Sun, 16 Aug 2009, 06:10 PM Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

BRAINERD, Minn. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 28th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Jack Beckman                            5 Tony Pedregon                
E3                   0.126  4.166 296.50     ****WINNER****  0.097  4.181 297.02
 Prior rounds:
E2    (D Worsham   ) 0.106  4.175 294.56      (C Pedregon  ) 0.085  4.155 300.40
E1    (M Neff      ) 0.098  4.195 291.13      (J Arend     ) 0.097  4.138 300.26
 Qualified:            #16  4.351 269.35                        #5  4.188 293.73

4:59 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 54 percent, barometer 28.47 inches, adjusted altitude 3,490 feet, track temperature 99 degrees.

Beckman is 6 - 3 against Pedregon in prior events. Beckman clinched a spot in the countdown to one with his round two win.

Pedregon wins a close one on a holeshot!

Tony Pedregon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.006), 330 ft(-0.019), 660ft(0.001). MOV: 0.0141 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.905 sec., 330ft-2.327, 660ft-3.341/251.91 mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.375, 660ft-3.369/259.96 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               7 John Force                   
E3   ****WINNER****  0.098  5.258 213.91                     0.033  5.859 154.19
 Prior rounds:
E2    (B Tasca III ) 0.108  4.163 295.08      (J Wyatt     ) 0.164  4.139 293.15
E1    (T Wilkerson ) 0.090  4.115 302.69      (B Bode      ) 0.088  4.160 303.71
 Qualified:             #2  4.169 292.01                        #6  4.195 285.41

Force is 41 - 20 against Capps in prior events. Force has won this event 11 times. A classic pedal fest! Both drivers first lost traction at about 300 feet. Capps will give lane choice to Pedregon in the final.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink