Sun, 02 May 2021, 12:38 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

COMMERCE, Ga. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 40th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Southern Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  121 Terry Haddock                           7 Tim Wilkerson                
E1                   0.125  5.558 129.95     ****WINNER****  0.143  3.963 320.58
 Qualified:             #9  4.141 302.96                        #6  4.026 316.30

Weather conditions: air temperature 65 degrees, relative humidity 77 percent, barometer 30.02 inches, adjusted altitude 1,667 feet, track temperature 87 degrees.

Wilkerson is 4 - 0 against Haddock in prior events.

Haddock with the starting line advantage, but Wilkerson had the difference made up by the time they went by the Christmas tree.

Haddock was up in smoke by half track.

Wilkerson was straight down the groove with the quickest pass of the event for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  703 Jim Campbell                           28 Ron Capps                    
E1                   0.108  6.027 113.14     ****WINNER****  0.095  4.316 214.86
 Qualified:            #10  4.161 307.09                        #5  4.006 313.73

Capps is 11 - 0 against Campbell in prior events.

Ron Capps wins 72% of his round 1 races when he has lane choice.

Capps with the starting line advantage and then on the top end started to smoke the tires and drop cylinders just past half track. He holds on for the win.

Campbell started to drop cylinders right at the hit and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Matt Hagan                           7000 Robert Hight                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.083  3.991 307.65                     0.071  5.341 135.18
 Qualified:             #3  4.001 314.02                       #12  5.024 152.73

Matt Hagan is one of four drivers who have faced Robert Hight more than once and has a winning record against him.

Hagan is 18 - 16 against Hight in prior events.

Hight with the starting line advantage, but then starts to haze the tires and clicked it off.

Hagan with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. He will give up lane choice to Wilkerson in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  373 J.R. Todd                             771 Alexis DeJoria               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.141  4.003 321.73                           No Time      
 Qualified:             #1  3.982 325.69                       #14  8.386  82.21

J.R. Todd has qualified No. 1 13 times and he has done it at 12 different tracks.

Todd is 3 - 2 against DeJoria in prior events.

DeJoria with problems getting the car to stage. She pulls it up to stage the light starts to blink, she is pulling it up but can't get the stage light to turn on.

The light turns green and Todd is straight down the groove for the win. He will have the bye in the next round.

DeJoria leaves when she hears Todd take off, but the race is over by then.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Bob Tasca III                         116 Paul Lee                     
E1   ****WINNER****  0.124  4.224 309.13                     0.088  4.472 193.43
 Qualified:             #2  3.999 320.81                       #13  6.534  98.12

Tasca III is 6 - 0 against Lee in prior events.

Lee with the starting line advantage, Tasca grabs the lead right off the line. He then starts to haze the tires and pedals it.

Lee with the lead and then he starts to smoke the tires and Tasca was able to chase him down and take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  723 John Force                             71 Cruz Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.056  4.049 319.14                     0.065  4.126 306.53
 Qualified:            #11  4.995 159.31                        #4  4.005 319.60

This is the 110th meeting between Force and Pedregon and that's the most for any two drivers in any class.

Force is 73 - 36 against Pedregon in prior events.

Force with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Force with his quickest pass of the weekend for the win and will have lane choice over Capps in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  256 Blake Alexander                       139 Dave Richards                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  4.070 278.40                     0.109  4.115 301.74
 Qualified:             #7  4.047 276.35                        #8  4.062 300.26

This is the first time Alexander and Richards have faced each other in eliminations.

Alexander with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Alexander started to haze the tire on the top end, but holds on for win. He will have lane choice over Tasca in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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