Sat, 11 Oct 2008, 01:32 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Larry Sullivan

DINWIDDIE, Va. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Third annual Virginia NHRA Nationals 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:

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Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 8.946/90.02, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 12.582/64.84, Now #14; No Prior Run

1:00 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 44 percent, barometer 30.15 inches, adjusted altitude 1,203 feet, track temperature 94 degrees.

Both were up in smoke almost immediately and will have just one more chance to qualify later this afternoon.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 4.159/284.99, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.104/291.57, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.080/298.21, Was #10

Force is on the field, but had a horrible run yesterday afternoon, so he has to run in an early pair for this session.

Both made full passes, Bartone with a little wiggle at half track that scrubbed off some time.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.088/291.76, Now #12; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 12.755/63.77, Now #17; No Prior Run

Tasca was up in smoke in the first 60 feet. Capps made a good-looking run to bump into the top twelve and we now have a 16-car bump: Jerry Toliver is on the bump spot at 12.582.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.109/300.13, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.270/292.33, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.079/302.48, Was #9

Arend is the last driver with a chance to bump into the field in this session.

Wilkerson started hazing the tires on the top end, but Arend made a nice run to move into the field. Now Gary Densham is on the bump spot at 8.946, but he is safe until mthe final session, later this afternoon.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.041/306.88, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.089/300.40, Was #13
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.111/291.32, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.071/309.98, Was #7

Wow! Pedregon ties Neff for the quickest run at 1,000 fee, taking the #1 spot on speed - the the fourth fastest at 1,000 feet. Troxel started losing ground around half track and failed to improve.

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Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.081/299.13, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.083/301.00, Was #12
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.092/290.82, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.070/300.13, Was #7

Two full passes, Scelzi outrunning Hight. Scelzi improved slightly, Hight slowed slightly, no change in the order. That's Scelzi's career-best ET at 1,000 feet, by two thousandths of a second.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 7.513/81.48, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.078/296.63, Was #9
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 8.111/84.52, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.070/303.64, Was #6

Both cars started dancing and smoking the tires about 100 feet out.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.062/300.33, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.059/300.06, Was #5
Right Lane: Ashley Force Runs 4.117/304.46, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.048/304.12, Was #3

Two good-looking runs, but the results pale by comparison with Cruz Pedregon's shockingly quick run under these conditions - the track is probably over 100 degrees by now, though a light layer of clouds is trying to keep that from happening.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.114/277.37, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.049/306.74, Was #4
Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.063/303.98, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.041/304.80, Was #2

Last pair. Pedregon started hazing the tires well before the line, Neff appeared to have no problems, neither improved and we have one more qualifying session left, later today. Cruz Pedregon now leads the list and Gary Densham is on the bump spot at 8.946.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink