Sun, 1 Jun 2008, 02:28 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 20th annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  347 Tim Wilkerson                         729 Jerry Toliver                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.088  5.005 298.01                     0.084  5.021 292.27
 Prior rounds:
E1    (F Hawley    ) 0.072  4.889 307.79      (T Johnson Jr) 0.008  4.946 305.22
 Qualified:            #14  4.979 305.56                        #6  4.917 298.27

1:12 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 58 percent, barometer 28.82 inches, adjusted altitude 3,553 feet, track temperature 118 degrees.

Wilkerson is 6 - 3 against Toliver in prior events. This is the first time they've met in round two.

A great looking drag race! They were almost dead even at the tree and half track, and they were dead even at 1000 feet.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental margins: 60ft(0.011), 330 ft(0.016), 660ft(0.002), 1,000ft(0.000). MOV: 0.0128 seconds (approximately 5 feet).

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec., 330ft-2.403, 660ft-3.417/250.09mph, 1,000ft-4.263
Jerry Toliver's incremental times: 60ft-0.965 sec., 330ft-2.423, 660ft-3.423/253.33mph, 1,000ft-4.267

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                             507 Melanie Troxel               
E2   ****WINNER****  0.069  4.969 300.06                     0.093  5.016 298.01
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Pedregon  ) 0.029  4.956 307.37      (J Beckman   ) 0.074  4.940 297.81
 Qualified:             #4  4.911 287.17                        #5  4.912 304.53

This is the first time Capps and Troxel have faced each other in eliminations.

Another good looking race! Capps had the better car this time and he moves on to the semi's.

Ron Capps' incremental margins: 60ft(0.005), 330 ft(0.019), 660ft(0.048), 1,000ft(0.063). MOV: 0.0711 seconds (approximately 31 feet).

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.406, 660ft-3.402/255.05mph, 1,000ft-4.233
Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.930 sec., 330ft-2.401, 660ft-3.426/249.21mph, 1,000ft-4.272

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 John Force                            782 Gary Densham                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.094  4.980 295.34                     0.108  7.356 114.60
 Prior rounds:
E1    (A Force     ) 0.084  4.890 291.95      (T Bartone   ) 0.111  4.962 304.32
 Qualified:             #9  4.921 304.39                       #16  5.042 287.90

Force is 32 - 8 against Densham in prior events. He is 6 - 2 in round two meetings with Densham.

Densham strikes the tires at about 500 feet and Force advances. He'll give lane choice to Capps in the semi's.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.385, 660ft-3.392/251.95mph, 1,000ft-4.236

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Gary Scelzi                          1777 Bob Tasca III                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.081  4.997 298.14                     0.100  4.983 296.83
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Hight     ) 0.070  4.927 305.70      (T Pedregon  ) 0.017  4.939 309.06
 Qualified:            #10  4.929 301.60                        #2  4.901 305.91

This is the first time Scelzi and Tasca III have faced each other in eliminations.

They were glued together all the way down the track as Scelzi wins a close one. He'll have lane choice over Wilkerson in round three.

Gary Scelzi's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.002), 330 ft(-0.003), 660ft(-0.003), 1,000ft(0.000). MOV: 0.0052 seconds (approximately 2 feet).

Gary Scelzi's incremental times: 60ft-0.967 sec., 330ft-2.423, 660ft-3.421/254.33mph, 1,000ft-4.258
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec., 330ft-2.401, 660ft-3.399/255.19mph, 1,000ft-4.239

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink