Fri, 18 Oct 2019, 21:22 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, 34th 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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Right Lane: Todd Simpson Runs 4.298/250.60, Now #13; No Prior Run

7:44 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 29.15 inches, adjusted altitude 2,504 feet, track temperature 83 degrees.

This is Simpson's third race this year, the last being in Denver.

Simpson was on a pretty good pass until he got about 700 feet out. The car makes a move to the right and he has to back off the throttle. He continues to move to the right toward the wall and makes contact after the 1320 foot mark so the run will stand.

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Left Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 3.925/327.11, Now #2; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.167/237.34, Now #12; No Prior Run

Alexander banged the blower on the burnout in the first round.

Alexander leaves the line, starts drifting to the left late in the run and gets close to the wall. He is able to stay on the throttle all the way through the run and he gets in the second spot for now.

Blake Alexander's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.270, 660ft-3.183/282.90 mph.

Haddock has problems about 600 feet out and the car noses over, not sure why.

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Left Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 4.526/188.62, Now #17; Best prior run: 7.075/95.07, Was #18
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.048/244.65, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.322/212.69, Was #16

Campbell gets out of the groove early and starts moving to the left. He gets close to the wall and has to back off the throttle about 600 feet out. Wilkerson was on a good pass but was out of power early, not sure why. He still improves on his previous run and moves up to the ninth spot for now.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.397/197.74, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.289/216.03, Was #15
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 3.920/324.44, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.179/224.28, Was #14

Pedregon ges out of the groove early and makes a move toward the centerline. he tries to steer it back in the groove but gives up on the run about 500 feet out.

Johnson goes down the groove with a good run and moves all the way to the second spot for now.

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.857 sec., 330ft-2.232, 660ft-3.168/276.58 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.921/326.08, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.072/254.81, Was #12
Right Lane: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 3.963/321.12, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.127/237.84, Was #13

A good side-by-side here, both right down the groove, header flames high and steady all the way through the runs.

Langdon makes his quickest pass of the day and moves up to the third spot for now. Lindberg improves and moves up to the eighth spot.

Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.247, 660ft-3.172/278.35 mph.

Jonnie Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.275, 660ft-3.208/277.49 mph.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.890/310.77, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.068/267.96, Was #13
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.881/332.43, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.047/273.27, Was #11

Hagan gets out of the groove and starts drifting to the left. He gets close to the wall about 900 feet out and backs off the throttle but still makes a good run and moves up to the third spot. Capps goes down the groove with a good run and he moves all the way to the second spot for now.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.861 sec., 330ft-2.227, 660ft-3.142/283.07 mph.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.234, 660ft-3.147/284.21 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.851/335.07, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.979/271.73, Was #11
Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 3.912/316.08, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.015/315.93, Was #12

Hight goes right down the groove with an impressive pass, his quickest run of the year, and he goes to the top spot.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.222, 660ft-3.121/286.56 mph.

Lee makes a clean pass and moves up to the fifth spot.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 3.883/327.90, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.933/316.82, Was #9
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.866/334.40, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.947/327.27, Was #11

A good sid-side, both right down the groove with good passes.

Todd makes his quickest pass of the year and he moves up to the second spot for now.

Tasca improves and moves up to the fifth spot.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.216, 660ft-3.139/280.89 mph.

J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.229, 660ft-3.134/286.62 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 3.834/337.33, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.879/333.16, Was #3
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.202/220.22, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.937/327.11, Was #11

Force leaves the line, gets about 500 feet out and starts drifting to the left. he stays on the throttle and goes through the lights with the quickest pass of the day to take the top spot.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.213, 660ft-3.108/289.51 mph.

Beckman was on a decent pass but the car nosed over a little early, not sure why.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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