Sat, 4 Nov 2006, 05:53 PM Nostalgia Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Darryl Jackman

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Notes from final, round 2 qualifying in Nostalgia Funny Car at the Goodguys, 8th Annual Fuel and Gas Finals 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: John Powers Runs 7.110/139.06, Now #12; Best prior run: 7.110/139.06, Was #12
Right Lane: Bob Godfrey Runs 6.884/159.03, Now #11; Best prior run: 6.884/159.03, Was #11

12:59 p.m. Funny Cars fill the lanes for the final qualifying session for the beasts. Uh oh. I see orange cone stuff flying through the air and I believe Godfrey's run is going to be DQd, and oil. Did I mention that this fuel session isn't quite as clean as the first one?

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Left Lane: Steve Nichols Runs 7.163/120.38, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Ed Schwartz Runs 6.560/222.82, Now #11; No Prior Run

Now that was oil! We were down for about 20 to 30 minutes on that one. Hope they've gotten it out of their systems now. Nichols is back after problems yesterday and today he's in the field even after shutting off early. Schwartz is in after being shut off yesterday before his run. Nichols might have broken the motor in the left lane but it appears it's just parts and no oil. Sean Dale is out of the program at the moment and Jim Holtz is on the bump.

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Left Lane: Nate Bugg Runs 10.378/81.90, Now #17; Best prior run: 21.433/41.01, Was #18
Right Lane: Randy Walls Runs 6.328/202.56, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.406/219.08, Was #10

Here we go again. Bugg had his problems on Friday and tries to pick it up in the final session. The problems continue as the Monza has the front wheels in the air, then turned sideways and finally back up on the wheelie bars. Did that describe a wild ride? I tell you it was even wilder inside the car than what I watched. Walls remains #10 but appeared to severely harm the engine as the car approached the lights. We're down while the track crew...You get the message.7

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 9.598/78.79, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.934/247.75, Was #1
Right Lane: Lee Paul Jennings Jr Runs 5.978/234.92, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.032/233.46, Was #3

The track crew is just about done so we're close to being back in business. Worsham of course is the Alpha dog at the moment and Jennings is looking to take over that spot. Worsham had to pedal about 200 feet out and then wound up just shutting it down. Jennings on the other hand looked flawless as he goes to the second spot behind the Worshams and the Max.

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Left Lane: Stephen Romanazzi Runs 7.501/157.53, Now #7; Best prior run: 6.128/223.71, Was #7
Right Lane: Ron Capps No Time, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.000/239.48, Was #3

That was ugly. Capps went straight into a wheelstand at the hit and the front wheels were at least 5 to 6 feet in the air. When he let off the pedal the car came crashing down and must have broken the steering as the car careened across the centerline and crashed into the left hand wall pretty stiff. Capps is out of the car and he's reported as walking around and is fine. I don't think the same can be said for Gaynor's car though. I'm betting that Capps was just sick about that deal but at least he's physically fine. Romanazzi managed to stay out of this whole affair and remains #7.

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Left Lane: Dennis La Charite Runs 6.548/234.31, Now #9; Best prior run: 6.269/239.96, Was #9
Right Lane: Chris Krabill Runs 11.978/65.81, Now #5; Best prior run: 6.054/239.29, Was #5

Lot's of cleanup after the Capps incident but now were going to try and get this finished. A real shocker here as La Charite had to pedal a couple of times before half track and the ET just went away. He's the first alternate and with Capps out I'd say that at the moment he'll race on Sunday. Krabill had even more problems than La Charite and was coasting well before half track.

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Left Lane: Sean Dale Runs 6.759/218.02, Now #12; Best prior run: 11.821/75.04, Was #18
Right Lane: Mike Savage No Time, Now #8; Best prior run: 6.226/216.71, Was #8

Savage is in but Dale needs this one. No help for Dale and that makes him a Sunday spectator. Savage remains on the bump and I hear the tower warning signal that indicates a problem with the timing units on the track. Whoops. It appear's the 9.724/90.53 is DQd. That have to replace at least one marker where he crossed into the left lane.

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Left Lane: Jim Holtz Runs 6.436/234.19, Now #11; Best prior run: 10.103/89.35, Was #17
Right Lane: Dan Horan Jr Runs 7.707/131.23, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.077/230.41, Was #6

Holtz really improves but still falls short of the field. Horan remains #6 going into eliminations but I suspect the field might get at least one alternate due to the Capps/wall incident. That's all for Funny Car.