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Sun, 20 Mar 2005, 12:15 PM

Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations
By Rick Green





GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 36th annual MAC Tools NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  206 Bob Gilbertson                          8 Tony Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.086  4.924 311.41                     0.092  4.991 247.93
 Qualified:            #10  4.887 311.63                        #7  4.834 313.91
Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 56 percent, barometer 29.94 inches, adjusted altitude 866 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

This is the first time this year Tony has not been the number one qualifier and holds a 8 to 4 advantage over Gilbertson in head to head matchups. This is Gilbertson's 103rd start.

Gilbertson is out of the gate first, but then Pedregon grabbed the lead until just before the finish line when the engine started to go away and Gilbertson drove around him. Gilbertson picks up his first round win this season.

Bob Gilbertson's incremental times: 60ft-0.919 sec., 330ft-2.359, 660ft-3.371/251.67mph, 1,000ft-4.209


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  427 Tony Bartone                            2 Del Worsham                  
E1                   0.144  4.970 273.05     ****WINNER****  0.101  4.886 320.39
 Qualified:            #13  4.926 315.90                        #4  4.803 322.34
Worsham is defending event champion and has beat Bartone all three times they have raced. This is Bartone's 27th start in a fuel car.

Worsham is out of the gate first and never looks back for the win. Bartone got out of the groove on the top end and had some tire spin.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Tim Wilkerson                           5 Eric Medlen                  
E1                   0.097  5.008 302.62     ****WINNER****  0.136  4.824 322.69
 Qualified:            #15  5.014 259.14                        #2  4.773 326.08
This is the 22nd time Medlen has qualified in the top half of the field in 26 starts. Wilkerson holds a 3 to 2 advantage in head-to-head matchups.

Wilkerson with the starting line advantage, but Medlen has the difference made up right off the starting line and Medlen takes the win. Medlen has lane choice over Gilbertson in the next round.

Wilkerson started to lose traction around half track and had a quick pedal job.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  302 Dale Creasy Jr.                      7000 Robert Hight                 
E1                   0.099 12.574  82.42     ****WINNER****  0.131  4.809 320.05
 Qualified:            #16  5.034 286.80                        #1  4.749 325.96
Hight is the 78th different driver to qualify number one in Funny Car and he does it in only his third start. This is Creasy Jr.'s 68th start.

Creasy is out of the gate first, but is up in smoke right off the starting line. Apparently he hurt the engine because we have oil in his lane and that will use up his freebie.

Hight with a great looking pass for his second career win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  388 Jim Head                                1 John Force                   
E1                   0.085  5.038 292.58     ****WINNER****  0.119  4.847 323.04
 Qualified:            #14  4.967 302.41                        #3  4.775 329.42
This is the 349th race in row Force has qualified. Head's first race here in Gainesville was in 1982 and he has raced here 20 times.

Head with the starting line advantage, but Force has the difference made up by 200 feet and just drives away for the win.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               3 Gary Scelzi                  
E1                   0.099  4.908 315.67     ****WINNER****  0.111  4.857 319.48
 Qualified:            #12  4.902 321.65                        #5  4.815 310.77
Scelzi has never won here in Funny Car or Top Fuel and is three and three against Capps. This is the second time in three races Capps has raced a Schumacher teammate in round one.

Capps with the starting line advantage, but Scelzi was able to chase him down by half track and took the win light by a couple care lengths.

Scelzi has lane choice against Worsham.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  170 Jeff Arend                            503 Tommy Johnson Jr.            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.060  4.928 301.60                     0.104  4.913 314.57
 Qualified:            #11  4.887 304.56                        #6  4.824 320.17
Johnson Jr. holds a two and oh lead in head-to-head matchups.

Arend with a big starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Jeff Arend's incremental margins: 60ft(0.032), 330 ft(0.057), 660ft(0.058), 1,000ft(0.053). MOV: 0.0298 seconds (approximately 14 feet).

This is his first round win since Reading of 1996.

Arend will give up lane choice to Force.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Cruz Pedregon                           6 Whit Bazemore                
E1                   0.097 10.693  89.68     ****WINNER****  0.068  4.869 316.67
 Qualified:             #9  4.865 302.31                        #8  4.862 313.26
Pedregon holds a 19 to 15 lead in head-to-head matchups. Cruz won this race in 1998.

Bazemore with a great light and then Cruz is up in smoke right off the starting line. Bazemore will give up lane choice to Hight.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink




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