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Sat, 3 May 2008, 06:48 PM

Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from final, round 4 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 this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

Left Lane: Mike Ashley Runs 4.768/327.82, Now #2; Best prior run: 5.814/162.37, Was #18

Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 35 percent, barometer 29.50 inches, adjusted altitude 1,530 feet, track temperature 93 degrees.

Ashley with a great pass, straight down the groove, this is his quickest pass this season. He has a big top end speed, fastest of the event and his career best. Mike Ashley's incremental times: 60ft-0.905 sec., 330ft-2.328, 660ft-3.298/264.96mph, 1,000ft-4.089 He goes to the number two spot.

Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 4.824/318.77, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.880/317.34, Was #18
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.838/318.62, Now #16; No Prior Run

A couple nice looking passes and both of these guys get into the show for now. They bump out Worsham and Densham...Tony Bartone's incremental times: 60ft-0.915 sec., 330ft-2.343, 660ft-3.317/261.62mph, 1,000ft-4.126
Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.914 sec., 330ft-2.359, 660ft-3.338/262.69mph, 1,000ft-4.142

Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.794/326.08, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.869/306.19, Was #19
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.797/320.36, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.848/316.90, Was #17

This was a great side-by-side drag race. It appeared Worsham car might of been mixing up some cylinders on the tope end. They both get into the top half of the show, and bump out Beckman and Johnson Jr. John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.894 sec., 330ft-2.312, 660ft-3.302/258.81mph, 1,000ft-4.109
Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.897 sec., 330ft-2.315, 660ft-3.296/261.17mph, 1,000ft-4.102

Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.852/307.09, Now #19; Best prior run: 4.855/286.38, Was #19
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.847/315.64, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.834/318.32, Was #17

Both cars with clean passes but neither quick enough to get into the show. Gary Densham's incremental times: 60ft-0.900 sec., 330ft-2.320, 660ft-3.310/257.14mph, 1,000ft-4.133
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.351, 660ft-3.336/259.81mph, 1,000ft-4.147 Beckman consecutive race qualifying streak will end at 22 races which was the longest for the class.

Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.803/320.36, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.822/316.08, Was #15
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.804/317.94, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.819/320.13, Was #13

This was a great side-by-side drag race with the teammates running 4.80's They both move up the ladder to 10 and 11...Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.329, 660ft-3.300/262.33mph, 1,000ft-4.108
Gary Scelzi's incremental times: 60ft-0.915 sec., 330ft-2.337, 660ft-3.307/263.31mph, 1,000ft-4.109

Left Lane: Scott Kalitta Runs 5.026/238.30, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.822/324.98, Was #15
Right Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 10.751/76.72, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.818/322.11, Was #14

Toliver is up in smoke right off the starting line and clicks it off. Kalitta started to haze the tires and clicked it off.

Left Lane: Ashley Force Runs 4.773/325.45, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.813/321.04, Was #13
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 5.029/226.47, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.806/317.64, Was #12

Pedregon was on a good pass and then got out of the groove and started mixing up cylinders before he clicked it off. Force with her quickest pass of the season and career best mph on this pass to move into the number four spot. Ashley Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.899 sec., 330ft-2.309, 660ft-3.286/261.93mph, 1,000ft-4.088

Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.815/314.83, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.798/319.67, Was #9
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.823/309.49, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.802/327.59, Was #10

Tasca with a nice pass straight down the groove...Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.911 sec., 330ft-2.332, 660ft-3.303/262.23mph, 1,000ft-4.112 Troxel's car was loose on the top end, but she stayed with for another nice pass...Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.324, 660ft-3.298/262.23mph, 1,000ft-4.110 It appears Troxel's engine went away as the trucks are rolling, but she has a freebie.

Left Lane: Mike Neff Runs 10.962/69.48, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.796/316.30, Was #7
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 6.000/143.58, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.771/317.94, Was #3

Neff rattle the tires as soon as he hit the throttle and clicked it off. Hight bang the blower with a quick fireball around 400 feet. My unofficial estimate this will cost him $4,000.

Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.918/244.87, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.786/322.04, Was #5
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.826/310.98, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.744/326.16, Was #1

Pedregon's chute was out real early, not sure if it shook out or what, but nothing appeared to be wrong with his pass. Wilkerson with another good looking pass and he will stay number one for the fouth time this year and the 14th time in his career. This is the second time he has been number one here at Gateway International.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink