Mon, 1 Sep 2008, 03:24 PM Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Jack Beckman                          507 Melanie Troxel               
E3   ****WINNER****  0.065  4.256 290.94                     0.074  8.786  75.61
 Prior rounds:
E2    (C Pedregon  ) 0.110  4.176 292.58      (G Densham   ) 0.107  4.191 293.22
E1    (A Force     ) 0.112  4.160 295.21      (R Capps     ) 0.090  4.128 301.00
 Qualified:            #10  4.139 296.44                        #6  4.117 300.60

3:13 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 90 degrees, relative humidity 29 percent, barometer 29.19 inches, adjusted altitude 3,405 feet, track temperature 125 degrees.

This is for a trip to the final round of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Beckman is away first and Troxel almost instantly struck the tires. Beckman legged it out but seemed to have the chutes out just a bit early.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  347 Tim Wilkerson                           2 Robert Hight                 
E3                   0.116  5.424 133.08     ****WINNER****  0.088  4.358 273.83
 Prior rounds:
E2    (T Pedregon  ) 0.085  4.161 299.53      (M Neff      ) 0.084  4.193 288.03
E1    (D Worsham   ) 0.080  4.167 296.05      (F Hawley    ) 0.095  4.894 249.07
 Qualified:             #9  4.132 300.20                        #5  4.114 297.48

This not pretty but we have a final round set. Wilkerson struck the tires before half track and pedaled. Hight started eating pistons and his racer disappeared behind the smoke but the win lights were plain to see. Beckman will have lane choice in the final, his third straight.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink