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Sun, 5 Sep 2010, 05:32 PM

Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

CLERMONT, Ind. - Notes from final, round 5 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil 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:

Left Lane: Brian Thiel Runs 4.328/266.53, Now #18; Best prior run: 7.569/91.83, Was #19
Right Lane: John Smith Runs 4.297/233.52, Now #17; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 30 percent, barometer 29.06 inches, adjusted altitude 2,867 feet, track temperature 112 degrees.

Jeff Diehl is on the bump spot at 4.255. At the end of four days of qualifying, we are down to the final session. It's the warmest it has been all weekend, with the sun still high in the sky, heating the track. It's going to be tough for the heavy hitters to improve their positions on the final ladder. The call goes out to start the engines on the first pair.

Smith's prior run was DQ'ed, as the car was ten pounds too light after the last run, so he has no qualifying times. Smith was on a strong pass until near the top end lights, where it abruptly slowed.

Thiel gets a good pass, but its not strong enough to bump into the field.

Left Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 4.249/294.37, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.255/276.80, Was #16
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.151/297.48, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.419/134.23, Was #20

Pedregon is uncharacteristically not in the field at this field. He shares the longest consecutive qualifying stream with Hight. Everyone can take a big breath, as the Impala runs straight and true into the new #15 spot.

No joy for Diehl, as he improves his ET and MPH, but not enough to stay in the field.

Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.106/308.28, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.154/297.16, Was #16
Right Lane: Justin Schriefer Runs 4.337/259.66, Now #20; Best prior run: 4.402/229.16, Was #20

Del Worsham is on the bump spot at 4.154.

Worsham's team responds to the pressure and cranks off a clean and straight pass into the current #11 spot.

Schriefer can be proud with a career best ET, but misses the stout field.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.914 sec., 330ft-2.338, 660ft-3.313/263.26 mph.
Justin Schriefer's incremental times: 60ft-0.979 sec., 330ft-2.453, 660ft-3.468/250.00 mph.

Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 5.973/113.40, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.146/303.64, Was #15

Lee pulls out of line, as he can't be bumped. That gives Troxel a single.

The Charger makes a strong pass, running close to her prior best in the tougher conditions.

Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.412, 660ft-4.046/130.53 mph.

Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.135/306.26, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.110/307.02, Was #13
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.175/292.14, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.104/297.02, Was #10

While both cars can't improve on their prior best,they make a great side by side pass for the conditions. Sweet!

Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.348, 660ft-3.337/261.32 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.933 sec., 330ft-2.370, 660ft-3.350/257.83 mph.

Left Lane: Bob Bode Runs 4.811/168.37, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.109/298.14, Was #12
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 7.546/94.77, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.095/296.96, Was #9

Head has run a season best ET getting into the number nine position in his twenty ninth appearance at Indy. Too much shake and spin and he won't improve.

Bode gets a little further, but clicks it early too.

Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.170/300.93, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.086/306.33, Was #8
Right Lane: Ashley Force Hood Runs 4.147/301.94, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.059/310.98, Was #6

Now, that was nice! They make a great looking side by side pass from start to finish with power through the lights.

A good tune up check for tomorrow.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.922 sec., 330ft-2.366, 660ft-3.361/259.01 mph.
Ashley Force Hood's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.345, 660ft-3.338/257.68 mph.

Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.951/156.44, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.076/302.96, Was #7
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.116/146.42, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.057/311.34, Was #4

They run together to near the 660 lights and then strike the tire at near the same time. Good low end times, but too much power for the track.

Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.186/260.41, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.058/312.86, Was #5
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.103/305.15, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.055/310.98, Was #3

The team gets busy on Forces car getting it started. He has to make a short burnout to not delay Hight.

Hight runs the quickest pass of the session on a strong pass. Force was right with him until well after the 660 light and then slows.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.340, 660ft-3.331/258.76 mph.
Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.901 sec., 330ft-2.324, 660ft-3.303/261.78 mph.

Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.115/301.87, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.049/309.77, Was #2
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.094/301.07, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.039/277.89, Was #1

Hagan shows why he is number one with a sub four ten pass to wrap up the session in style. Beautifully looking pass.

Capps runs right behind him and gets his hot weather tune up test for tomorrow too.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.901 sec., 330ft-2.315, 660ft-3.308/259.21 mph.
Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.901 sec., 330ft-2.312, 660ft-3.289/261.67 mph.

5:27 p.m. Tony Pedregon is on the bump spot at 4.151.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink