Sat, 26 Jun 2010, 06:26 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

NORWALK, Ohio - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA 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 4.222/289.51, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.288/139.59, Was #16

5:27 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 54 percent, barometer 28.89 inches, adjusted altitude 3,706 feet, track temperature 126 degrees.

Jim Head is on the bump spot at 5.288 and saves the best for last with a great pass for the conditions into the #13 position on the ladder. Nicely done!

Jim Head's incremental times: 60ft-0.899 sec., 330ft-2.365, 660ft-3.386/250.88 mph.

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Left Lane: Justin Schriefer Runs 4.565/226.43, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.160/180.07, Was #16
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.120/302.48, Now #8; Best prior run: 5.509/128.02, Was #17

Justin Schriefer is now on the bump spot at 5.160 and Pedregon is the only car that can dump him.

...and he does so with a terrific pass into the top half of the field. The team makes the necessary changes and it pays off big time.

Schriefer run looked tame by comparison, but he improves enough to bump back in and push John Force to #17. He did all he could to stay in.

Justin Schriefer's incremental times: 60ft-0.992 sec., 330ft-2.530, 660ft-3.597/236.75 mph.
Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.323, 660ft-3.313/259.01 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.238/293.03, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.861/190.08, Was #17
Right Lane: Bob Bode Runs 5.044/154.39, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.142/293.60, Was #12

Justin Schriefer is on the bump spot at 4.565 and then Team Force finally gets a full pass to bump him out. Good looking pass.

Bode had similar times down low, but kicked the tires before the 660 lights and slows.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.375, 660ft-3.405/250.04 mph.
Bob Bode's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.369, 660ft-3.615/174.35 mph.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 7.129/88.30, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.233/291.95, Was #15
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 8.119/91.74, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.140/297.16, Was #11

It all about jockeying for position on the ladder now.

Both cars leave hard and then shut off together near the 330 lights. Arend has much better numbers at the hit, but doesn't get any further than a struggling Pedregon.

They will both stay in their current positions for now.

Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.902 sec., 330ft-2.567, 660ft-4.628/102.58 mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.937 sec., 330ft-2.965, 660ft-5.569/086.97 mph.

5:39 p.m. Well, believe it or not, we are now in a rain delay. It just a light mist, but not safe to continue.

5:44 p.m. What was a sprinkle is now a driving rain. The fans are scrambling out of the stands and taking cover under the grand stands. The remaining Funny Car teams have covered the cars in the lanes and taken cover too.

6:19 p.m. Due to continuing showers, NHRA has cancelled the balance of the final session with ten cars yet to run.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink