Sun, 13 Oct 2002, 01:35 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 17th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec:

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Frank Pedregon      4.853 309.70  Q   12 Johnny Gray         4.910 312.06
 *****WINNER***** 0.524  5.134 308.11  E1                  0.488  8.633 100.16

11:51 AM The temperature is 60 degrees, the humidity is 60 percent, the barometer is at 30.39 and the track temp is 74 degrees.

Gray gets about 200 feet out, strikes the tires and goes up in smoke, pedals and goes up in smoke again. Pedregon breaks the tires loose about 200 feet out, pedals once, the tires bite and he goes on for the win.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Del Worsham         4.823 319.82  Q   13 Bob Bode            4.932 305.18
 *****WINNER***** 0.501  4.886 314.46  E1                  0.541  8.373  94.89

These two have only met once this year, Worsham winning that one. Bode has a better sixty-foot time, .918 to .923, but pulls the wheels about 200 feet out. He sets the wheels down and the chassis unloads. He goes up in smoke at that point and Worsham drives around, pulling away for the win. Worsham will have lane choice over Frank Pedregon in round two.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Tony Pedregon       4.789 323.50  Q   16 Todd Paton          5.180 282.92
 *****WINNER***** 0.481  4.826 318.92  E1                  0.440  8.230 103.16

Pedregon is 3-0 against Paton this year. He makes it 4-0 here. Paton gets a hole-shot but puts a cylinder out early. He starts drifting toward the centerline and finally gives up on the run.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Bruce Sarver        4.798 320.39  Q   15 Dale Creasy Jr.     4.997 287.08
 *****WINNER***** 0.524  4.822 308.21  E1                  0.524  6.981 125.61

Creasy was on a decent pass until half-track. He strikes the tires, pedals and loses the blower belt.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Whit Bazemore       4.817 322.92  Q   14 Dean Skuza          4.954 293.44
 *****WINNER***** 0.509  7.608 110.72  E1                  0.518 No Data

These two have met just once this year, Skuza winning that one. Skuza comes off the line, gets about 300 feet out and bangs the blower. He pulls the chutes and pulls over to the side of the track about 1000 feet out. Bazemore goes up in smoke about 300 feet out, pedals and goes up in smoke again. He continues to pedal, trying to get the slicks to bite, gets about 800 feet out and bangs the blower.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Gary Densham        4.854 320.97  Q   11 Bob Gilbertson      4.891 312.50
 *****WINNER***** 0.512  4.828 321.08  E1                  0.507  5.008 305.49

These two have met three times this year, Densham with the 2-1 advantage. Densham goes right down the groove with his quickest run of the weekend. Gilbertson was never in it, they came off the line almost even and Densham started pulling away.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 John Force          4.854 315.34  Q   10 Scotty Cannon       4.872 315.01
 *****WINNER***** 0.460  4.816 319.48  E1                  0.497  4.884 312.17

Force and Cannon have met three times this year, Force winning all of those. Force is 13-2 in career matches with Cannon. Force is only 13 points ahead of Tony Pedregon and needs to win here to stay ahead.

Force made an almost perfect pass for the first 1200 feet, then he starts mixing up the cylinders. Cannon made a good run but was never really in the race. Force will have lane choice over Sarver in round two.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Ron Capps           4.867 313.69  Q    9 Tommy Johnson Jr.   4.870 313.91
                  0.475  5.532 166.91  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.477  5.068 279.76

Prudhomme has hired Mike Green to tune the blue car that is driven by Tommy Johnson Jr. through the 2003 season. Also returning with Green is Tommy DeLago, Green's assistant crew chief. Johnson hasn't had much luck against Capps this year, Capps is 3-0.

This was a good drag race for the first half of the track. Capps was off the line first and started pulling away. He continues to stretch his lead until just past half-track. The engine then explodes, completely demolishing the body. He went through the lights, scraped the left wall and came to a stop. The Safety Safari rushed and pulled him from what was left of the car. He seems to be okay, just a little groggy and complaining of a little leg pain.

Johnson will go into the next round against Tony Pedregon, Pedregon with lane choice.

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