Sun, 17 Nov 2024, 16:38 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  348 Daniel Wilkerson                        3 Bob Tasca III                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.081  3.910 333.08                     0.053  5.774 125.85
 Qualified:            #12  3.903 308.92                        #5  3.867 334.82

Weather conditions: air temperature 65 degrees, relative humidity 23 percent, barometer 29.91 inches, adjusted altitude 1,817 feet.

Bob Tasca is 6 - 5 in the Countdown this year. Daniel Wilkerson is 5 - 5 in the Countdown this year.

Tasca III with the starting line advantage, but shook right at the hit and pedaled it. He couldn't get it too hook up.

Wilkerson is straight down the groove with good clean pass.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   14 Matt Hagan                            700 Steven Densham               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.090  3.874 329.18                    -0.078  9.978  85.60
 Qualified:             #4  3.838 331.94                       #13  3.983 313.66

Matt Hagan is 2 - 3 in Rd. 1 in the Countdown this year. Steven Densham is making his 18th start overall and his 4th this year.

Hagan and Densham have each won 1 times against the other in prior events.

Densham goes red to give Hagan the win. Hagan kept it hooked up and was straight down the groove for the win. He will have lane choice over wilkerson in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  374 Austin Prock                          766 Jason Rupert                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.059  3.828 341.68                     0.082  3.913 313.00
 Qualified:             #1  3.804 334.57                       #16  5.413 132.13

Austin Prock has won 14 consecutive Rd. 1 races. Since 1999 the #16 FC qualifier has won once in Rd. 1 at this event.

This is the first time Prock and Rupert have faced each other in eliminations.

Prick with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He launched hard and kept it hooked up for the win. Prock with the first pass to break the 340 mark in NHRA history. Austin Prock's incremental times: 60ft-0.870 sec., 330ft-2.211, 660ft-3.103/289.69 mph.

Rupert with his career quickest pass in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Ron Capps                             717 Jeff Diehl                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.095  3.842 332.18                     0.089 10.993  82.06
 Qualified:             #2  3.821 332.75                       #15  4.544 191.81

Ron Capps has won at least 1 race in 15 consecutive years. He is winless so far this year. Jeff Diehl is making his 98th start

Capps is 12 - 0 against Diehl in prior events.

Diehl with the slight starting line advantage, but was up in smoke right at the hit and clicked it off.

Capps was straight down the groove with a good looking pass for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Jack Beckman                          121 Terry Haddock                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.092  3.847 336.23                     0.204  3.981 306.26
 Qualified:             #3  3.828 334.82                       #14  4.041 305.84

Jack Beckman is 239 - 96 (71.3%) in Rd. 1. Terry Haddock is making his 167th start.

Beckman is 7 - 0 against Haddock in prior events.

Beckman with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win.

Haddock with his quickest pass this weekend in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  256 Blake Alexander                       771 Alexis DeJoria               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.078  3.876 329.18                     0.086  6.305 106.16
 Qualified:             #6  3.870 336.40                       #11  3.890 308.43

Blake Alexander is 5 - 5 in the Countdown. Alexis DeJoria is 0 - 4 since Reading.

DeJoria is 8 - 4 against Alexander in prior events.

Alexander with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He will give up lane choice to Beckman in the next round.

DeJoria started to lose traction and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  116 Paul Lee                                5 Chad Green                   
E1                   0.093  6.784 101.85     ****WINNER****  0.097  3.998 315.86
 Qualified:             #7  3.875 328.46                       #10  3.889 327.98

In his 12 winning rounds this year Paul Lee has made 10 3-second runs. In his 15 losing rounds he has made 5 3-second runs. Chad Green is the defending event champion. The last FC driver to win here in back-to-back years was Tommy Johnson in 2016 & 2017.

Green is 3 - 1 against Lee in prior events.

Lee with the slight starting line advantage, but started hazing the tires and clicked it off.

Green with a good pass early, it appeared to be mixing up cylinders on the top. He gets the win, but will give up lane choice to Capps in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                           8 J.R. Todd                    
E1                   0.051  4.794 164.01     ****WINNER****  0.060  3.858 330.07
 Qualified:             #8  3.875 324.59                        #9  3.878 326.71

Cruz Pedregon is 3 - 5 in the Countdown this year. J.R. Todd is 1 - 4 in Rd. 1 in the Countdown this year.

Todd is 19 - 7 against Pedregon in prior events.

Pedregon with a slight starting line advantage, but started to lose traction and clicked it off.

Todd kept it hooked up and hitting on all eight for the win. He will give up lane choice to Prock in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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