Sun, 16 Nov 2014, 15:25 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 50th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Jack Beckman                          750 Del Worsham                  
E1                   0.080  4.051 317.27     ****WINNER****  0.089  4.035 310.48
 Qualified:             #7  4.029 313.29                       #10  4.062 314.97

11:46 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 44 percent, barometer 29.02 inches, adjusted altitude 2,295 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Beckman is 15 - 5 against Worsham in prior events. Beckman is running the Veterans Trust scheme this weekend and comes into this morning's eliminations having defeated Worsham six times to two in round one match ups. Worsham won the last race at Vegas 2 a couple of weeks ago.

Beckman gets the starting line advantage and holds off a charging Worsham until just before the 660 lights. Worsham just slides on by and nips Beckman for the close win.

Del Worsham's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.031), 330 ft(-0.014), 660ft(0.006). MOV: 0.0077 seconds (approximately 4 feet).

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.885 sec., 330ft-2.307, 660ft-3.278/267.64 mph.
Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.312, 660ft-3.263/271.24 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Cruz Pedregon                          10 Tim Wilkerson                
E1                   0.054 10.017  83.08     ****WINNER****  0.126  4.200 295.85
 Qualified:             #4  4.011 311.77                       #13  4.102 313.73

Wilkerson has a seven to five first round advantage over Pedregon. Pedregon was renewed by Snap-On for another year earlier this week. Pedregon is 16 - 11 against Wilkerson in prior events.

Pedregon strikes the tires hard right at the green. Wilkerson ducks a bullet, as the Mustang is a little lazy off the line and struggles to the finish line for the lucky win. "Any win is a good win!"

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.381, 660ft-3.387/258.22 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                             170 Jeff Arend                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  4.028 316.38                     0.065 11.137  72.48
 Qualified:             #3  4.005 317.79                       #14  4.126 287.05

Capps has basically owned Arend in round one with a thirteen to three advantage. Capps is 16 - 5 against Arend in prior events. Dunn Racing is running a tribute Mooneyes scheme this weekend.

Arend is off the throttle way early, as the Charger's tire are smoking in the right lane. Capps makes a strong and clean pass for the easy win.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.893 sec., 330ft-2.302, 660ft-3.257/269.89 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   33 Tommy Johnson Jr.                      72 Tony Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.035  4.060 316.23                     0.071  4.774 176.07
 Qualified:             #2  4.003 317.34                       #15  4.134 306.12

Johnson Jr. is 14 - 12 against Pedregon in prior events. Johnson has a six to five first round win advantage over Pedregon.

Johnson is away first and pulls steadily ahead to take an easy win. Pedregon starts to have traction problems down track and can't match the pace. Worsham will have lane choice next round.

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental margins: 60ft(0.050), 330 ft(0.088), 660ft(0.255). MOV: 0.7506 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.323, 660ft-3.286/267.85 mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.932 sec., 330ft-2.375, 660ft-3.505/193.13 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  771 Alexis DeJoria                        782 Gary Densham                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.100  4.025 314.61                     0.151  5.381 135.95
 Qualified:             #1  3.998 311.41                       #16  4.136 305.84

This is the 3rd time this year that Alexis DeJoria has been number one and she has yet to win a round from the top spot. The last time the #1 Funny Car qualifier lost at this event in the opening round was 1998. Densham defeated her in their only other first round match up.

It's DeJoria from start to finish, the Camry has all of the incremental for the easy win. Densham has traction issues and slows.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.897 sec., 330ft-2.297, 660ft-3.251/271.35 mph.
Gary Densham's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.371, 660ft-3.762/154.40 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 John Force                             77 Bob Tasca III                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.035  4.083 319.29                     0.070  4.337 245.45
 Qualified:             #5  4.015 316.60                       #12  4.072 312.93

Tasca III is 11 - 9 against Force in prior events. John Force is 482-159 in his career in the first round (75%). He is 24-7 in round one matches at this event (77%).He is just 1 -7 in round one matchups against Bob Tasca.

Force stays the master of his fate and gets away first and powers on down the track to the finish line for the decisive win. Tasca was just 0.009 behind at 60 feet, but never had a chance after that, as the tires are loose down track.

Force has lane choice over Wilkerson next round.

John Force's incremental margins: 60ft(0.009), 330 ft(0.028), 660ft(0.105). MOV: 0.2897 seconds (more than 100 feet).

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.933 sec., 330ft-2.356, 660ft-3.317/271.24 mph.
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.349, 660ft-3.387/230.57 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Matt Hagan                           3111 Chad Head                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.061  4.015 320.05                     0.103  5.083 167.63
 Qualified:             #6  4.016 319.60                       #11  4.070 312.93

Matt Hagan has won 68% of his opening round races and that is his best record for any round of competition. He is 3 - 2 in round one at this event..Matt is the defending champ and in the long history of this race only two Funny Car drivers have won in consecutive years (Prudhomme & Bernstein). He has a two and one win record in round one against Head. Hagan is 3 - 1 against Head in prior events.

Hagan is taking no prisoners and gets the starting line advantage, He parleys the better incrementals to the best run of the session, so far. He will face Capps with lane choice next round. Head gave it a valiant effort, but struck the tires before the 330 lights.

Matt Hagan's incremental margins: 60ft(0.050), 330 ft(0.175), 660ft(0.566). MOV: 1.1101 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.887 sec., 330ft-2.299, 660ft-3.252/272.61 mph.
Chad Head's incremental times: 60ft-0.895 sec., 330ft-2.432, 660ft-3.776/187.60 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Robert Hight                            7 Courtney Force               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  4.049 313.29                     0.090  6.611  98.40
 Qualified:             #8  4.036 317.49                        #9  4.055 316.60

JFR Team Race. Hight is 6 - 4 against Force in prior events. Hight won their only other first round matchup.

Like the last two pair, it's a left lane race track. Hight gets a starting line advantage and is long gone, when Force's tires are smoking just past the sixty foot lights. Hight makes a strong pass, but will give up lane choice to DeJoria in round two.

Robert Hight's incremental margins: 60ft(0.027), 330 ft(0.271), 660ft(1.146). MOV: 2.5807 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.310, 660ft-3.274/270.10 mph.

12:17 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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