Fri, 23 Feb 2018, 19:39 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 34th annual NHRA Arizona 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: Richard Townsend Runs 4.244/235.27, Now #10; No Prior Run

4:57 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 22 percent, barometer 28.76 inches, adjusted altitude 2,182 feet, track temperature 82 degrees.

The wind continuous to pick up, but it is a tail wind nw. No bump yet. Courtney Force is number one at 3.845.

Townsend makes his first attempt of the weekend. The Camry makes a clean leave, but starts a steady pull towards the center line and he is off the throttle around the 660 lights. That is still good enough for the current #10 spot.

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Left Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 7.402/91.58, Now #16; Best prior run: 8.052/81.66, Was #15
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 4.333/209.59, Now #11; No Prior Run

John Force is on the bump spot at 9.260.

Langdon wasn't able to make a pass in session one, so is not qualified yet. He has a good 0.877 sixty foot time, but the gets loose and starts skating around after that and he has to lift. He gets into the field in the #11 position.

Campbell's woes continue and his yellow Charger shakes the tires loose and moves towards the wall.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 8.248/81.92, Now #16; Best prior run: 7.374/93.25, Was #15
Right Lane: John Force Runs 6.745/96.00, Now #15; Best prior run: 9.260/68.35, Was #17

Jim Campbell is on the bump spot at 7.402.

Dueling broken runs.

Worsham shakes hard and Force smokes the tires right after that.

Force bumps back in at #15 and pushes Worsham down a spot to #16.

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Left Lane: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 3.866/317.27, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.997/277.43, Was #8
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.551/182.82, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.452/125.49, Was #14

That will set the bump spot for this session.

Lindberg gets to the finish line under power in the "bad"lane and powers on down the track to the new #2 spot. He is just 0.001 off of his career best ET.

Wilkerson paced him to around 400 feet before the tires come loose and he has to lift.

Jonnie Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.870 sec., 330ft-2.218, 660ft-3.115/284.87 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.161/223.80, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.971/316.75, Was #8
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 3.888/333.25, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.228/140.52, Was #14

A great looking pass for Pedregon right on up to the top four and a career best speed and he misses a new ET best by just 0.002.

Tasca powered off the line and looked to be on another strong pass until right at the 660 lights. He has a Big Boomer then and slows.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.234, 660ft-3.185/253.47 mph.
Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.245, 660ft-3.155/284.27 mph.

5:12 p.m. Clean up on the track, but no oil.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 8.736/81.04, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.944/324.20, Was #8
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 8.163/80.56, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.474/188.81, Was #13

5:15 p.m. Back to qualifying after a quick dusting and cleaning.

Two loud noises and then two quiet times.

Capps had a nice 0.869 sixty foot time, but he and Todd both fall to traction woes right after that.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 7.756/86.95, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.926/330.88, Was #6

Diehl will sit out this session after a strong run is session one. He sits number ten currently.

Hagan is running the Gray and Yellow Sandvik colors this weekend. He leaves hard and drive into smoke early after a good leave.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 3.845/332.43, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.895/328.86, Was #5
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 8.058/88.18, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.927/329.26, Was #7

They leave right together , just 0.004 apart, but Hight's AAA Camaro smokes the tires before the 330 lights.

Beckman reinforces why he is "Fast" with a terrific looking pass that matches Courtney Forces's ET, but is a little faster to take over the new top spot on speed.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.859 sec., 330ft-2.204, 660ft-3.112/284.87 mph.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 6.941/89.58, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.845/328.70, Was #2
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 8.907/79.57, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.879/328.62, Was #4

No joy for either team to wrap up the second session.

Johnson gets a big lead off the line and is just 0.001 slower to sixty feet. His "Make-A-Wish" Charger gets loose after that and he is coasting early.

Force looked to be on another strong pass, but her Advance Auto Parts Camaro shake the tires loose shortly after that.

5:30 p.m. Jack Beckman is number one at 3.845 and Del Worsham is on the bump spot at 7.374.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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