Sun, 24 Feb 2013, 16:05 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Cruz Pedregon                          28 Ron Capps                    
E2                   0.087 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.080  4.059 310.55
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Arend     ) 0.097  4.094 289.76      (T Pedregon  ) 0.093  4.061 313.51
 Qualified:             #4  4.067 308.00                        #5  4.081 308.35

1:42 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 62 degrees, relative humidity 19 percent, barometer 28.71 inches, adjusted altitude 1,856 feet, track temperature 84 degrees.

Capps is 28 - 20 against Pedregon in prior events.

Capps gets a small 0.007 advantage at the green, but Pedregon made that up and more before the sixty foot light. He keeps the pace and is still in front by just -0.001 at the 660, where the Camry started to pull steadily towards the center line and nailed the finish line reflector.

Capps was ahead by that point and makes his best run of the weekend and a trip to round three.

Ron Capps' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.007), 330 ft(-0.021), 660ft(-0.001). MOV: 0.0796 seconds (approximately 21 feet).

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.881 sec., 330ft-2.286, 660ft-3.268/261.62 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.895 sec., 330ft-2.314, 660ft-3.276/268.33 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Bob Tasca III                        2814 Matt Hagan                   
E2                   0.112  6.845  97.60     ****WINNER****  0.069  4.259 254.76
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Beckman   ) 0.113  4.336 221.78      (P Burkart   ) 0.115  4.078 310.27
 Qualified:             #7  4.100 307.37                        #2  4.062 311.20

1:50 p.m. Dusting and cleaning is done on the top end and we are back to racing. Tasca III is 6 - 2 against Hagan in prior events.

Hagan gets a big lead off the line and was close to Capps' earlier pace until after the 660 lights, where the tires started to spin. He stays with it for a bit and then lifts.

Tasca's race was over early with tire smoke before 100 feet.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.889 sec., 330ft-2.315, 660ft-3.334/235.76 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Todd Lesenko                            9 John Force                   
E2                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.166  8.107  74.04
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Force     ) 0.084  5.206 191.92      (A DeJoria   ) 0.115  4.047 316.82
 Qualified:            #14  4.245 300.80                        #6  4.100 312.64

Lesenko's' day comes to an end early, as the crew cabn't keep the engine running and Force gets a single to round three.

Force was a sitting duck before the 330 lights, as the tires are smoking hard. He pumps the pedal and then gives it up.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Robert Hight                            8 Tim Wilkerson                
E2                   0.092  6.937  97.81     ****WINNER****  0.096  4.102 309.06
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Gray      ) 0.111  5.703 150.77      (D Worsham   ) 0.107  4.252 245.94
 Qualified:            #16  4.321 219.58                        #8  4.110 305.01

Bottom of the top half of the field vs. the bottom of the bottom half of the field. Hight is 12 - 11 against Wilkerson in prior events.

Hight gets a small starting line advantage and is out in front at the sixty foot lights. The tires are hard up in smoke at that point and he slows.

Wilkerson gets everything right this time and power to his best times of the weekend in the easy win. Capps will have lane choice nest round.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.331, 660ft-3.311/263.15 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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