Sat, 26 Oct 2002, 01:31 AM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Second annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals 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: Louis Sweet Runs 6.518/138.03, Now #18; Best prior run: 9.554/91.49, Was #22
Right Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 5.041/306.81, Now #10; Best prior run: 10.168/82.67, Was #24

8:27 PM Sweet was loose on the launch and almost crossed the centerline at 400 feet before he lifted. Gilbertson's chute didn't deploy until the very end of the track. He spun the car around just before the sand trap, backing the rear tires into the sand.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.793/322.81, Now #2; Best prior run: 8.649/96.04, Was #22
Right Lane: Phil Burkart No Time, Now #24; Best prior run: 9.720/85.32, Was #24

Burkart smoked the tires immediately, the car moving sharply to the right. He did a terrific job of keeping the car off the retaining wall. Turns out his tires were spinning in his own oil. He oiled down the track all the way too the 1000-foot mark, requiring a 35 minute clean up session.

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Left Lane: Bruce Sarver Runs 5.075/227.80, Now #12; Best prior run: 8.393/92.57, Was #21
Right Lane: Peter Russo Runs 7.685/192.74, Now #21; Best prior run: 9.434/96.96, Was #23

Russo's car hopped a couple times on the launch and he got off the throttle. He got back on it at about 100 feet. Sarver was on a tear, 257.68 miles per hour at the half track timer, when the engine blew up. He had a firey ride until he got the car stopped. He was shaken up, but uninjured. We're down for another oil down clean up.

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Left Lane: Dean Skuza Runs 4.882/310.91, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.199/153.02, Was #19
Right Lane: Cory Lee No Time, Now #18; Best prior run: 8.587/100.13, Was #23

Sarver's oil down took about 15 minutes to clean up. Skuza moves well up the ladder with this pass. Lee was out of shape early. He began moving toward the centerline, then crossed it just before the 1000 foot mark. He took out the 1000-foot cone and the first finish line timing cone.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.879/310.27, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.011/157.37, Was #20
Right Lane: Bob Bode Runs 8.431/99.74, Now #23; Best prior run: 7.829/109.72, Was #23

Bode lost traction at about 300 feet, the car moving toward the centerline near half track and he lifted.

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Left Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 4.915/311.13, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.449/200.14, Was #20
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 10.950/72.71, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.094/251.20, Was #15

Cruz was up in smoke at about 200 feet and he shut it off. No problems for Frank on this pass.

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Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 5.463/262.59, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.193/270.70, Was #19
Right Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 8.940/106.85, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.039/307.30, Was #13

Haddock pedaled the throttle several times, having traction problems both early and in the middle of the run. Creasy was off the throttle at 300 feet, the reason not apparent from here.

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Left Lane: Keith Jackson Runs 5.523/194.16, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.112/293.92, Was #18
Right Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 8.562/111.13, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.965/311.49, Was #11

Gray smoked the tires at about 250 feet and shut it off. Jackson was off the throttle at about 800 feet.

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Left Lane: Todd Paton Runs 10.572/82.10, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.103/293.03, Was #17
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.900/312.42, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.934/310.70, Was #9

Paton struck the tires at 100 feet and he lifted. Johnson left a little soft, but overall had a good pass.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 7.178/114.23, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.015/294.11, Was #12
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.875/302.75, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.904/300.66, Was #8

Capps was up in smoke at about 400 feet. Densham was mixing up the cylinders on the top end and he shut it off just before the first finish line timing cone.

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Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.809/321.73, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.956/313.95, Was #10
Right Lane: Scotty Cannon Runs 10.057/85.18, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.864/313.07, Was #3

Cannon lost traction at about 150 feet and he lifted. Bazemore moves solidly into the top have of the field with this run.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.878/309.49, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.895/312.50, Was #8
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.830/316.52, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.786/322.73, Was #1

A great looking side-by-side pass to end a long session of Funny Car qualifying. Tony Pedregon is in the number one position and his brother Cruz is on the bubble in the sixteenth spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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