Sun, 19 Jun 2011, 04:56 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Results of round 1 eliminations 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:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  507 Melanie Troxel                         10 Tim Wilkerson                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.053  4.148 309.70                     0.083  4.225 274.89
 Qualified:            #12  4.151 305.91                        #5  4.087 306.53

Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 70 percent, barometer 28.34 inches, adjusted altitude 3,765 feet, track temperature 96 degrees.

Wilkerson is 3 - 1 against Troxel in prior events. Troxel is out of the gate first and never trailed for the win with her quickest and fastest pass of the weekend. Wilkerson slowed on the top end.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  388 Jim Head                                4 Jack Beckman                 
E1                   0.124  4.137 305.77     ****WINNER****  0.067  4.157 308.57
 Qualified:            #13  4.168 303.57                        #4  4.087 311.70

Beckman is 11 - 2 against Head in prior events. Beckman with the starting line advantage and the power to hold on for the hole shot win. Head with his quickest pass of the weekend in a losing effort. Jack Beckman's MOV: 0.0375 seconds (approximately 17 feet). Beckman will give up lane choice to Troxel in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  116 Paul Lee                             2814 Matt Hagan                   
E1                   0.104  7.765  84.85     ****WINNER****  0.068  4.148 305.70
 Qualified:            #15  4.238 296.89                        #2  4.082 308.07

Hagan is 2 - 0 against Lee in prior events. Hagan with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win as Lee started to smoke the tires.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  348 Daniel Wilkerson                        5 Bob Tasca III                
E1                         No Time           ****WINNER****  0.121  4.076 312.28
 Qualified:            #16  4.270 273.44                        #1  4.056 314.31

Wilkerson making his fourth start and the car goes silent on the burnout. Tasca launched hard and was straight down the groove with low E.T. of the round. Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.901 sec., 330ft-2.321, 660ft-3.291/267.11 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Tony Pedregon                        7701 Mike Neff                    
E1                   0.072  4.302 279.85     ****WINNER****  0.092  4.114 310.84
 Qualified:            #14  4.189 300.80                        #3  4.085 311.99

Pedregon is 7 - 6 against Neff in prior events. Pedregon with the starting line advantage, but Neff has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Neff runs the second quickest pass of the round. Mike Neff's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.353, 660ft-3.328/266.06 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               8 Robert Hight                 
E1                   0.064  5.447 150.73     ****WINNER****  0.060  4.132 312.28
 Qualified:            #11  4.122 305.98                        #6  4.090 311.20

Hight is 17 - 9 against Capps in prior events. Hight with a slight starting line advantage and then Capps started to smoke the tires. Hight with a really nice pass, but will give up lane choice to Neff.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  170 Jeff Arend                             31 Johnny Gray                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  4.153 305.91                     0.080  4.175 303.57
 Qualified:            #10  4.119 302.28                        #7  4.101 309.63

Arend and Gray have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. They leave together and they were dead even at 660 feet and then Arend took the lead and the win. Jeff Arend's MOV: 0.0238 seconds (approximately 11 feet). Jeff Arend's incremental margins: 60ft(0.000), 330 ft(0.002), 660ft(0.012). MOV: 0.0238 seconds (approximately 11 feet). Arend will give up lane choice to Hagan in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                           1 John Force                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.063  4.103 311.56                     0.044  4.190 309.20
 Qualified:             #9  4.116 307.51                        #8  4.114 311.63

Force is 57 - 25 against Pedregon in prior events. Force with the starting line advantage, but Pedregon has the difference made up by the time they go by the Christmas tree. Pedregon with his quickest and fastest pass of the weekend for the win light. He will give up lane choice to Tasca in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink