Sun, 4 Sep 2005, 04:21 PM Skoal Funny Car Showdown Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Skoal Funny Car Showdown at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 24th annual Skoal Showdown:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Eric Medlen                             3 Gary Scelzi                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.113  4.883 315.86                     0.073  4.940 307.51
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Johnson Jr) 0.112  4.897 314.83      (C Pedregon  ) 0.078  4.943 309.20
 Qualified:             #3 6,000                                #2 7,000        

3:08 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 35 percent, barometer 29.50 inches, adjusted altitude 1,941 feet, track temperature 119 degrees.

One of these two will get a shot at a $100,000 payday later this afternoon. Scelzi had the holeshot, but Medlen had the horsepower and ran him down in the lights. Eric Medlen's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.042), 330 ft(-0.031), 660ft(-0.026), 1,000ft(-0.005). MOV: 0.0177 seconds (approximately 8 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 7000 Robert Hight                            2 Del Worsham                  
E2                   0.114  5.958 219.97     ****WINNER****  0.081  5.636 307.02
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Force     ) 0.093  4.823 323.81      (T Pedregon  ) 0.113  4.875 314.31
 Qualified:             #8 1,000                                #4 5,000        

Will it be an all-Force final round, or will the C-S-K gang get to take part in the festivities? It turned into a pedal-fest and it looked like it was over when Worsham was the first to strike the tires, just off the starting line. However, Hight lost traction just before half track and was unable to get his car hooked back up, allowing Wosham to go by and pull away for the win. Worsham will finally get his chance to win the Showdown. Del Worsham's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.005), 330 ft(-0.318), 660ft(-0.082), 1,000ft(0.141). MOV: 0.3555 seconds (more than 100 feet). Medlen will have lane choice over Worsham in the final round and we will definitely have a first-time winner.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink