brainerd. This is Ron's 500th national event and that makes him just the 6th professional driver to compete in 500 or more races. Capps is 1 - 0 against Todd in prior events.
A good looking drag race! Both drivers stayed hooked up all the way down the track. Capps will give lane choice to Hight in round two.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.876 sec., 330ft-2.244, 660ft-3.156/284.62 mph.
J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.900 sec., 330ft-2.281, 660ft-3.219/276.92 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink