Sun, 8 Feb 2009, 08:10 PM
Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations
|
|
By Darryl Jackman
|
POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA
Winternationals:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
3 Jack Beckman 71 Cruz Pedregon
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.061 4.196 284.56 0.072 4.618 232.71
Qualified: #8 4.197 289.14 #9 4.205 305.91
4:21 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 58 degrees, relative humidity 64 percent, barometer 28.88 inches, adjusted
altitude 1,703 feet, track temperature 64 degrees.
Pedregon is 6 - 4 against Beckman in prior events. We finally get to the first round of the Nitro Funny Cars and we match Beckman
against C.Pedregon. Beckman takes the left lane after most of the others took the right. Pedregon got to about 100ft before he had
to give the pedal the first of several hard slaps. Beckman kept all the candles lighted and sort of cruised on to the win. Well,
maybe not THAT much of a cruise. According to Beckman he pumped a couple of rods out of the sides of the engine and has put the
Safari to work...again!
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
750 Del Worsham 340 Bob Bode
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.113 4.193 310.41 0.043 4.744 226.39
Qualified: #2 4.038 NS #15 4.891 244.65
Worsham is 2 - 0 against Bode in prior events. It's 4:39 p.m. and the call goes out. Well, here'e the debut of the new Al-Anabi
Racing team. Worsham will not like his light when he sees his timeslip but certainly will take the win. He did have to give the
pedal a hard slap to keep the tires glued at about 100ft. Bode really had to tip toe as he was very close to the centerline after
half track.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
1777 Bob Tasca III 9 Mike Neff
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.244 4.127 302.89 -0.014 9.287 77.02
Qualified: #5 4.143 301.20 #12 4.286 304.12
Tasca must have been frozen at the tree when the red came on. Neff goes -0.014 red and Tasca certainly didn't face that danger.
Neff had the car completely sideways just off the starting line.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6 Ashley Force Hood 2814 Matt Hagan
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.095 4.334 303.43 0.100 7.981 92.32
Qualified: #3 4.061 NS #14 4.345 283.01
This is the first time Force Hood and Hagan have faced each other in eliminations. Stats are good! Both drivers pedaled early in
the run. Hagan didn't move five feet before the tires were spinning and Hood pedaled at about 60ft. Big win for the Force
team.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
4 Robert Hight 767 Jerry Toliver
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.155 4.159 302.62 0.146 8.122 87.22
Qualified: #1 4.037 NS #16 5.061 187.52
Hight is 2 - 0 against Toliver in prior events. Nothing changes on this run as Hight pedaled once and just ran away from Toliver
in Jim Dunn's racer. Toliver spun the tires hard but his car would not recover.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
7 John Force 28 Ron Capps
E1 0.119 4.141 301.47 ****WINNER**** 0.082 4.125 304.67
Qualified: #4 4.092 304.39 #13 4.289 NS
Force is 41 - 17 against Capps in prior events but Capps gets one back here in the opening round. John Force's incremental
times: 60ft-0.923 sec., 330ft-2.355, 660ft-3.337/260.76 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.356,
660ft-3.330/263.67 mph. Tasca will have lane choice over Capps by .002 in the second round.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
5 Tony Pedregon 388 Jim Head
E1 0.063 No Time ****WINNER**** 0.068 6.653 96.58
Qualified: #6 4.164 300.40 #11 4.286 NS
This one got wild. Head lost traction early and was watching Pedregon streak away for what appeared to be an easy win. T.Ped was
really loose in the other lane and the car darted to the right, crossing the centerline in the process. Pedregon's run is DQ'd and
head gets to face A.Force without the advantage of lane choice.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
10 Gary Densham 170 Jeff Arend
E1 ****WINNER**** 0.138 4.336 283.37 0.092 4.736 188.25
Qualified: #7 4.183 NS #10 4.222 22.07
Arend rattled the tires hard at about 60ft after drilling Densham pretty good at the light. He pedaled but the car went
sideways, about knocking down the wall. He kept if off but it was Densham that held it together for the win. Worsham has Densham and
the Al-Anabi driver holds lane choice.
Timing data courtesy of CompuLink
NHRA: 10 Most Recent Entries [ top ]
Feb 17- Oh, Brother!
Feb 13- NHRA and FOX Sports Announce TV Schedule for NHRA's 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 12- 75th Anniversary Celebration Kickoff at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 10- Wally Parks 75th Anniversary Appreciation Fund Part of $27 Million Overall Purse
Feb 08- NHRA Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League Releases 2026 Schedule
Feb 07- Huge List of Legends Set to Appear at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Feb 05- NHRA and Legends Global Extend Merchandise Partnership Ahead of 75th Anniversary Season
Feb 04- Doug Foley Announces Addition of Ron Douglas as Consultant to Foley Lewis Racing Top Fuel Team
Feb 04- Tickets Now on Sale for NHRA's Debut at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park and Rockingham Dragway
Feb 04- Reed, Zetterström to Share Driving Duties of Reed Trucking & Excavating Top Fuel Dragster
