Thu, 13 Nov 2008, 06:10 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 44th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 9.914/78.69, Now #2
Right Lane: Bob Bode Runs 4.218/292.39, Now #1

2:26 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 31 percent, barometer 28.80 inches, adjusted altitude 3,219 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

Talk about no air! One look at the barometer tells you why the earlier cars were not up to par. Arend slapped the pedal right at the hit and had to give up his first hit of the weekend. Bode lifted early at the other end but does manage a decent run for the opening pair.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.275/281.07, Now #2
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 7.431/86.38, Now #3

Head used a ton of lane all the way to the 660ft mark. He decided that Saturday was a better option than what was happening on this hit! Johnson got the Monster car way over by the wall and lifted just before the finish.

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Left Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 5.870/116.94, Now #4
Right Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 4.186/297.61, Now #1

Bartone had the pipes turn wet at about 400ft and he coasted from there on out. Toliver makes a pretty good looking hit in the other lane. Toliver has always had his best success at this facility and actually won his first National Event here. After six cars the Rockstar Energy car takes the qualifying lead.

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Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.121/302.01, Now #1
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.214/293.86, Now #3

Scelzi is having his going away party this weekend (Notice I didn't say the word 'retirement') and he celebrates by taking the top qualifying spot away from teammate Toliver. Worsham is taking his last rides in the family racer before becoming a hired gun for Alan Johnson in 2009.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 5.518/129.93, Now #7
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.129/302.21, Now #2

Tasca left early and celebrated by lifting at about 330ft. Couldn't see the problem but it might have been the belt coming off from the amount of nitro in the air. Troxel is right behind Scelzi on the list for the moment.

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Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.213/292.46, Now #5
Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.105/299.13, Now #1

Neff has no second thoughts as he pushes 'The Wild Thing' off the top spot and down to #2. Densham is in at #5 midway through the qualifying session.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.150/293.41, Now #5
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.144/282.95, Now #4

J.Force had his hands full of pony on the big end as he was all over the lane, pretty busy was daddy! Capps was side by side with 'The King' but finishes just behind him on the ladder.

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Left Lane: Ashley Force Runs 4.207/302.62, Now #7
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 5.451/129.84, Now #12

A.Force can only muster a 4.207 for ET but she does set top speed for the class...for what ever that's worth. Beckman made it to about half track before his Dodge got loose and he had to lift. He needs a good weekend and to do that it begins with cutting Pedregon's lead to less than three round by out qualifying him.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.122/301.67, Now #3
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.122/298.14, Now #4

Identical ETs for two more championship contenders but the #3 spot goes to T.Ped based on a better MPH. Hight will have to settle for #4.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.169/297.02, Now #8
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.478/194.21, Now #15

Speaking of contenders, here comes Wilk and C.Ped. Wilkerson has held the points lead for most of the season but we all know about his round 1 loss in Vegas and Cruz winning two straight events. Wilkerson crosses the stripe first but won't be real pleased with this effort. He'll be more pleased than Cruz who stepped off the pedal at about 800ft. Again it appeared to be a belt.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink