Sun, 26 Oct 2003, 08:25 PM Funny Car Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Third annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Whit Bazemore                           2 Tony Pedregon
E4                   0.038  5.183 266.64     ****WINNER****  0.050  5.135 273.39
 Prior rounds:
E3    (F Pedregon  ) 0.054  4.860 317.27      (G Scelzi    ) 0.041  4.881 310.13
E2    (P Burkart Jr) 0.068  4.869 312.57      (D Worsham   ) 0.058  4.913 305.42
E1    (T Johnson Jr) 0.062  4.904 307.79      (T Haddock   ) 0.088  4.886 313.37
 Qualified:             #6  4.825 309.98                        #1  4.753 322.88

5:11 PM This is a must win for Bazemore, if he wins, the points battle will go to Pomona, if he loses, Pedregon is the champion. Pedregon is 20-12 vs. Bazemore, 4-2 in final rounds. Bazemore's last win against Tony in a final round was Indy in 2001.

What a great race !!! Bazemore gets off the line first but Pedregon catches him just past the sixty-foot mark. Pedregon gets about 400 feet out, strikes the tires and has to pedal. Bazemore gets a little further, doesn't pedal and smokes the tires all the way through the lights. Pedregon then starts pulling away again, goes through the lights and blows the engine. Flames start coming from under the car, it drifts over to the left lane and the Safety Safari rushes out to put out the fire. Pedregon is 8-0 in final rounds this year and is the 2003 Powerade points champion.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink