Fri, 16 Apr 2010, 04:52 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 11th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Left Lane: Bob Bode Runs 4.238/297.22, Now #1
Right Lane: Gary Densham Runs 5.599/127.85, Now #2

1:10 p.m. Densham's engine expired just before the 660-foot mark. A trouble-free pass for Bode.

Bob Bode's incremental times: 60ft-0.932 sec., 330ft-2.408, 660ft-3.419/254.33 mph.

---

Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 5.180/154.39, Now #2

Lee moved to the right of the groove at 100 feet, and he was off the throttle just before the 660-foot mark.

Paul Lee's incremental times: 60ft-0.982 sec., 330ft-2.505, 660ft-3.749/173.54 mph.

---

Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 6.341/106.19, Now #4
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 6.693/96.39, Now #5

Head moved to the left of the groove right after the launch and he lifted at about 300 feet. Troxel was mixing up the cylinders beginning at about 250 feet and she lifted.

---

Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.371/235.64, Now #2
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 8.058/81.62, Now #7

Arend struck the tires at about 200 feet. Pedregon was off the throttle before the finish, the reason not apparent from here.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.938 sec., 330ft-2.403, 660ft-3.431/247.43 mph.

---

Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 6.840/130.77, Now #8
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.290/293.66, Now #2

Worsham was up in smoke just past the tree. A decent pass for Tasca.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.952 sec., 330ft-2.433, 660ft-3.460/250.60 mph.

---

Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 7.084/89.49, Now #10
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.629/239.53, Now #4

Hight was mixing up the cylinders at 300 feet. Pedregon struck the tires at about 300 feet. He pedaled it once and got the slicks to hook back up.

Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.925 sec., 330ft-2.532, 660ft-3.690/228.69 mph.

---

Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 5.516/132.63, Now #6
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 7.194/93.98, Now #12

Both drivers lost traction - Beckman at about 150 feet and Wilkerson at about 400 feet.

---

Left Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 4.236/289.94, Now #1
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 5.105/241.93, Now #6

Capps struck the tires at about 150 feet, but he was able to pedal through it. Force Hood was close to the centerline at the finish.

Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.922 sec., 330ft-2.392, 660ft-3.406/254.42 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.919 sec., 330ft-2.678, 660ft-4.081/190.48 mph.

---

Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.510/206.35, Now #5
Right Lane: John Force Runs 5.070/175.89, Now #7

Force lost traction at about 300 feet. He was fishtailing from 660 feet through the finish, and he came very close to hitting the wall just before the finish. Hagan's engine went silent well before the finish.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.950 sec., 330ft-2.411, 660ft-3.446/234.74 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.927 sec., 330ft-2.479, 660ft-3.801/187.52 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink