Fri, 13 Oct 2017, 19:59 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 32nd annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals 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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Left Lane: Todd Simpson Runs 8.829/56.42, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.118/252.05, Now #6; No Prior Run

6:32 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 91 degrees, relative humidity 44 percent, barometer 29.41 inches, adjusted altitude 3,517 feet, track temperature 114 degrees.

Simpson leaves the line and rattles the tires. He pedals once, gets about 400 feet out and the chutes come out.

Worsham was on a decent pass but the car nosed over near the end of the run, not sure why. He still runs quick enough to get in the field in the sixth spot for now.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 3.947/319.67, Now #4; Best prior run: 10.107/82.23, Was #15
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 9.019/72.79, Now #16; No Prior Run

Todd leaves the line, gets about 200 feet out and goes up in smoke. He goes on through the lights and gets in the field on the bump spot.

DeJoria goes right down the groove with a good pass and moves up to the fourth spot in the order.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.872/329.58, Now #1; Best prior run: 8.981/77.02, Was #15
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.283/211.03, Now #10; Best prior run: 12.388/70.44, Was #18

Hagan gets about 500 feet out and the header flames disappear, not sure why. He coasts through the lights and gets in the show in the tenth spot, bumping out Todd in the process.

Capps goes right down the groove with a good pass and he moves up to the top spot for now.

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Left Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 5.311/136.77, Now #14; Best prior run: 7.323/90.22, Was #15
Right Lane: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 3.873/328.14, Now #2; Best prior run: 10.721/78.66, Was #18

Campbell gets about 300 feet out, breaks the tires loose and he backs off the throttle..

Lindberg goes right down the groove with a good pass and he gets in the show in the second spot, bumping out Simpson.

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Left Lane: Jeff Diehl No Time, Now #16; Best prior run: 7.137/90.38, Was #16
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.471/191.00, Now #12; Best prior run: 6.337/105.66, Was #15

Diehl was supposed to make a pass in the left lane but he was having problems with the air system and pulled out of line.

Hight gets out of shape, started moving around a little, then breaks the tires loose and gives up on the run.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 3.930/327.59, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.149/236.96, Was #10
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.255/216.69, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.186/146.59, Was #14

Pedregon leaves the line, gets about 400 feet out and the car noses over, not sure why.

Johnson makes a clean, straight pass and moves up to the fifth spot in the order.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 3.909/326.00, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.015/314.75, Was #9
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.215/221.31, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.856/162.12, Was #14

Force was on a decent pass but gets about 500 feet out, the rear of the car starts moving around, then he has to give up on the run.

Wilkerson goes right down the groove with a good pass and he moves up to the third spot.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 5.292/134.19, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.928/331.94, Was #5
Right Lane: Daniel Wilkerson No Time, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.987/311.13, Was #9

Force leaves the line, gets about 300 feet out and the candles go out, not sure why.

Wilkerson broke his chassis in the explosion in the first round and was unable to make the call to the line.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 3.873/332.34, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.914/329.50, Was #4
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 3.960/322.50, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.941/320.43, Was #7

A good side-by-side, both right down the groove, candles lit all the way through the run. Beckman ties Lindberg and takes over the second spot by virtue of his faster speed. Tasca doesn't improve and stays in the seventh spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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