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Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2
Fri, 25 Feb 2005, 09:33 PM
Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 21st annual
Checker Schuck's Kragen 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:
Left Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 5.699/175.91, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.791/321.88, Now #1; Best prior run: 9.163/92.82, Was
#18
6:45 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 51
percent, barometer 28.74 inches, adjusted altitude 2,157 feet, track temperature 74 degrees.
The teams have turned the cars around and we're ready for round two of Nitro. Both cars leave
hard with flames well over the roofs of both cars. The fires went out early for Pedregon and
he's coasting for the last 400 feet. Capps might have been hurting a few parts on the big end
but he legs it out the back door for the top qualifying spot. I don't want to say too much, it
is the first pair.
Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 5.627/61.50, Now #15; Best prior run: 12.533/85.69, Was
#22
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.972/298.80, Now #11; Best prior run: 8.388/95.08, Was
#19
Both Arend and Head had problems in the first round but this might just be the best
qualifying conditions these drivers will see. Head takes his icebox white Dodge Stratus all the
way to the finish. Arend was right with Head but something unseen caused him to shut the car
off. They are out inspecting the track and word is 'Fire the next Pair'!
Left Lane: Jack Wyatt Runs 13.748/79.69, Now #22; Best prior run: 12.291/43.03,
Was #22
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.770/327.66, Now #1; Best prior run: 7.277/111.82,
Was #20
Wyatt is out with the Racegirl entry after losing the first run to smoke. Scelzi
also kicked the tires loose so both are unqualified. Wyatt spins the tires right at the hit and
barely rolls on out. Scelzi gets the full pull and sets the track MPH record for Funny Cars. He
is also the #1 qualifier for the class.
Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.834/270.21, Now #8; Best prior run: 11.921/86.05,
Was #21
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.780/320.66, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.834/127.03,
Was #20
Another pair of drivers that had round one difficulties. It's hard to believe that
Hight ran in the fours as early as he shut off. He makes the show at #8 after getting very
close to the centerline. Pedregon ran it out the back door to the second spot.
Left Lane: Dale Pulde Runs 9.751/92.30, Now #21; Best prior run: 6.181/157.89, Was
#21
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.981/308.07, Now #15; Best prior run: 6.122/155.58,
Was #20
Pulde shook the tires hard at about 100 feet and he will coast across the stripe.
Haddock got a full pass that only makes him #15. Haddock puts Gilbertson on the bump and Tony
Pedregon out of the show. It takes better than a 5.247 to qualify.
Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.703/325.06, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.567/221.52,
Was #17
Right Lane: Stephen Neese Runs 13.069/59.70, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.598/237.25,
Was #18
Tony has been bumped from the show due to problems in round one and an early
shutoff. Neese is right behind him in the beautiful red Camaro. Well...Tony's qualified now. As
a matter of fact he now owns the track ET record as well as the #1 spot in the field. Neese
shook really hard and had no choice but to give the run up.
Left Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 5.066/288.95, Now #17; Best prior run:
5.247/205.82, Was #17
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.816/310.91, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.886/311.27,
Was #11
Gilbertson has now been bumped from the show and needs to run better than Haddock's
4.987 to get back in. Wilkerson makes the top half of the show with a much better looking run.
Gilbertson got very close to the centerline but appeared not to cross. It was close. The 5.066
leaves him in the #17 spot anyway.
Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 10.647/76.15, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.953/302.55,
Was #14
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 12.256/69.16, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.885/314.83,
Was #11
We get synchronized tire smoke from this pair. Both strike the tires at about 100
feet.
Right Lane: Eric Medlen Runs 4.806/278.58, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.815/314.09,
Was #3
Medlen should have had Gary Densham in the other lane but Densham has chosen to sit
this one out. Densham is in the #8 spot currently. Medlen clicks it early but still runs
4.806.
Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 6.037/152.33, Now #12; Best prior run:
4.895/301.60, Was #12
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 6.180/147.49, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.814/319.67,
Was #7
Both cars got to half track and they were almost dead even when the fire went out
on both racers. Both drivers coasted on out and they will stand on their round 1
numbers.
Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.760/323.35, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.826/320.97, Was
#9
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.748/324.98, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.810/324.36,
Was #6
Looks as though there might be something on the racing surface as when you look way
down track you see headlights in both lanes heading towards the starting line. That didn't take
long. About two minutes and we're into burnouts. This sure would make a fun two out of three
match race. Worsham and Burkart ended the first session #1 and #2. Worsham has slipped to #6 so
that tells you this has been a pretty good session. This was worth the price of admission. Both
cars in the 4.7s and both over 320. Not bad at all. The Saturday session will begin with Tony
Pedregon #1 at 4.706 and Terry Haddock on the bump at 4.981.
Timing data courtesy of
CompuLink
By Dave Gerard
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