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Sun, 15 Aug 2010, 01:34 PM

Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

BRAINERD, Minn. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 29th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals:


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Ashley Force Hood                     116 Paul Lee                     
E1                   0.111  5.842 139.06     ****WINNER****  0.110  4.259 281.19
 Qualified:             #1  4.102 302.55                       #16  5.154 134.44

11:54 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 67 degrees, relative humidity 55 percent, barometer 28.58 inches, adjusted altitude 2,670 feet.
This is Force Hood's 13th start from the number one spot. This is the first time Force Hood and Lee have faced each other in eliminations.
Force Hood had a cylinder or two out on the hit. She started losing traction at about 150 feet while Lee was able to stay hooked up for the win. Lee was mixing up the cylinders on the top end.

Paul Lee's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.380, 660ft-3.399/247.43 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Bob Tasca III                           9 John Force                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.072  4.150 298.07                     0.060  4.164 291.13
 Qualified:             #4  4.138 302.35                       #13  4.192 275.17

Force has 11 wins at this event. Force is 5 - 4 against Tasca III in prior events.
That was a great drag race! They were side-by-side all the way down the track.
Bob Tasca III's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.016), 330 ft(-0.022), 660ft(-0.011). MOV: 0.0023 seconds (approximately 12 inches).

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.945 sec., 330ft-2.372, 660ft-3.345/264.13 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.941 sec., 330ft-2.362, 660ft-3.346/260.97 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Jack Beckman                            7 Del Worsham                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.148  4.057 304.32                     0.126  4.172 293.28
 Qualified:             #6  4.141 295.34                       #11  4.171 299.60

Beckman was runner up here in 2008. Beckman is 10 - 4 against Worsham in prior events.
Worsham had at least one cylinder out from 330 feet through the finish. Beckman runs low elapsed time of the weekend and sets the track ET record in the process.
Jack Beckman's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.001), 330 ft(0.022), 660ft(0.062). MOV: 0.0938 seconds (approximately 40 feet).

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.892 sec., 330ft-2.305, 660ft-3.266/268.22 mph.
Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.349, 660ft-3.350/256.41 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Robert Hight                            6 Tony Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.099  4.099 294.24                     0.086  4.191 284.27
 Qualified:             #3  4.131 302.35                       #14  4.208 286.74

Tony Pedregon won this event in 2008 and 2009. Pedregon is 14 - 6 against Hight in prior events.
Both drivers make their best passes of the weekend. Hight has the better car this time, and he'll give lane choice to Beckman in round two.
Robert Hight's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.025), 330 ft(0.041), 660ft(0.069). MOV: 0.0799 seconds (approximately 33 feet).

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.894 sec., 330ft-2.313, 660ft-3.288/264.70 mph.
Tony Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.932 sec., 330ft-2.367, 660ft-3.370/257.97 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2814 Matt Hagan                            302 Dale Creasy Jr.              
E1   ****WINNER****  0.126  4.068 297.29                     0.113  4.180 293.41
 Qualified:             #2  4.122 290.69                       #15  4.232 282.95

This is the first time Hagan and Creasy Jr. have faced each other in eliminations.
A good looking drag race. Creasy ran career best numbers but it wasn't good enough to hold off the DieHard Charger.
Matt Hagan's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.002), 330 ft(0.038), 660ft(0.080). MOV: 0.0991 seconds (approximately 43 feet).

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.284, 660ft-3.258/263.26 mph.
Dale Creasy Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.335, 660ft-3.351/253.42 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                         340 Bob Bode                     
E1                   0.119  5.106 170.84     ****WINNER****  0.078  4.159 304.05
 Qualified:             #5  4.139 285.89                       #12  4.184 297.35

Cruz Pedregon won this event in 2002. Pedregon is 1 - 0 against Bode in prior events.
Pedregon was chattering the tires at 100 feet. The chatter turned into tire smoke and he could only watch Bode pull away. Bode will give lane choice to Tasca in round two.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.552, 660ft-3.819/196.16 mph.
Bob Bode's incremental times: 60ft-0.942 sec., 330ft-2.373, 660ft-3.358/261.27 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                             388 Jim Head                     
E1                   0.103  4.467 222.55     ****WINNER****  0.091  4.252 296.83
 Qualified:             #7  4.142 293.98                       #10  4.169 292.46

Capps won this event in 1998 and 2001. Head won this event in 1985. Capps is 8 - 1 against Head in prior events.
Capps led this race until he overpowered the track at the 660-foot mark. Head will give lane choice to Hagan in round two.
Jim Head's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.015), 330 ft(-0.067), 660ft(-0.013). MOV: 0.2277 seconds (approximately 74 feet).

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.902 sec., 330ft-2.337, 660ft-3.411/218.19 mph.
Jim Head's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.416, 660ft-3.436/255.34 mph.


 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  170 Jeff Arend                              4 Tim Wilkerson                
E1                   0.086  4.155 294.37     ****WINNER****  0.087  4.152 301.33
 Qualified:             #8  4.165 289.63                        #9  4.167 297.68

Wilkerson was runner up here in 2003. Wilkerson is 7 - 2 against Arend in prior events.
A great looking side-by-side drag race! Arend's loss clinches a countdown spot for Tony Pedregon. Wilkerson will have lane choice over Lee in round two.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.018), 330 ft(-0.018), 660ft(-0.006). MOV: 0.0021 seconds (approximately 11 inches).

Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.350, 660ft-3.342/260.71 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.367, 660ft-3.347/261.88 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink