Sun, 12 Nov 2023, 14:57 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 58th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  116 Paul Lee                              256 Blake Alexander              
E1                   0.056  8.424  90.31     ****WINNER****  0.065  3.931 323.81
 Qualified:             #5  3.869 327.03                       #12  3.981 319.52

11:28 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 17 percent, barometer 30.03 inches, adjusted altitude 2,338 feet.

Lee is 3 - 2 against Alexander in prior events.

Lee is up in smoke at the green. Alexander gets an easy win.

Blake Alexander's incremental times: 60ft-0.882 sec., 330ft-2.264, 660ft-3.181/281.48 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 John Force                            121 Terry Haddock                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.064  3.948 326.56                     0.133  5.042 151.83
 Qualified:             #2  3.862 328.14                       #15  4.019 306.95

Force gets a BIG head start and marches to an easy win.

Haddock was chasing hard until right before the 660 lights, where the slicks come loose and the back of his Mustang makes some big swings from side to side.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.897 sec., 330ft-2.282, 660ft-3.206/281.13 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Cruz Pedregon                        3095 Bobby Bode                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.120  3.955 318.54                     0.104  4.017 304.53
 Qualified:             #3  3.865 330.15                       #14  3.995 283.25

Bode is 2 - 0 against Pedregon in prior events. We finally get a near side by side pass to the finish line.

Two "not so Great" RT's and Bode leads Pedregon until right at the 660 lights.

Pedregon drives on by for the win and

Cruz Pedregon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.021), 330 ft(0.002), 660ft(0.018). MOV: 0.0462 seconds (approximately 21 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Robert Hight                          717 Jeff Diehl                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.096  3.870 333.41                     0.051  4.035 304.25
 Qualified:             #1  3.844 331.61                       #16  4.025 306.74

Hight is 14 - 1 against Diehl in prior events.

Diehl gets a nice lead off the line and leads Hight until just before the 660 lights.

Hight powers on by and pulls steadily ahead for the decisive win.

Robert Hight's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.025), 330 ft(0.018), 660ft(0.071). MOV: 0.1201 seconds (approximately 54 feet).

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.237, 660ft-3.141/286.98 mph.
Jeff Diehl's incremental times: 60ft-0.887 sec., 330ft-2.300, 660ft-3.257/270.81 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   14 Matt Hagan                             40 Alex Laughlin                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.070  3.945 327.11                     0.066  5.272 155.76
 Qualified:             #4  3.869 328.46                       #13  3.993 320.36

Hagan is 3 - 1 against Laughlin in prior events.

Just 0.004 difference in RT's and Hagan is quickly out in front and pulling away.

Laughlin gets loose and slows before the 660 lights.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.274, 660ft-3.204/281.36 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Bob Tasca III                         700 Steven Densham               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.054  4.002 317.27                     0.102  4.014 309.13
 Qualified:             #6  3.880 336.99                       #11  3.949 318.02

Tasca III is 1 - 0 against Densham in prior events.

WOW! four flat beats four oh one!

Tasca looked to be on the path to an easy win, but the engine starts to drop cylinders and move towards the wall. He is able to hang on gor the win, As Densham was late at the green.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Ron Capps                               9 Tim Wilkerson                
E1                   0.060  4.595 186.00     ****WINNER****  0.055  3.978 314.39
 Qualified:             #7  3.882 332.02                       #10  3.928 328.22

Capps is 52 - 25 against Wilkerson in prior events.

They leave just 0.005 a part and Capps started a strong pass until after the 330 lights, where the tires get loose and he has to lift.

Wilkerson drives right on by to take the easy win. He give up lane choice to Force next round.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.021), 330 ft(-0.010), 660ft(0.193). MOV: 0.6224 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.265, 660ft-3.400/206.57 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  473 Chad Green                            373 J.R. Todd                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.110  3.986 319.45                     0.036  4.980 163.51
 Qualified:             #8  3.893 325.06                        #9  3.904 326.08

Todd is 5 - 0 against Green in prior events.

Green was late, but Todd shakes the tire loose around the 330 lights and slows

Green motors on down for the easy win and will give lane choice to Hight next round.

Chad Green's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.076), 330 ft(0.002), 660ft(0.324). MOV: 0.9208 seconds (more than 100 feet).

11:51 a.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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