Sun, 12 Nov 2017, 16:43 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 53rd annual Auto Club NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Courtney Force                        750 Del Worsham                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.086  3.842 331.12                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Diehl     ) 0.071  4.157 228.23      (R Capps     ) 0.077  4.045 306.19
 Qualified:             #3  3.871 334.57                       #11  3.978 322.65

1:19 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 55 percent, barometer 28.92 inches, adjusted altitude 2,605 feet, track temperature 85 degrees.

Worsham is 10 - 8 against Force in prior events.

Worsham's team can't get the engine to start and the Camry is pushed away. The word from the starting line is an ignition problem.

A terrific pass in the troubling left lane! Force powers off the line and thunders on down the track.

Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.214, 660ft-3.114/287.90 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Matt Hagan                              8 Robert Hight                 
E2                   0.055  3.875 332.18     ****WINNER****  0.049  3.851 334.32
 Prior rounds:
E1    (G Densham   ) 0.154  3.872 332.59      (T Wilkerson ) 0.048  3.839 332.51
 Qualified:             #7  3.898 333.08                       #15  4.132 236.80

Hagan is 15 - 11 against Hight in prior events.

Hight has his Mojo back and gets a small 0.006 starting line advantage. Hagan starts to pull up on him at the 60 and 330 lights, but Hight's Camaro starts to pull further ahead to the finish line for a fifteen foot win.

He gives up lane choice in round three to team-mate Courtney Force by 0.009.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.233, 660ft-3.142/286.56 mph.
Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.867 sec., 330ft-2.222, 660ft-3.123/286.68 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 John Force                              5 Jack Beckman                 
E2                   0.097  3.932 310.98     ****WINNER****  0.064  3.851 332.51
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Todd      ) 0.055  4.178 232.39      (J Arend     ) 0.073  3.837 333.74
 Qualified:             #8  3.935 327.51                        #1  3.835 334.98

Hight's car is locked up on the top end and they have to put dolly's under the rear tires to get it off the track.

1:28 p.m. Back to racing! Beckman is 29 - 13 against Force in prior events.

It's "Fast Jack" Beckman from start to finish on another great looking pass. He gets away first and steadily pulls ahead to take a decisive win.

Force makes his quickest pass of the weekend, but is no match for Beckman today.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.884 sec., 330ft-2.265, 660ft-3.180/281.66 mph.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.866 sec., 330ft-2.221, 660ft-3.121/286.50 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tommy Johnson Jr.                     771 Alexis DeJoria               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.050  3.911 329.34                     0.074  3.944 327.90
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Bode      ) 0.089  4.047 283.79      (J Campbell  ) 0.086  3.932 331.45
 Qualified:             #4  3.887 314.31                        #5  3.894 331.94

Johnson Jr. is 11 - 6 against DeJoria in prior events.

Johnson get away first and holds a small lead to the 330 lights. DeJoria's Camry is able to match his pace from there to the finish line to wrap up this phase of her career in style. A loss, but a very respectable swan song!

TJ's win goes south in a hurry, as the parachutes wrap around the wheelie bar and the Charger flies way into the sand trap before he can get it stopped. He's fine, but the car may need a lot of work before round three.

Beckman will have lane choice in the next round.Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.257, 660ft-3.170/281.77 mph.
Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.290, 660ft-3.203/282.66 mph.

1:31 p.m. The Safety Safari starts to work to retrieve Johnson's car from the Kitty Litter!

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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