Tue, 10 Feb 2009, 05:22 PM Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  388 Jim Head                               10 Gary Densham                 
E3   ****WINNER****  0.114  4.108 299.73                     0.126  9.992  87.66
 Prior rounds:
E2    (A Force Hood) 0.054  4.095 305.98      (D Worsham   ) 0.120  4.129 297.29
E1    (T Pedregon  ) 0.068  6.653  96.58      (J Arend     ) 0.138  4.336 283.37
 Qualified:            #11  4.286   NS                          #7  4.183   NS  

2:12 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 64 degrees, relative humidity 25 percent, barometer 29.02 inches, adjusted altitude 1,712 feet, track temperature 81 degrees.

We have a shot to send an underdog to the final. Both cars are blank on the sides. Densham is 4 - 2 against Head in prior events. Densham blows the tires off right at the hit and Head is going to his first final since 1997. Jim Head's incremental times: 60ft-0.922 sec., 330ft-2.331, 660ft-3.305/261.78 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Robert Hight                           28 Ron Capps                    
E3                   0.111  4.084 302.62     ****WINNER****  0.090  4.054 305.56
 Prior rounds:
E2    (J Beckman   ) 0.102  4.097  23.51      (B Tasca III ) 0.112  4.088 304.80
E1    (J Toliver   ) 0.155  4.159 302.62      (J Force     ) 0.082  4.125 304.67
 Qualified:             #1  4.037   NS                         #13  4.289   NS  

Hight is 11 - 6 against Capps in prior events but Capps comes into this round with lane choice. This was some drag race. Capps was away first and held on to the lead to the finish. I was surprised at Capps margin of victory as he appeared to blow it up in the lights. With all of that Capps will have choice over Head.

Ron Capps' incremental margins: 60ft(0.016), 330 ft(0.027), 660ft(0.040). MOV: 0.0519 seconds (approximately 23 feet).Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.903 sec., 330ft-2.318, 660ft-3.285/264.23 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.312, 660ft-3.266/268.33 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink