Sun, 11 Feb 2007, 06:40 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 47th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Robert Hight                            5 Tony Pedregon
E2   ****WINNER****  0.070  4.718 319.29                     0.054  4.825 290.07
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Force     ) 0.087  5.367 190.24      (S Kalitta   ) 0.053  4.771 319.82
 Qualified:             #2  4.693 326.79                       #10  4.749 317.42

3:23 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 48 percent, barometer 29.03 inches, adjusted altitude 1,738 feet, track temperature 77 degrees.

With the weather it's taken awhile to get here but the second round is about to happen. Pedregon left first but by 60ft it was all Hight and Mustang. It was almost 40 feet in the lights.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Eric Medlen                             7 Gary Scelzi
E2                   0.074  8.564  91.73     ****WINNER****  0.085  4.752 318.24
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Johnson Jr) 0.062  4.745 321.81      (J Head      ) 0.076  4.748 329.42
 Qualified:             #8  4.744 325.22                        #1  4.692 333.49

Medlen had his hands full of bucking Mustang in the first 200 feet. He pedaled and steered several times but finally had to give it up. the closest Scelzi came to losing this race was after half track when the car got very close to the center stripe.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                             170 Jeff Arend
E2                   0.093  4.765 320.66     ****WINNER****  0.077  4.768 324.05
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Gilbertson) 0.072  4.728 331.61      (J Beckman   ) 0.075  5.256 235.15
 Qualified:             #3  4.709 331.45                       #11  4.759 299.86

Good race here but at the end Capps got very close to the retaining wall on his left side. Arend was away first and parlayed the holeshot into a trip to the semis. Hight will get lane choice in the semi. Jeff Arend's MOV: 0.0136 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Cruz Pedregon                         180 Mike Ashley
E2                   0.098  5.553 173.63     ****WINNER****  0.089  5.080 268.71
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Force     ) 0.076  4.736 321.65      (T Wilkerson ) 0.092  4.755 328.70
 Qualified:            #13  4.784 317.27                       #12  4.778 331.61

Even at the hit but but down track both drivers suffered car problems. Ashley had the fewest problems and takes the win. Ashley gives up lane choice to Scelzi but I doubt he cares much right now.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink