Fri, 26 Oct 2007, 06:08 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.896/313.44, Now #1

2:15 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 14 percent, barometer 27.83 inches, adjusted altitude 4,250 feet, track temperature 107 degrees.

A good looking first competitive pass for Mike Neff in a John Force Racing Mustang Funny Car.

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Right Lane: James Day Runs 5.635/196.53, Now #2

Another new entry in the (NHRA) Funny Car class, James Day is Don Schumacher's son-in-law. Day pedaled it at about 200 feet. He was bouncing around past half track and he was off the throttle at about 1000 feet.

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Right Lane: Jon Capps Runs 11.171/71.06, Now #3

Capps struck the tires at about 150 feet and he lifted.

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Left Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 10.224/97.50, Now #4
Right Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 6.940/136.47, Now #3

Burkart was up in smoke at about 150 feet. Gilbertson was off the throttle before half track, but Burkart's tire smoke interfered with the view from here so I'm not sure why he lifted.

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Left Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 13.252/82.12, Now #7
Right Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 4.835/317.57, Now #1

Toliver was up in smoke almost immediately. A trouble-free pass for Kalitta.

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Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 8.032/110.54, Now #6
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 4.919/305.56, Now #3

Densham lost traction at about 250 feet. He pedaled it once, and lost traction again so he lifted.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.896/292.14, Now #4
Right Lane: Ashley Force Runs 4.836/315.78, Now #2

Papa John made his way from the team truck to the guard wall using a walker to watch his daughter Ashley make this pass. It was a good looking pass in both lanes.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.808/324.28, Now #1
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.416/241.58, Now #8

Pedregon stuck the tires just before the 330-foot mark and he quickly pedaled through it. A strong pass for Arend in the CSK car.

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Left Lane: Kenny Bernstein Runs 8.882/90.57, Now #13
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.875/313.44, Now #5

Bernstein struck the tires just past the 330-foot mark and he lifted. No problems for Johnson on this pass.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.986/286.25, Now #10
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.951/310.20, Now #9

2:48 p.m. We were down for a little track clean up as Tommy Johnson left some fluids on the track in the shut down area. No problems for either driver until Head blew a burst panel in the finish line lights.

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Left Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 5.010/302.62, Now #12
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.818/317.27, Now #2

No apparent problems for Ashley in the Torco car, and Fast Jack moves to the number two spot for now.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 10.753/79.96, Now #20
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 7.417/114.68, Now #16

Traction troubles for both drivers; Capps at about 120 feet and Hight at about 250 feet.

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Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.856/318.54, Now #7
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.810/317.57, Now #2

Straight down the groove for both drivers, and that's it for this round of Funny Car qualifying.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink