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Sun, 18 Jul 2010, 03:32 PM

Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By David Gerard

SONOMA, Calif. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Robert Hight                            2 Ashley Force Hood            
E1   ****WINNER****  0.113  4.123 308.14                     0.121  4.206 298.87
 Qualified:             #8  4.172 301.87                        #9  4.172 297.68

11:46 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 69 degrees, relative humidity 60 percent, barometer 29.93 inches, adjusted altitude 1,250 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.
Hight was the winner here in 2008 and is 2-0 against Force Hood in 2010. He clinched a spot in the 2010 Countdown to 1 yesterday in qualifying. Hight is 8 - 3 against Force Hood in prior events.
A good ol' drag race to start the first round of FC. Force Hood gets a small advantage off the line, but Hight drove back by and was never headed. He pull steadily ahead for a big win.
Robert Hight's incremental margins: 60ft(0.026), 330 ft(0.045), 660ft(0.071). MOV: 0.0911 seconds (approximately 40 feet).

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.902 sec., 330ft-2.340, 660ft-3.327/261.07 mph.
Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.920 sec., 330ft-2.377, 660ft-3.390/254.95 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Bob Tasca III                         116 Paul Lee                     
E1   ****WINNER****  0.099  4.198 301.13                     0.136 No Time      
 Qualified:             #5  4.130 304.39                       #12  4.207 297.09

This is the first time Tasca III and Lee have faced each other in eliminations. It sounded like Lee's engine was surging hard trying to stage. The engine stops right after the green and the car is pushed back behind the line.
Tasca was in it to win and get lane choice. The Quick Lane Mustang makes a single run to the finish line with numbers near his qualifying best.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.927 sec., 330ft-2.375, 660ft-3.386/255.05 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  782 Gary Densham                          507 Melanie Troxel               
E1                   0.102  6.513 140.66     ****WINNER****  0.131  5.354 194.27
 Qualified:             #2  4.103 300.26                       #15  4.304 289.94

Densham ran a career best 300.26 speed in his big blow up in qualifying. He was the runner up here in 2008. This is his best start since Denver 2006 in seventy one races. Densham is 3 - 1 against Troxel in prior events.
Densham gets a small 0.03 advantage off the line and then has the slicks start to spin before the 330 lights. It looked to be over, when Troxel's In & Out FC went up in smoke near the 660 lights.

Densham nails it again and it hooks up, but has the parachute come out. He gives it a valiant try, but Troxel is there first.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Jack Beckman                          719 Jeff Diehl                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.118  4.257 287.41                     0.138  4.853 174.80
 Qualified:             #1  4.063 311.56                       #16  4.352 282.84

Beckman's first final was here in Super Comp in 1992. He set a new track ET and MPH record in qualifying.This is the first time Beckman and Diehl have faced each other in eliminations.
Beckman has a less than perfect pass, with a hole out early and then having to fight the car off the wall in the lights. It's good enough though, as Diehl was second off the line and couldn't match the pace. The tires start to smoke near the 330 lights, he pumps it, but no joy after that.
Hight will have lane choice in the second round.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.373, 660ft-3.410/246.93 mph.

11:59 a.m. Time for some dusting and cleaning in the right lane.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 John Force                              6 Tony Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.068  4.255 299.26                     0.073  5.171 148.90
 Qualified:             #3  4.104 307.30                       #14  4.273 289.51

12:09 p.m. Force has seven wins here and has participated in all twenty-three events. He has meet Pedregon in 79 prior races and they are 3-3 in first round match ups. Pedregon has four prior runner ups here. Force is 54 - 24 against Pedregon in prior events.
Force gets a small RT advantage and has Pedregon almost catch him at the 330 lights. The Hertzog Impala smokes the tires after that and Force is long gone.
John Force's incremental margins: 60ft(0.015), 330 ft(0.008), 660ft(0.269). MOV: 0.9218 seconds (more than 100 feet).

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.945 sec., 330ft-2.415, 660ft-3.435/252.90 mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.955 sec., 330ft-2.418, 660ft-3.699/172.32 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                         170 Jeff Arend                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.105  4.543 225.82                     0.080  4.737 272.94
 Qualified:             #4  4.112 304.19                       #13  4.242 287.96

Pedregon was the winner here in 1996 and 1998. Pedregon is 5 - 3 against Arend in prior events.
Lots of tire smoke! Arend is first off the line and is out in front until about 150 feet out where the tires are up in smoke. He pumps and tries again, when Pedregon smokes the Solara's tires after the 660 lights. There isn't enough race track left and Pedregon prevails.
Cruz Pedregon's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.036), 330 ft(0.117), 660ft(0.292). MOV: 0.1694 seconds (approximately 68 feet).

Tasca has lane choice later.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 Del Worsham                          2814 Matt Hagan                   
E1                   0.110  4.449 234.66     ****WINNER****  0.081  4.172 297.81
 Qualified:             #6  4.152 301.27                       #11  4.202 284.93

Worsham was the winner here in 2001. Worsham is 4 - 1 against Hagan in prior events.
Hagan is dominant from the bottom half of the field with all of the numbers from start to finish. He even improves his over qualifying times.
Worsham had better incrementals until near the 660 foot lights and then goes up in smoke.
Matt Hagan's incremental margins: 60ft(0.028), 330 ft(0.023), 660ft(0.107). MOV: 0.3062 seconds (more than 100 feet).
Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.911 sec., 330ft-2.339, 660ft-3.430/212.06 mph.
Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.345, 660ft-3.352/254.42 mph.

Hagan has lain choice over Force in the next round.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Tim Wilkerson                          28 Ron Capps                    
E1                   0.094 No Time           ****WINNER****  0.100  4.188 298.14
 Qualified:             #7  4.170 297.55                       #10  4.177 296.70

Wilkerson won here in 2009, but has never won the same race in back to back years. He comes into today's race with a two in a row streak going. Capps won here in 1997 and has two runner ups. Capps is 19 - 14 against Wilkerson in prior events.
Wilkerson won't repeat, as Capps is away first and pulled steadily ahead. After the 330 lights, The Ford's slicks begin to spin and the car gets way loose. He fights it hard, but goes over the center line near the 660 lights and is DQ'ed.
Capps will have lane choice over Troxel in round two.
Ron Capps' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.008), 330 ft(0.032), 660ft(0.303). MOV: 0.9105 seconds (more than 100 feet).
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.360, 660ft-3.370/255.00 mph.

12:20 p.m.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink