Sat, 18 Jun 2011, 01:10 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Rick Green

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 11th annual Ford NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented by Tri-Cities Area Ford Dealers 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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Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.195/300.66, Now #10; No Prior Run

Neff launched hard and keep it hooked up with a nice pass, he did get get close to the centerline on the top end. Mike Neff's incremental times: 60ft-0.927 sec., 330ft-2.392, 660ft-3.390/261.32 mph.

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Left Lane: Brian Thiel Runs 7.789/92.56, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 5.487/225.79, Now #14; No Prior Run

Thiel and his crew worked all night to put the car back together after their big fire during the first round. He was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle and clicked it off. Troxel started to smoke the tires and she pedaled it a couple times to get on the board.

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Left Lane: Paul Lee No Time, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.297/287.23, Was #13
Right Lane: Daniel Wilkerson Runs 4.270/273.44, Now #13; No Prior Run

Lee pulled out of line as he was in the show. Wilkerson with a wacky burnout, but then is straight down the groove to get in the show. Daniel Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.943 sec., 330ft-2.412, 660ft-3.422/252.52 mph.

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Left Lane: Jim Head Runs 4.805/218.55, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 5.370/137.06, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.268/287.60, Was #12

Pedregon started to smoke the tires and clicked it off...Head started to lose traction and pedaled it because he wasn't in the show...he gets in the show with this pass.

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Left Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 6.583/94.90, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.224/261.37, Was #11
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.206/302.62, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.183/292.27, Was #9

Gray is up in smoke early and clicks it off...Wilkerson with a nice clean pass, straight down the groove. Wilkerson with the second quickest pass of the session. Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.391, 660ft-3.394/256.55 mph.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.194/296.11, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.179/300.86, Was #8
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 5.400/132.56, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.119/302.28, Was #5

Arend was on a good pass and the started to lose traction and clicked it off. Capps launched hard and keep it hooked up with a real nice pass with the quickest pass of the round. Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.902 sec., 330ft-2.361, 660ft-3.375/255.15 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.212/294.69, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.126/307.30, Was #7
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.228/294.63, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.112/303.50, Was #3

This was a good side-by-side drag race...John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.368, 660ft-3.387/253.14 mph.
Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.915 sec., 330ft-2.382, 660ft-3.398/252.95 mph.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.214/293.41, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.125/305.42, Was #6
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.169/307.30, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.110/301.33, Was #2

Beckman with a good pass...Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.915 sec., 330ft-2.365, 660ft-3.384/251.49 mph. Hight launched hard and keep the big Goodyears hooked up with the quickest pass of the round...Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.371, 660ft-3.371/260.61 mph.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon No Time, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.116/307.51, Was #4
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 5.607/129.03, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.107/308.21, Was #1

Pedregon shuts off after the burnout...Tasca starts to lose traction just before half track and clicks it off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink