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Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session
Sat, 2 Aug 2003, 08:15 PM
Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 16th
annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA 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:
Right Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 5.052/300.33, Now #15; Best prior run:
6.194/147.75, Was #19
4:33 PM Creasy opens the final session for Funny Car with a right lane single.
Losing that 5.06 last night has really hurt this team and this is the last shot. That puts him
in the show with about the same time he had last night. That puts Densham on the bump at
5.076.
Left Lane: Dean Skuza Runs 4.932/311.27, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.419/137.75, Was
#20
Right Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 5.125/286.98, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.048/295.85,
Was #14
Pedregon is in the show but now it's Skuza's turn to try and bump in. For the second
time an outsider is now in the field. Skuza is actually in the top half with that run. Pedregon
had no visible problems but the car just seemed a bit soft. Creasy in now on the bump and
Densham is out of the show.
Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 15.214/52.78, Now #20; Best prior run: 5.876/159.59,
Was #20
Right Lane: Keith Jackson Runs 4.982/290.01, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.016/286.19,
Was #14
Jackson makes his career best run. Not by much, .001, but it is his best. Haddock
suffers problems right off the hit and shutoff almost immediately.
Left Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 5.158/289.01, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.329/246.57,
Was #19
Right Lane: Arnie Karp Runs 5.143/282.24, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.967/300.06, Was
#13
Neither driver improves but Karp will play on Sunday due to his 4.967 in the second
round of qualifying. Bad news for Gilbertson, he's going home. The only car left that can bump
Creasy is Densham as it looks like Wyatt isn't going to run.
Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 5.218/288.15, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.076/295.85,
Was #17
Right Lane: Scotty Cannon Runs 5.027/294.31, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.941/296.05,
Was #12
Densham is the final car that can bump Creasy. Gary has qualified for every show
since 2001 but that string is going to end here. Densham kicks the tires loose at half track and
pedals but he car can't recover the lost time. Creasy is racing on Sunday. Tough for Gary. Good
for the Craftsman/Creasy team. Cannon was clean and smooth but doesn't improve.
Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.985/285.29, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.940/304.74,
Was #11
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 9.030/88.31, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.937/302.08, Was
#10
Capps kicks the tires loose early in the run and shuts it down. Pedregon was on a
pretty nice pass to about 1000 feet where there was lots of smoke from the engine. Must have
been pistons as the Safari says 'Play On'!
Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 6.497/136.04, Now #8; Best prior run:
4.933/306.05, Was #8
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 8.404/95.37, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.935/287.72,
Was #9
Twin tire smokers in the session for Johnson and Wilkerson. They got a little
further than most of the cars in this session but the result was the same. This was also a
preview of the first round on Sunday if nothing changes.
Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.934/311.41, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.849/318.92, Was
#5
Right Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 5.042/294.50, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.883/312.71, Was
#6
Scelzi uses up a bunch of clutch in the first 60 feet but holds on for a pretty
sweet run. Gray was a bit loose in the tire and can't improve on his Friday time.
Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.922/302.75, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.837/309.70,
Was #3
Right Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.920/310.20, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.845/290.07,
Was #4
This was just a good old side by side affair between friends. Neither improves but
the times are among the best of the session. Tony used up some more parts in the Mustang as he
header flames turned a deep orange just before the lights. Best show on wheels.
Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.953/308.35, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.814/316.90, Was
#1
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.909/310.41, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.827/316.75, Was
#2
Another side by side affair. This time it's Worsham getting to the finish line
first. This has looked like an old time two out of three match race this weekend. It's been
really fun to watch but the field is set and now it's time to make points. Qualifying was
exciting this weekend as Creasy worried for a long time about qualifying? He did. And could
Densham make the show? He didn't. John Force is qualified #1 and Dale Creasy is his dance
partner come noon on Sunday.
Timing data courtesy of
CompuLink
By Darryl Jackman
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