Sat, 29 Jul 2006, 04:13 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Darryl Jackman

SONOMA, Calif. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 19th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals 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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Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.011/292.39, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.952/290.19, Was #13

12:36 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 30.15 inches, adjusted altitude 1,031 feet, track temperature 115 degrees.

All bright sun on the track now so any early advantage is about gone. Pedregon is very conservative as the first car out. He had an earlier 4.952 and stands on that run after session three.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.899/310.84, Now #12; Best prior run: 9.855/70.51, Was #17
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 8.043/109.58, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.857/314.31, Was #10

I called this one right down to the ET. I had just said Force qualifies now and runs a 4.89 when...that's exactly what happened. Johnson struck the tires early and coasted on through. The big deal of course is Force and the streak being intact.

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Left Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 6.814/132.09, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.975/301.33, Was #16
Right Lane: Mike Ashley No Time, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.851/314.09, Was #9

Ashley looked just like Force on Friday evening. The car rolled about a foot and there was a huge flash and the car rolled to a stop at about 100 feet. Almost appeared like a mag moved or something shorted the ignition. Gilbertson was hurting parts and spinning the tires so he clicked it early.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 8.637/101.05, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.987/314.39, Was #17
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.848/319.07, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.851/314.17, Was #8

Wilkerson's woes continue as he spins the tires early. Capps impresses yet again. He remains #8 but that was a good looking repeatable run. You might say a Sunday kind of run.

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Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.900/319.75, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.966/265.59, Was #15
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 7.530/117.52, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.833/313.51, Was #7

Burkart shuts the Techron car off early to avoid scraping the shiny off the side. He got pretty loose. Bazemore used some parts but lays down a good looking run.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 7.258/117.85, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.922/304.39, Was #14
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 6.230/149.50, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.825/319.14, Was #6

Densham was side by side with Bartone and starting to pull away when he shut it off. You have to wonder if that was planned considering the budget busting that happens after half track.

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Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 10.541/78.75, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.865/317.64, Was #11
Right Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 5.021/299.93, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.806/319.14, Was #4

Scelzi strikes the tires early and loses session threeto tire smoke. Kalitta gets a full pull and remains #4.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 6.870/125.73, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.816/319.75, Was #5
Right Lane: Eric Medlen Runs 4.992/270.43, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.804/319.37, Was #3

Pedregon shook the tires loose at half track. Medlen was set a bit soft and appeared to be doing some Sunday testing.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 9.077/90.04, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.803/323.89, Was #2
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 6.030/154.56, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.738/325.30, Was #1

Worsham follows from and kicks the Goodyears loose before half track. Hight had the same problem in the other lane and we close out the session. Hight remains #1 and Gilbertson is o the bubble. Wilkerson will be looking to knock him out of the show in the final session in a couple of hours.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink