Sun, 28 Oct 2007, 05:24 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  388 Jim Head                              180 Mike Ashley                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.155  4.889 318.09                     0.104  7.775 108.69
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Hight     ) 0.055  4.994 269.62      (S Kalitta   ) 0.094  5.451 203.65
 Qualified:            #16  4.835 323.43                        #9  4.796 328.86

2:02 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 91 degrees, relative humidity 11 percent, barometer 29.89 inches, adjusted altitude 2,288 feet, track temperature 113 degrees.

These two have met four times in eliminations, each driver having won twice. Dropped cylinders on the hit for Ashley and his car was all over his lane before he lifted at about 500 feet.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Cruz Pedregon                           8 Phil Burkart                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.080  6.034 234.98                     0.065  6.684 159.48
 Prior rounds:
E1    (G Scelzi    ) 0.058  4.994 303.23      (R Capps     ) 0.045  4.906 312.78
 Qualified:            #14  4.823 320.89                       #11  4.809 318.77

Burkart holds a seven to five advantage over Pedregon in eliminations. Both drivers were up in smoke at about 300 feet. Both drivers pedaled it several times with Pedregon having more success.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  170 Jeff Arend                              5 Tony Pedregon                
E2                  -0.038  6.285 145.94     ****WINNER****  0.051  7.499 110.76
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Neff      ) 0.052  4.834 322.11      (J Toliver   ) 0.069  5.431 251.53
 Qualified:            #10  4.799 316.67                        #2  4.770 314.09

Tony Pedregon is the only Funny Car driver in the Countdown who is still in action at this event. The two drivers have split the "W's" in four eliminations encounters. Arend left early, and Pedregon's car went silent just past the 330-foot mark. Tony will race brother Cruz in round three. Cruz will have lane choice.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  750 Del Worsham                          7321 Ashley Force                 
E2                   0.093  4.942 318.77     ****WINNER****  0.113  4.858 308.43
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Beckman   ) 0.100  5.402 259.66      (G Densham   ) 0.133  4.869 310.48
 Qualified:            #12  4.809 316.15                       #13  4.819 307.65

Worsham has beaten Force twice in the three times they've met in eliminations. A very good looking pass for both drivers, that is until they were past the finish line. Force caught on fire in the shutdown area. It wasn't a big fire, and she was able to stop the car and safely climb out of it. She did leave some oil on the track, but this one is a freebie. She'll have lane choice over Head in round three.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.969 sec., 330ft-2.419, 660ft-3.416/255.24mph, 1,000ft-4.241
Ashley Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.914 sec., 330ft-2.336, 660ft-3.321/258.86mph, 1,000ft-4.141

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink