Sat, 20 Oct 2007, 10:02 PM Nitro Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. - Notes from final, round 3 qualifying in Torco Nitro Funny Car at the 2007 Knoll-Gas Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series, IHRA World Finals Presented by The U.S. Air Force featuring UTI CHampionship Sunday 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: Terry Haddock Runs 4.981/292.27, Now #3; Best prior run: 5.181/252.38, Was #8
Right Lane: John Lawson Runs 6.286/142.18, Now #10; Best prior run: 5.223/233.76, Was #10

9:13 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 29.61 inches, adjusted altitude 1,455 feet, track temperature 80 degrees. Terry Haddock is on the bump spot at 5.181.

Lots of career best ET's in the prior classes, so we should see some serious action in Nitro Funny Car.

Haddock moves well out of the current bump and into the current#3 position with a strong pass. Lawson was right behind him until just before mid-track, when the header flames died.

The safety trucks role and we will have some dusting and cleaning for Lawson after the finish line.

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Left Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 4.986/304.39, Now #4; Best prior run: 5.082/301.07, Was #7
Right Lane: Andy Kelley Runs 13.297/71.01, Now #9; Best prior run: 5.205/285.41, Was #9

Kelly smokes the tires at the hit. Diehl runs a career best ET in the Rock Star Firebird and gets his first four second ET to move into the current top half of the field.

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Left Lane: Todd Simpson Runs 12.390/60.67, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.075/284.99, Was #8
Right Lane: Mitch King No Time, Now #7; Best prior run: 5.068/265.69, Was #7

Todd Simpson is on the bump spot at 5.075 and looking to improve. No joy,as he smokes the tires. King didn't fire the engine and won't get a time.

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Left Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 13.537/81.97, Now #5; Best prior run: 5.033/290.88, Was #5
Right Lane: Jack Wyatt Runs 12.334/66.02, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.067/283.19, Was #6

Creasy smokes the tires at the hit. Wyatt got a little further down track before joining him.

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Left Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 8.570/146.61, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.916/305.91, Was #1
Right Lane: Cory Lee Runs 11.354/68.88, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.931/305.22, Was #2

Gilbertson is up in smoke, lifts, and then grumbles the funny car on down the track. Lee moves hard at the hit and then lifts. He tries to get back into the throttle and bangs the blower hard. The body burst panel went flying high into the air.

9:50pm Haddock is the Last Man Standing and Todd Simpson is on the bump spot at 5.075.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink