Sun, 10 Feb 2008, 03:28 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 48th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  782 Gary Densham                          347 Tim Wilkerson                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.097  4.862 312.86                     0.066  5.099 270.86
 Qualified:            #16  4.866 315.93                        #1  4.790 325.22

11:34 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 25 percent, barometer 28.99 inches, adjusted altitude 2,245 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.

This is the 11th time that Wilkerson has qualified #1 at an NHRA National Event and the second time he's pulled it off at the Winternationals. For Densham this is his 22nd Winters and his first was in 1974. Let's hope it's only the first of many more for 'Teach'. Wilkerson gets the advantage off the line, but a dropped cylinder on the Impala puts Densham ahead to stay by the 60 foot lights. Great win for the struggling RaceBricks team. Densham says he will have to go to Phoenix now!

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Jack Beckman                          729 Jerry Toliver                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.066  4.959 309.63                     0.086  8.035  91.62
 Qualified:            #15  4.864 295.72                        #2  4.790 320.51

Toliver is now qualified at 97 events and he's won here in 1999 and 2003. Beckman won his only prior meeting with Toliver. New teammates for 2008 and they meet in round one. Beckman is out on the Rockstar FC and stays there, as the black car starts to smoke the tires at the 330 lights. Toliver pumps it, but to no avail. Beckman was as quick as he'ed like, but he is into round two!

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Gary Scelzi                           319 Scott Kalitta                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.085  4.911 317.94                     0.090 10.639  78.11
 Qualified:            #13  4.845 322.27                        #4  4.818 322.65

Scott Kalitta first came to the Winternationals in 1983 as a Pro driver. Scelzi is 6-2 against Scott in the Funny Car class. Kalitta led qualifying on Thursday and stayed in the top half of the field through the rest of qualifying. In a near repeat of the last pair, Scelzi is out first and snakes his way to an easy win. The yellow car starts to smoke the tires before the 330 lights and is done for the weekend.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  507 Melanie Troxel                       1777 Bob Tasca III                
E1                   0.042  6.968 130.07     ****WINNER****  0.090  5.235 225.97
 Qualified:             #3  4.810 327.90                       #14  4.845 321.42

This pair matches two drivers in their first starts as Nitro Funny Car drivers. Troxel of course as lots of experience in a Nitro dragster but Tasca matches that with his Alcohol Funny Car starts. Tasca's crew seems to have gotten the damage straightened from his trip to the beach on Saturday. Troxel leaves on Tasca pretty good but she kicks the tires loose at about 400ft. Tasca took the lead but had to hold on as the blower belt appeared to part company with the engine.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Tony Pedregon                           7 John Force                   
E1                  -0.075  4.983 267.80     ****WINNER****  0.101  4.805 327.66
 Qualified:            #12  4.845 325.45                        #5  4.823 321.58

J. Force holds a 52-21 record against T. Pedregon. Tony has won this event in 1998 and 2003. I still have not heard how badly he twisted is ankle yesterday as he walked into the sand trap to speak to Bob Tasca III. This is hard to describe. Tony red lights and continues the run to the lights. He has the car blow it's self apart and throw stuff at Force in the other lane. Pedregon was on fire, big time, with part of the body in front of his face. He had no idea where he was and tapped the wall slightly. Force was watching Pedregon's car catch fire and he admitted he forgot to pull the chutes. He nosed the Ford into the sand and had many folks on hand to help him out of the car. Reports are that Pedregon is ok and is only in the ambulance to be checked out. It's certain that it got pretty warm in that car! Oh. Tony DID redlight and Force will have lane choice over Scelzi next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  340 Bob Bode                               10 Ashley Force                 
E1                   0.116  6.854 161.27     ****WINNER****  0.112  5.959 300.00
 Qualified:            #11  4.841 314.68                        #6  4.828 309.77

This becomes the 19th start for A. Force and Bode is the 16th different driver she's faced. This is Bode's 31st start and his career best speed. The first pedalfest od the year for this pair. Bode lost traction first and then A. Forces Ford followed. She waited a bit longer to get back on the noise maker and pulls away for the win. She loses lane choice to Tasca next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                        7701 Mike Neff                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.045  4.927 311.85                     0.024  5.374 205.72
 Qualified:             #7  4.830 321.27                       #10  4.840 317.64

This is C. Pedregon's 17th Winters and he has captured wins in Top Alcohol Dragster (1989) and Funny Car (2005). This will be Neff's third start in the John Force Racing Mustang. Neff has a stellar light but the rubber band falls off at about 1000ft. C.Pedregon pulls away for his first round win of 2008. Pedregon takes lane choice into his match with Beckman next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Robert Hight                           28 Ron Capps                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.092  5.521 280.37                     0.083 No Time      
 Qualified:             #9  4.837 319.14                        #8  4.836 325.30

The Hight vs Capps pairing is a replay of the final round of the 2006 Winternationals. Hight took that race and went on for a really good season. Overall Hight is 8-4 against Capps. Pretty even at the hit but Capps lost traction before half track. He sawed at the pedal and crossed the centerline after half track. The next sashay took out the 1000ft marker and the 6.798/139.43 will simply read, DQ. Densham has choice over Hight.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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