Sun, 25 Feb 2007, 04:58 PM Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals presented by Castrol:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  782 Gary Densham                            5 Tony Pedregon
E3                   0.106  9.650  96.53     ****WINNER****  0.068  5.077 233.84
 Prior rounds:
E2    (B Gilbertson) 0.099  4.890 288.33      (J Head      ) 0.078  4.924 254.95
E1    (G Scelzi    ) 0.105  5.737 231.56      (S Kalitta   ) 0.107  4.701 326.71
 Qualified:            #14  4.841 316.08                        #2  4.659 324.44

2:43 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 18 percent, barometer 28.89 inches, adjusted altitude 2,005 feet, track temperature 97 degrees.

T. Pedregon is 22-8 against Densham. Densham's last final and win was at Indy in 2004. Pedregon was away first and Densham lost traction by about 100ft. Pedregon wasn't home free as his Monte Carlo made a huge move towards the center line at 1000ft and he barely lifted in time to keep from crossing. He managed to bring the car back just in time.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               2 Robert Hight
E3                  -0.173  5.292 192.55     ****WINNER****  0.075  4.783 312.78
 Prior rounds:
E2    (T Wilkerson ) 0.068  4.766 318.69      (E Medlen    ) 0.078  4.908 310.77
E1    (J Force     ) 0.094  4.837 305.22      (J Arend     ) 0.098  5.104 221.82
 Qualified:             #4  4.699 330.07                        #1  4.636 327.74

Capps turns on the red light big time. On the PA afterwards he said sometimes it's just time to go, and he did. He also said that was his first ever redlight in a Funny Car. Hight would have made it tough on him and he earns lane choice over T. Pedregon in the final.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink