Mon, 08 Oct 2012, 11:11 AM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Jim Samuel

MOHNTON, Pa. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 28th annual Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   22 Todd Lesenko                            9 John Force                   
E2                   0.099 10.240  59.80     ****WINNER****  0.088  4.138 313.22
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Pedregon  ) 0.104  4.299 284.75      (R Hight     ) 0.091  4.081 310.41
 Qualified:            #15  4.125 299.00                        #7  4.038 315.19

10:54 a.m. - Weather conditions: air temperature 51 degrees, relative humidity 63 percent, barometer 29.68 inches, adjusted altitude 194 feet, track temperature 61 degrees.

Force and Lesenko have never raced each other before this. Force did have one win and one loss against Todd Paton, making him 1-1 against drivers named Todd before this matchup with Lesenko.

Lesenko launched, shook the rear tires and clicked it off. Force had some early tire shake, pedaled it and got his car hooked up again to finish the run and take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   31 Johnny Gray                             1 Matt Hagan                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.093  4.066 314.09                     0.073  7.962  89.00
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Tasca III ) 0.078  4.138 285.83      (C Force     ) 0.048  4.057 311.20
 Qualified:             #4  4.028 318.99                       #12  4.074 311.92

Hagan and Gray raced each other four times before this round, with Gray getting the victory three times. They are 1-1 in second round competition.

Hagan launched and the rear tires on his car went up in smoke. He pedaled it once, the car got loose, he pedaled it again and the car got looser, so he shut it down. Gray had a nice run for the win and will move on to the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  388 Jim Head                                5 Mike Neff                    
E2                   0.088  5.215 156.01     ****WINNER****  0.083  4.024 315.71
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A DeJoria   ) 0.125  7.171 205.26      (T Pedregon  ) 0.107  4.032 316.82
 Qualified:            #11  4.063 305.77                        #3  4.017 318.84

Neff and Head have raced each other nine times before this, with Neff winning all nine of those races.

Neff had a strong run down the groove for the win. He'll race John Force in the next round and will have lane choice. Head pedaled the car ta 330 feet. When he got back on the throttle, he shook the rear tires and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               2 Jack Beckman                 
E2                   0.072  4.576 196.96     ****WINNER****  0.071  4.042 316.08
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Arend     ) 0.081  4.249 310.48      (M Smith     ) 0.115  3.986 318.54
 Qualified:             #8  4.055 317.64                        #1  3.989 320.58

Capps had 15 wins and nine losses in prior competition against Beckman. In the second round, Capps had a 5-2 record against Beckman.

Capps had to pedal the car at 330 feet. When he got back into the run, the rear tires smoked and he clicked it off. Beckman took his Charger down the track for the win and a third round matchup with Gray. He'll have lane choice. But wait...there's more. This round win gives Beckman the Funny Car points lead, no matter what happens in the third and fourth round here today.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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