Sun, 26 Jun 2011, 01:58 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

NORWALK, Ohio - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Fifth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  348 Daniel Wilkerson                        1 John Force                   
E2                   0.119  4.393 222.58     ****WINNER****  0.103  4.160 287.41
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Lee       ) 0.132  4.209 270.27      (J Head      ) 0.097  4.130 298.21
 Qualified:             #6  4.137 295.08                        #3  4.097 307.51

1:31 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 51 percent, barometer 29.05 inches, adjusted altitude 2,934 feet, track temperature 104 degrees.

This is the first time Wilkerson and Force have faced each other in eliminations.

Force gets a small advantage off the line and that was all he needed. Wilkerson was on a decent pass, then started mixing up cylinders about 600 feet out and slowed.

word from the top end, Wilkerson oiled the track. he had one credit and will use his freebie here.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 Jack Beckman                           28 Ron Capps                    
E2                   0.086  4.607 258.47     ****WINNER****  0.083  4.559 213.81
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Tasca III ) 0.063  4.177 287.60      (M Troxel    ) 0.065  4.118 299.26
 Qualified:            #10  4.167 286.74                        #2  4.095 299.26

Capps is 10 - 8 against Beckman in prior events.

Beckman gets about 100 feet out and strikes the tires. He pedals and gets the slicks to bite. Capps had pulled way out in front at that point but then started having traction problems of his own. he makes a move toward the wall, corrects, then the rear of the car starts wagging around. beckman starts to make up ground but Capps hangs on and takes the win.

Capps will give up lane choice to Force in round three.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                           8 Robert Hight                 
E2   ****WINNER****  0.053  4.197 276.35                     0.098  5.539 138.96
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Wilkerson ) 0.067  4.141 303.03      (J Arend     ) 0.102  4.111 303.91
 Qualified:             #8  4.153 287.41                        #1  4.065 306.53

Hight is 11 - 6 against Pedregon in prior events.

A big upset here. Pedregon gets out of the gate first and Hight begins to make up ground quickly. hight gets about 200 feet out, strikes the tires and has to give up on the run. pedregon goes right down the groove and moves on to the semi-finals.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2814 Matt Hagan                           7701 Mike Neff                    
E2                   0.083  9.557  69.20     ****WINNER****  0.085  4.202 289.57
 Prior rounds:
E1    (B Bode      ) 0.074  4.170 300.66      (T Pedregon  ) 0.092  4.170 305.98
 Qualified:             #4  4.106 304.32                        #5  4.110 309.06

Neff is 2 - 1 against Hagan in prior events.

Hagan hits the throttle, goes up in smoke and gives up on the run. Neff keeps the slicks stuck all the way through the run and takes the win.

Neff will give up lane choice to Pedregon in the third round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink