Sun, 9 Nov 2003, 04:51 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, 39th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Del Worsham                             5 Whit Bazemore
E2   ****WINNER****  0.082  4.834 319.60                     0.032 No Time
 Prior rounds:
E1    (S Cannon    ) 0.075  4.793 318.54      (B Gilbertson) 0.044  8.043  98.84
 Qualified:             #6  4.809 321.42                        #3  4.768 324.90

1:27 PM Final call for Funnycar round two to the lanes. First pair features Bazemore, who had problems in the first round and Del Worsham who polished off Scotty Cannon. No reprieve for Whit this time. He got away with tire smoke in the first round but Del ends his weekend in the second round. Bazemore struck the tires almost at the hit. Del streaked away for the win. Bazemore was not able to roll the entire quarter mile and gets no time for this round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  347 Tim Wilkerson                         340 Bob Bode
E2   ****WINNER****  0.105  4.890 318.32                     0.120  5.162 267.96
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Burkart Jr) 0.057  4.770 322.42      (G Densham   ) 0.128  5.686 268.33
 Qualified:             #7  4.838 310.27                       #15  4.921 309.84

Who ever wins this pair will get Del Worsham as the prize in the semi final. Bode was just a tick behind Wilkerson to about 330. At that point holes went out and the big rear slicks were spinning hard. Wilkerson cards another nice pass, but not quick enough to get lane choice against Del.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tony Pedregon                          13 Cory Lee
E2                   0.067  6.773 132.40     ****WINNER****  0.087  4.870 321.27
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Pedregon  ) 0.058  4.722 320.28      (T Johnson Jr) 0.083  4.822 316.82
 Qualified:             #1  4.721 326.79                        #9  4.864 315.71

Big upset here. Tony was on and off the pedal several times before half track. He finally had to give it up and watch Cory Lee streak away for the round win. Lee will face either Force or Scelzi in the semi final depending on what happens in the next pair. Well, Tonys still the Champ!

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 John Force                             20 Gary Scelzi
E2                  -0.013  4.805 315.42     ****WINNER****  0.085  4.751 326.16
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Bartone   ) 0.067  4.791 322.58      (R Capps     ) 0.072  4.817 323.66
 Qualified:             #5  4.771 321.65                        #4  4.769 327.27

Another big surprise. Force goes RED for the fourth time this season! That's the last of the JFR Mustangs at this event. Scelzi stops on the track after earning lane choice over Lee. One interesting point is that the Scelzi crew was so tight on time that they didn't warm the car before bringing it to the starting line.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink