Sun, 1 Nov 2009, 03:16 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations |
By Dave Rowe |
LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Ninth annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals:
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 388 Jim Head 2 Tim Wilkerson E1 0.134 4.146 307.44 ****WINNER**** 0.084 4.159 299.00 Qualified: #10 4.132 305.84 #7 4.116 297.2211:37 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 76 degrees, relative humidity 24 percent, barometer 28.00 inches, adjusted altitude 3,781 feet, track temperature 96 degrees.
Head holds a 3-1 advantage in head to head career match-ups with Wilkerson, 1-1 in the first round.
Wilkerson gets a big advantage off the line, then Head starts to
make up ground after half-track but runs out room.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 750 Del Worsham 1777 Bob Tasca III E1 ****WINNER**** 0.066 4.163 304.19 0.079 5.057 162.63 Qualified: #12 4.155 306.12 #5 4.107 307.02Tasca and Worsham have faced each other four times, all in round one, and have split the matches.
Tasca comes off
the line, gets about 400 feet out and goes up in smoke. Worsham goes right down the groove with a decent pass to take
the win.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 728 Grant Downing 2814 Matt Hagan E1 0.103 4.244 284.21 ****WINNER**** 0.097 4.131 303.50 Qualified: #16 4.211 291.89 #1 4.030 313.88These two have met only once before, in Denver earlier this year with Hagan winning that one. This is the second time Hagan has qualified number one.
Not much difference off the line for these two, then Hagan starts to slowly pull
away. He continues to extend his lead all the way through the run and makes the quickest pass of the round so far for
the win.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 10 Gary Densham 28 Ron Capps E1 0.110 4.208 292.52 ****WINNER**** 0.106 4.130 305.08 Qualified: #15 4.197 288.64 #2 4.041 310.55These two have met 28 times in their careers with Capps winning 19 of those. He also holds a 10-5 advantage in first round match-ups.
Capps gets a small advantage off the line and slowly extends his lead all the way through the run.
Densham made a decent pass but couldn't keep up with Capps.
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6 Ashley Force Hood 4 Robert Hight
E1 0.068 4.338 283.37 ****WINNER**** 0.071 4.114 309.06
Qualified: #14 4.197 292.52 #3 4.065 308.71
Hight holds a 5-3 advantage over Force-Hood in career natch-ups, 3-1 when they have met in the first round. They are
currently first and second in the points with Hight holding a 25 point advantageThis one was close coming off the line but then it was all Hight. He starts pulling away slowly then quickly pulled away on the top end to take this important win.
Robert Hight's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.031), 330 ft(0.085), 660ft(0.152).
MOV: 0.2215 seconds (approximately 92 feet).
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed 170 Jeff Arend 5 Tony Pedregon E1 0.054 4.331 280.89 ****WINNER**** 0.091 4.271 283.85 Qualified: #13 4.167 302.69 #4 4.098 309.20Arend and Pedregon have met ten times with Pedregon winning six of those. He also holds a 5-2 advantage in first round match-ups.
Arend gets out of the gate first and hangs on to the lead to the 330 foot mark. Pedregon pulls even, then slowly starts to pull away. Pedregon loses a cylinder but is able to continue extending his lead and takes the win to keep pace with Hight.
Tony Pedregon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.055), 330 ft(0.000),
660ft(0.016). MOV: 0.0231 seconds (approximately 10 feet).
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
1 Cruz Pedregon 7 John Force
E1 0.047 4.855 230.57 ****WINNER**** 0.050 4.662 220.80
Qualified: #6 4.114 305.98 #11 4.144 293.09
Force and Pedregon have met many times before with Force holding the advantage 53-25. Surprisingly, they have only
met once this year with Force winning that one. the winner of this race will race Hight in the next round.They come off the line together and Pedregon holds the early lead. pedregon gets about 200 feet and strikes the tires. Force gets a little further, about 400 feet out and they both start to pedal. Force has a little more momentum, is able to recover quicker, and goes on for the win.
John Force's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.008), 330 ft(0.199),
660ft(0.287). MOV: 0.1903 seconds (approximately 64 feet).
Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
9 Mike Neff 3 Jack Beckman
E1 0.096 4.691 200.44 ****WINNER**** 0.097 4.430 261.12
Qualified: #9 4.128 302.62 #8 4.118 304.87
Another pedaling contest, Neff gets the early advantage then strikes the tires about 200 feet out. Beckman gets
about 400 feet out, loses traction and starts to pedal. Both recover but Beckman was way out in front and held on to
take the win.Jack Beckman's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.024), 330 ft(-0.022), 660ft(0.081). MOV: 0.2602 seconds (approximately 76 feet).
In the next round it will be Hagan with lane choice over Beckman, Worsham
vs. Tony Pedregon, Capps vs. Wilkerson, and Hight vs. Force.
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