Sat, 12 Nov 2022, 20:24 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 57th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals 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: Terry Haddock Runs 4.264/275.79, Now #17; Best prior run: 9.014/86.88, Was #18
Right Lane: Bobby Bode Runs 4.340/208.78, Now #18; Best prior run: 4.360/198.15, Was #17

4:32 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 62 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 29.99 inches, adjusted altitude 1,635 feet, track temperature 82 degrees.

Cruz Pedregon is number one at 3.840 and Jason Rupert is on the bump spot at 4.159.

Haddock gets a near full pass this time, but will just miss the show.

Bode was on a strong pass until near the 660 lights and then has big fire from under the body of his Mustang. He gets it safely stopped on the track. There is oil on the track, but no penalties for Bode. He won't qualify either.

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Left Lane: Jason Rupert Runs 4.030/313.44, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.159/246.84, Was #16

4:49 p.m. Back to qualifying.

Densham was up in the staging lanes and next to run, but since the prior pair didn't qualify, he pulls the Mustang out of the line and heads back to the pits.

Rupert is trying to get off the bump spot and he runs a career best run with both ET and speed to move up the ladder one spot on a great looking pass.

Jason Rupert's incremental times: 60ft-0.903 sec., 330ft-2.297, 660ft-3.254/266.95 mph.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.095/276.13, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.057/313.44, Was #16
Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 3.942/328.22, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.991/318.92, Was #13

Jeff Arend is now on the bump spot at 4.057 and looking to move up the ladder. He leaves well and runs strong until just after the 660 lights. His Monte Carlo drifts towards the wall and he has to lift.

Lee makes his best run of the weekend and will move up a spot to #12. Nice!

Paul Lee's incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.262, 660ft-3.195/277.54 mph.

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Left Lane: Chad Green Runs 4.018/312.78, Now #13; Best prior run: 3.957/325.30, Was #13

Campbell was scheduled to be in the right lane, but he, like Densham, chooses not to make the run.

Green has to work hard to stay in the groove early and it may have cost him some ET. He will stay #13 on a clean pass.

Chad Green's incremental times: 60ft-0.884 sec., 330ft-2.299, 660ft-3.245/271.41 mph.

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Left Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 6.784/100.40, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.919/322.11, Was #10
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 3.900/336.91, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.882/333.58, Was #7

Alexander gets away well, but shakes the tires loose before the 330 lights to stay #10 for now.

Strong pass for Wilkerson right on down the track with header flames high to improve on his career best sped and Stay #7.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.883 sec., 330ft-2.266, 660ft-3.172/285.89 mph.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 3.862/333.00, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.897/328.38, Was #9
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 3.879/330.72, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.856/322.65, Was #4

Side by side running down the track.

Tasca makes his fastest pass of the weekend to stay #4.

DeJoria finds a better tune up and makes her best pass of the weekend and moves four spots up the ladder to the number five position.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.228, 660ft-3.131/284.51 mph.
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.860 sec., 330ft-2.234, 660ft-3.141/283.13 mph.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 6.717/95.96, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.895/333.41, Was #9
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.849/334.48, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.854/331.85, Was #3

Todd is away first, but has the slick loose before the 330 lights to stay #9.

Hight makes his best run of the weekend, but will stay #3 on the ladder.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.224, 660ft-3.117/287.23 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 7.671/84.34, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.864/333.49, Was #7
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.057/245.32, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.844/323.58, Was #2

Force gets away first, but doesn't get to the 330 lights under power.

Hagan looked to be on a big number pass, but has the engine go Bang Big Time, right at the 330 lights. He gets the Charger to stop on the track. He is out of car safely.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.837/337.33, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.864/334.15, Was #6
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 3.841/330.31, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.840/322.58, Was #1

5:14 p.m. Back to qualifying!

Guido gives Capps a bunch of tune up and he uses it well to run a season best ET and speed and capture the top spot on his final attempt Great looking run...

Pedregon makes his forth great three eighty pass , but will get pushed back one spot on a clean and straight pass.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.215, 660ft-3.112/287.96 mph.
Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.211, 660ft-3.106/286.98 mph.

5:19 p.m. Jeff Arend is on the bump spot at 4.057.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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