Sat, 28 Jun 2003, 08:33 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual Sears Craftsman 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: Jack Wyatt Runs 5.825/191.97, Now #16; Best prior run: 12.273/93.41, Was #21

Current weather conditions: 86 degrees, 38 percent relative humidity, the barometer 29.99 inches, with a track temperature of 108 degrees.

Wyatt lost traction just before half track pedaled it once and started to smoke the tires again. Around 1100 feet he got back on the throttle and into the show for now. That bumped out Haddock.

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Left Lane: Cory Lee Runs 5.291/241.67, Now #16; Best prior run: 10.800/77.61, Was #21
Right Lane: Vinny Arcadi Runs 10.445/78.07, Now #21; Best prior run: 9.094/92.45, Was #20

Arcadi lost traction about 200 feet out and lifted. Lee with a soft pass, but was able to navigate this tricky track to get in the show. That bumped out Wyatt.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 6.423/143.28, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.111/269.29, Was #14
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 5.145/255.34, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.088/296.05, Was #13

Johnson start to smoke the tires early in the run and clicked it off. Worsham soften it up and then started to haze the tires on the top end.

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Left Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 5.175/289.69, Now #15; Best prior run: 5.216/272.01, Was #15
Right Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 5.858/166.19, Now #18; Best prior run: 7.244/114.36, Was #20

Pedregon smoked the tires just past half track and will have one more shot to get in the field. Gilbertson was able to get down the 1320 with a soft pass and improved but not enough to move up the ladder.

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Left Lane: Arnie Karp Runs 5.128/264.13, Now #12; Best prior run: 5.056/289.63, Was #12
Right Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 7.235/131.13, Now #20; Best prior run: 6.467/150.48, Was #20

Creasy made it to about half track and then just blistered the tires. He will have more shot to get in the show. Karp with no tire smoke, but will not improve.

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Left Lane: Scotty Cannon Runs 5.085/295.92, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.942/301.40, Was #7
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 8.121/103.75, Now #11; Best prior run: 5.003/285.29, Was #11

Wilkerson blistered the hides just past the 330-foot mark and clicked it off. Cannon with a good looking pass here in the heat of the day with the best pass of the session.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 5.074/260.61, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.929/312.50, Was #6
Right Lane: John Force Runs 7.636/110.51, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.959/297.22, Was #9

Force was on and off the throttle a couple times and then finally aborted the run. Pedregon made it to about 1100 feet and then started to haze the tires and dropped some cylinders. But he still turns in the quickest pass of the session.

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Left Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.963/302.82, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.913/316.01, Was #5
Right Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 5.097/302.01, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.955/292.58, Was #8

Scelzi on really good looking pass here until just before the finish line and then he was moving around a little, but still quickest pass of the day. Gray is running a Red body after blowing up his Blue body last night. He is able to keep the candles lit and the Goodyears stuck all the way down the 1320.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.058/285.47, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.898/313.80, Was #3
Right Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.999/300.73, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.909/314.31, Was #4

Bazemore with a good straight pass down the groove. Pedregon with a big move toward the wall right before the finish line, but was able to reel it in.

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Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 5.836/166.58, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.889/316.97, Was #1
Right Lane: Dean Skuza Runs 5.120/239.48, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.893/308.85, Was #2

Densham started to smoke the tires on the top end. Skuza started to haze the tires right before the finish line and that will wrap up this round of qualifying. They will be back under the lights for their last round of qualifying.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink