Fri, 2 May 2008, 05:44 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Right Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 4.923/313.44, Now #1

Ashley is straight down the groove and this is first race back in the Funny Car...he announced last weekend in Atlanta in will race the next five races in the Funny Car. Mike Ashley's incremental times: 60ft-0.926 sec., 330ft-2.383, 660ft-3.387/254.76mph, 1,000ft-4.212

---

Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.876/316.01, Now #1
Right Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 5.335/203.28, Now #3

Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 29.07 inches, adjusted altitude 2,794 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

Kalitta was on a good pass until about half track and then it appeared to drop a cylinder and he made quick move toward the wall. Troxel with good looking pass to start the weekend, straight down the groove...Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.921 sec., 330ft-2.368, 660ft-3.361/257.68mph, 1,000ft-4.175

---

Left Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 4.880/308.00, Now #2
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 6.110/153.70, Now #5

Bartone's car made a quick move toward the centerline just before half track, we could almost see the side of his car and we are sitting directly behind them. He did a great job of driving. Toliver with a real nice pass until right before the finish line where he had a little wiggle and lost the blower belt. Jerry Toliver's incremental times: 60ft-0.927 sec., 330ft-2.368, 660ft-3.345/260.66mph, 1,000ft-4.160

---

Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 6.411/145.00, Now #6
Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 7.355/116.44, Now #7

Neff lost traction around 330 feet and clicked it off...Johnson Jr. started to haze the tires just before half track and clicked it off.

---

Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.861/308.92, Now #1
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.872/310.91, Now #2

This was a nice looking drag race...Scelzi goes to the number one spot. Gary Scelzi's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.353, 660ft-3.330/261.83mph, 1,000ft-4.145 Tasca with another good pass and right behind Scelzi on the ladder. Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.921 sec., 330ft-2.367, 660ft-3.351/259.61mph, 1,000ft-4.163

---

Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 6.729/141.68, Now #10
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.852/315.42, Now #1

Worsham smokes the tires around 400 feet and clicks it off. Capps launched hard and was straight down the groove to go to the number one spot. Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.349, 660ft-3.333/259.26mph, 1,000ft-4.147

---

Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 10.672/78.74, Now #13
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 7.567/131.81, Now #12

With all the hoopla about Force racing in his 500th race last weekend we missed the fact that Densham raced in his 400th race last weekend in Atlanta. Beckman is up in smoke right off the starting line and he clicked it off. Densham made it a little farther down track before he smoke the tires.

---

Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.917/302.35, Now #7
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.869/306.19, Now #3

Force with a nice looking pass to start the weekend, straight down the groove to go to the number three spot. John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.898 sec., 330ft-2.320, 660ft-3.316/253.95mph, 1,000ft-4.148 Pedregon with a good clean pass to start the weekend. Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.347, 660ft-3.358/254.23mph, 1,000ft-4.188

---

Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.897/302.28, Now #7
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.190/223.02, Now #10

Hight dropped a cylinder or two on the top end...Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.341, 660ft-3.346/255.73mph, 1,000ft-4.172

Pedregon began to haze the tires around 800 feet and then dropped some cylinder and then got real loose.

---

Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.883/301.27, Now #8
Right Lane: Ashley Force Runs 4.857/311.49, Now #2

force with a great looking pass to go to the number two spot...Ashley Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.349, 660ft-3.335/259.21mph, 1,000ft-4.147 Wilkerson with a nice pass to start the weekend at his home track...Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.330, 660ft-3.327/256.36mph, 1,000ft-4.153

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink