Sun, 16 Sep 2007, 02:34 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  711 Jack Beckman                            1 John Force                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.085  4.897 308.35                     0.095  4.959 296.24
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Toliver   ) 0.100  4.854 312.57      (C Pedregon  ) 0.100  4.902 311.70
 Qualified:             #5  4.832 313.07                        #4  4.818 317.05

1:17 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 24 percent, barometer 29.87 inches, adjusted altitude 2,104 feet, track temperature 114 degrees.

Beckman gets the hole-shot, then Force starts to gain ground. Force starts to mix up cylinders around half-track, then Beckman starts to increase his lead and pulls away for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  750 Del Worsham                             7 Gary Scelzi                  
E2                   0.066  5.268 251.02     ****WINNER****  0.106  5.146 229.82
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Force     ) 0.110  4.848 315.05      (G Densham   ) 0.084  4.899 308.92
 Qualified:            #15  4.915 314.46                       #10  4.867 315.34

Worsham gets a big hole-shot, then starts hazing the tires around half-track. Scelzi pulls around, then hazes the tires, but hangs on to take the win. Worsham puts down some oil and will be charged 10 points and $500.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                              33 Tommy Johnson Jr.            
E2                   0.080  5.994 230.92     ****WINNER****  0.102  5.536 237.75
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Pedregon  ) 0.086  4.895 308.50      (K Bernstein ) 0.055  5.299 238.81
 Qualified:            #11  4.869 311.70                        #3  4.812 314.39

Capps gets the hole-shot, then strikes the tires and tries to pedal. Johnson drives around, then strikes the tires around half-track. He starts to pedal, Capps continues to pedal, but Johnson recovers enough to hang on for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Robert Hight                          427 Tony Bartone                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.104  4.850 302.69                     0.114  5.916 160.16
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Arend     ) 0.115  4.860 309.42      (S Kalitta   ) 0.146  4.868 310.34
 Qualified:             #1  4.762 320.36                        #9  4.855 315.12

Bartone gets about 500 feet out, strikes the tires and gives up on the run. Hight goes right down the groove to take the win.

In the next round it will be Hight with lane choice over Beckman and Scelzi with lane choice over Johnson.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink