Sat, 22 Jul 2006, 06:55 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Michael L. Jex

KENT, Wash. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals presented by Lucas Oil listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 5.007/306.05, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.988/304.39, Was #15
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 5.213/291.01, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.489/219.19, Was #18

Weather conditions: air temperature 90 degrees, relative humidity 50 percent, barometer 29.82 inches, adjusted altitude 2,417 feet, track temperature 125 degrees.

The other Pro classes have seen few changes in the hot and humid conditions, Funny Car may be the same...

Haddock's pass is his best of the weekend, but it's not enough to bump Tim Wilkerson off the 16th position.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.012/299.00, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.970/306.74, Was #13
Right Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 8.090/119.88, Now #17; Best prior run: 5.128/290.32, Was #17

Gilbertson needs to go 5.05 or quicker to get into the field, one of his teammates gave Bob a double fist shake thru the window to get him pumped up some more.

But it didn't happen... Gilbertson's problems started with a .935 60-foot time, he was off the throttle before the halfway point.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 7.865/107.04, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.931/308.85, Was #9
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 8.550/106.33, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.058/301.00, Was #16

Wilkerson is safely in the field, we're pretty sure he'd like to avoid facing Robert Hight in the first round.

Tire smoke au pair - we move on...

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 6.627/130.18, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.925/313.95, Was #7
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 10.198/83.10, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.975/314.39, Was #14

Worsham lost traction first, followed by Cruz.

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Left Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 4.984/308.99, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.898/316.75, Was #5
Right Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 11.093/76.61, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.953/309.13, Was #12

Whit missed the last round due to an engine that made no oil preassure when it was fired before the round. The team ran out of time trying to swap out another engine before they were called to the lanes.

Bazemore lifted before half track, Burkart runs low ET of the round by a bunch. Phil Burkart's incremental times: 60ft-0.906 sec., 330ft-2.374, 660ft-3.403/246.44mph, 1,000ft-4.258

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Left Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 10.938/80.16, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.872/313.58, Was #4
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 10.781/76.96, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.945/309.20, Was #11

It got very quiet about two seconds after the light went green....

Yes, it's still hot outside...

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 13.818/83.13, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.864/313.00, Was #3
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 5.085/298.14, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.934/310.77, Was #10

Capps went up in smoke on the starting line, Densham has the 2nd quickest pass of the session. Gary Densham's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.414, 660ft-3.469/241.28mph, 1,000ft-4.337

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Left Lane: Eric Medlen Runs 4.908/308.07, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.854/312.64, Was #2
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 5.111/262.13, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.929/310.27, Was #8

Nice lap for Medlen, his Castrol machine was moving around at the top end, but it didn't cost him much in the ET department.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.911/299.53, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.840/318.17, Was #1
Right Lane: John Force Runs 6.040/153.98, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.903/316.52, Was #6

The Force team cars have a tuneup for this track and the heat - John lifted early, Hight ran low ET of the round. So the field is set, one big first round pairing will be Force and Gary Scelzi. 3:49 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink