Sat, 6 Sep 2003, 02:35 PM Bud Shootout at Indy Round 1 Eliminations

By Keith Burgan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Bud Shootout at Indy at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 22nd annual Budweiser Shootout at Indianapolis:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Gary Densham                            3 Del Worsham
E1                   0.053  6.429 139.43     ****WINNER****  0.085  4.949 308.50
 Qualified:             #4                         #5

Current weather conditions: 77 degrees, 50 percent relative humidity, the barometer inches, with a track temperature of 112 degrees. Densham is first off the line but begins hazing the tires and shuts off after kissing the centerline

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  503 Tommy Johnson                           5 Whit Bazemore
E1                   0.095  4.911 311.27     ****WINNER****  0.067  4.924 313.15
 Qualified:             #6                         #3

This one was decided on the start line as Bazemore leaves on T.J. and manages to hold him off despite having worse numbers at every incremental.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 John Force                             28 Ron Capps
E1   ****WINNER****  0.070  4.899 313.15                     0.913  4.927 308.35
 Qualified:             #2                         #7

Force is firsst off the line and increases the margin all the way down track as Capps fades in the back half after having good early numbers. With the best run of the round Force will have lane choice over Bazemore when the semifinalists return.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tony Pedregon                           9 Dean Skuza
E1   ****WINNER****  0.051  5.071 265.74                     0.075  6.157 153.46
 Qualified:             #1                         #8

This one was ugly on both sides of the track as both cars got loose. Pedregon was far enough down track when the Syntec car got loose that he took a handy victory althogh losing lane choice to Worsham in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink