Sun, 19 Apr 2009, 11:54 AM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

COMMERCE, Ga. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 29th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1777 Bob Tasca III                           2 Tim Wilkerson                
E1                   0.105  4.168 294.18     ****WINNER****  0.122  4.107 303.37
 Qualified:            #11  4.148 297.81                        #6  4.120 304.53

Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 46 percent, barometer 29.27 inches, adjusted altitude 2,269 feet, track temperature 81 degrees.

Wilkerson is 3 - 1 against Tasca III in prior events. Wilkerson launched hard and keep it hooked up all the way down the 1000 feet and runs his quickest pass of the weekend to take the win. Tasca III got a little loose around mid-track, and he slowed from his qualifying time.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  223 Mike Smith                             28 Ron Capps                    
E1                   0.119  8.160  85.20     ****WINNER****  0.089  4.118 303.03
 Qualified:            #14  4.192 297.75                        #3  4.101 299.26

Smith rolled the car in deep and then light turned green, and had problems right off the starting line. Capps was straight down the groove with a real nice pass. Capps will give up lane choice to Wilkerson in the second round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  750 Del Worsham                             6 Ashley Force Hood            
E1                   0.081  4.131 296.18     ****WINNER****  0.115  4.078 311.41
 Qualified:            #16  4.210 298.34                        #1  4.073 310.05

This is the fourth time Force Hood has qualified No. 1 and the first time this year. Force Hood is 5 - 3 against Worsham in prior events. Worsham with the starting line advantage, but Force Hood has the difference made up by 330 feet and take the win light by 0.0197 seconds (approximately 9 feet). Worsham with his quickest pass of the weekend in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 John Force                            767 Jerry Toliver                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.129  4.123 308.57                     0.131  4.213 301.74
 Qualified:             #2  4.100 306.19                       #15  4.201 299.13

Force is 18 - 4 against Toliver in prior events and 7 - 4 in round one meetings. Force with lane choice takes the left lane where his daughter took the right lane. Force with a nice looking pass for the win light.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  170 Jeff Arend                              5 Tony Pedregon                
E1                   0.097  4.146 303.98     ****WINNER****  0.063  4.162 304.60
 Qualified:            #13  4.160 301.33                        #4  4.104 303.71

Pedregon is 4 - 3 against Arend in prior events, and holds a 3 - 2 advantage in round one meetings. Pedregon with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for hole shot win. Tony Pedregon's MOV: 0.0183 seconds (approximately 8 feet). Arend with his quickest and fastest pass of the season in a losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Cruz Pedregon                        2814 Matt Hagan                   
E1                   0.070  5.948 113.69     ****WINNER****  0.113  4.128 304.46
 Qualified:            #12  4.154 303.23                        #5  4.114 303.84

Pedregon is out of the gate first and then starts lose traction right off the line and pedals it a couple times before he gives it up. Hagan with a real nice pass, straight down the groove to move into the second round. He will have lane choice over Tony Pedregon in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Robert Hight                            3 Jack Beckman                 
E1                   0.096  5.288 139.93     ****WINNER****  0.117  4.173 299.40
 Qualified:            #10  4.144 299.60                        #7  4.120 304.05

Beckman is 4 - 3 against Hight in prior events. Hight is out of the gate first and then starts to smoke the tires and he pedals it before he clicks it off. Beckman slows from his qualifying time, but still get the win light. He will give up lane choice to John Force in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  388 Jim Head                                9 Mike Neff                    
E1                   0.100  4.139 305.29     ****WINNER****  0.091  4.113 306.67
 Qualified:             #9  4.142 300.66                        #8  4.125 303.43

Neff with a slight starting line advantage and then runs his quickest pass of the weekend and takes the win light. He will give up lane choice to Force Hood in the next round. Head with his quickest and fastest pass of the weekend in a losing effort.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink