Sat, 19 Jun 2010, 04:36 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Dave Rowe

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 10th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.322/252.24, Now #12; Best prior run: 10.249/68.44, Was #15
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.442/243.90, Now #14; No Prior Run

4:07 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 88 degrees, relative humidity 45 percent, barometer 28.45 inches, adjusted altitude 4,372 feet, track temperature 137 degrees.

Pedregon doesn't have a qualifying time and this is his last opportunity. He starts moving around a little in the middle of the run, drifting a little to the left, then looks like he throws the blower belt about 900 feet out. he gets in the field in the 14th spot. Head gets down the track with no problems for the first time this weekend and moves up a few notches to the 12th spot.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.376/275.79, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.517/217.91, Was #15

Arend has had problems all weekend, no oil pressure on his first attempt, then traction problems down-track the other two attempts.

no problems here, right down the groove and not a hint of tire smoke. He makes his quickest pass of the weekend and moves up a notch to the 14th spot.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 5.447/134.89, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.326/252.33, Was #13

Hight has had traction problems all weekend and it doesn't change on this pass. He gets a little further than he did earlier today, a little past the 330 foot mark, but the result is the same. He will start in the 13th spot tomorrow.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.299/278.06, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.244/284.45, Was #10
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.286/281.13, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.228/289.07, Was #7

A couple of good looking runs here on a very tricky track. Neither improve but looks like they have the track dialed in.

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 7.588/79.32, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.239/289.26, Was #9
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.913/166.17, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.216/297.55, Was #6

Troxel gets about 300 feet out, goes up in smoke and backs off the throttle. Force doesn't get much further and suffers the same fate.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.337/276.41, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.238/283.67, Was #8
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 5.877/122.20, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.199/297.35, Was #5

Wilkerson has the track figured out, going right down the groove with a decent run. Beckman gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.753/175.30, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.185/292.58, Was #3
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 7.227/83.49, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.186/300.80, Was #4

Worsham gets about 200 feet out, strikes the tires and gives up on the run. Hagan was on a good run, then bangs the blower about 600 feet out.

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Left Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 4.378/228.27, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.151/296.70, Was #1
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.614/191.48, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.159/291.38, Was #2

Pedregon gets about 600 feet out and goes up in smoke. Force-Hood has trouble late in the run and the car noses over.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink