Fri, 10 Nov 2023, 20:16 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 58th annual In-N-Out 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: Chad Green Runs 8.566/73.28, Now #19; Best prior run: 7.669/84.38, Was #19
Right Lane: Jason Rupert Runs 4.066/317.42, Now #8; Best prior run: 6.543/99.52, Was #18

4:32 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 29.98 inches, adjusted altitude 2,057 feet, track temperature 83 degrees.

Bob Tasca number one at 3.911 and Cruz Pedregon is on the bump spot at 6.526.

Green is up in smoke at the green and slows.

Strong pass for Rupert to bump into the current top half of the field. The Mustang was drifting toward the wall going to the finish line and just scrubs off the round on the headers a few feet past it. Close call!

Jason Rupert's incremental times: 60ft-0.903 sec., 330ft-2.315, 660ft-

3.292/266.27 mph. Ron Capps is on the bump spot at 5.424.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 3.961/317.64, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.526/111.57, Was #17
Right Lane: Alex Laughlin No Time, Now #18; Best prior run: 6.537/99.91, Was #18

These two are usually in the field in session one.

Pedregon finds his tune up and powers right to the the finish line with no drama and right into the top four. Nice!

Laughlin's "Fireman's Quickie" Charger was running hard down low, but starts a hard move towards the center line and nail the reflectors to DQ his run. It would have been good enough for the current #10 position.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.251, 660ft-3.194/272.56 mph.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 6.384/110.68, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.365/139.91, Was #16
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.908/332.43, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.424/132.48, Was #17

These two are not on the ladder where you would expect them to be too.

It is just dusk and we get to see a lot of header flames. Capps' Supra marches right on down the track with power and takes over the top spot for now. Strong Pass!

DeJoria's Supra leave strong, but is up in smoke before the 330 lights. That bumps her out until tomorrow.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.242, 660ft-3.170/280.25 mph.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 7.119/92.56, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.090/147.28, Was #15
Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 3.875/322.88, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.248/139.79, Was #16

Worsham is up in smoke early and will not improve tonight.

Lee has the power to run a career best ET and move to the current top spot! Well done!

Paul Lee's incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.218, 660ft-3.127/282.48 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.898/332.02, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.566/288.39, Was #15
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.148/316.82, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.527/187.50, Was #14

That set the bump for today!

Hight digs deep and powers to the #2 spot on a clean and straight pass.

Wilkerson continues to struggle with traction, but still moves up a spot to #13 for now.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.868 sec., 330ft-2.243, 660ft-3.162/282.54 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-1.059 sec., 330ft-2.463, 660ft-3.397/278.46 mph.

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Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.019/306.95, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.414/204.85, Was #14
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.904/326.08, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.417/196.53, Was #15

Two strong passes!

They leave right together and Todd starts to pull steadily ahead to move up twelve spots on the ladder to the #3 spot.

Haddock make another clean pass and moves up two spots to #12.

Terry Haddock's incremental times: 60ft-0.895 sec., 330ft-2.285, 660ft-3.233/269.29 mph.
J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.877 sec., 330ft-2.245, 660ft-3.161/283.43 mph.

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Right Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 4.025/306.74, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.049/287.84, Was #13

Single for Diehl.

He runs well again with a better ET and speed, to stay #13 for the session.

Jeff Diehl's incremental times: 60ft-0.898 sec., 330ft-2.299, 660ft-3.250/273.00 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 15.764/73.66, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.967/323.66, Was #9
Right Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 6.625/105.98, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.981/319.52, Was #10

The crew on Force's Camaro struggle to pull the idle speed plugs on the injector hat to no avail and the car goes up in smoke at the hit.

Alexander gets to around the 330 lights before he has to lift too.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.869/328.46, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.933/332.51, Was #6
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 3.880/336.99, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.911/328.94, Was #5

Two strong passes to wrap up today's Funny Car qualifying!

Just two thousands apart at the green, Hagan runs strong and straight with header flames over the top of his Charger to take some more vital "small points" and the number one spot for today.

Tasca will take points too with a strong pass right behind him.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.223, 660ft-3.132/284.99 mph.
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.874 sec., 330ft-2.245, 660ft-3.153/286.25 mph.

5:07 p.m. Del Worsham is on the bump spot at 5.090.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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