Sun, 15 Jun 2003, 12:29 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

HEBRON, Ohio - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Pontiac Excitement Nationals presented by Summit Racing:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   21 Scotty Cannon                           4 Gary Densham
E1                   0.055  5.164 229.04     ****WINNER****  0.067  4.876 319.45
 Qualified:             #9  4.892 315.64                        #8  4.891 303.50

Current weather conditions: 73 degrees, 67 percent relative humidity, the barometer 30.15 inches, with a track temperature of 91 degrees.

Cannon is out of the gate first, but Densham had the difference made up by 200 feet and just drove away as Cannon had problems from 900 feet on. Densham with his first ever round win here in Columbus.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Del Worsham                           347 Tim Wilkerson
E1   ****WINNER****  0.099  4.941 300.13                     0.083  4.967 313.15
 Qualified:             #5  4.862 314.02                       #12  4.925 294.69

Wilkerson with the starting line advantage and was in the lead until about half track when Worsham was able to chase him down. Del Worsham's MOV: 0.0104 seconds (approximately 5 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  206 Bob Gilbertson                          1 John Force
E1                   0.105  4.989 304.80     ****WINNER****  0.071  4.817 319.75
 Qualified:            #15  4.987 309.13                        #2  4.791 323.66

Force has owned Gilbertson winning 15-1 and the only time Gilbertson beat Force was in the first round in Houston and then he went on to win the event. Force with the starting line advantage and then just drove away for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  302 Dale Creasy Jr.                         2 Tony Pedregon
E1                  -0.022 11.870 112.23     ****WINNER****  0.094  4.992 293.09
 Qualified:            #16  5.021 293.92                        #1  4.780 316.67

This is 23rd time Tony has qualified number one and only once has he lost in round one from that position. Tony has own Creasy beating him all nine times they have raced each other. Creasy took a shot at the tree and turned on the red light to give Pedregon the win. Pedregon with his slowest pass of the weekend, but will still move on to round two and he will give up lane choice to Densham.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 1149 Arnie Karp                             28 Ron Capps
E1                   0.291  4.933 287.84     ****WINNER****  0.075  4.849 314.24
 Qualified:            #14  4.953 293.98                        #3  4.853 311.05

Arnie Karp was a runner up here in 1986 in his Alcohol Funny Car. Capps with his best starting position since St. Louis of last year. Karp is way late and Capps turned in his best pass of the weekend to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  503 Tommy Johnson Jr.                      73 Frank Pedregon
E1                   0.058  5.008 304.87     ****WINNER****  0.100  4.934 306.67
 Qualified:             #4  4.857 312.57                       #13  4.943 309.77

Frank Pedregon has the advantage over TJ 4 to 2 in head to head match ups. Johnson Jr with the starting line advantage, but he started to lose traction and pedaled it a couple times. Pedregon was able to chase him down by 330 feet and took the win. He will have lane choice over Worsham in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                          20 Gary Scelzi
E1                   0.079  5.217 223.95     ****WINNER****  0.076  4.830 321.42
 Qualified:            #11  4.923 315.12                        #6  4.863 320.13

Scelzi with the starting line advantage and never looked back to take the win. Scelzi with his best pass of the weekend and he will have lane choice over Capps. Cruz started to haze the tires and then mix up the cylinders from half track on.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Dean Skuza                              5 Whit Bazemore
E1                   0.064  4.913 295.21     ****WINNER****  0.085  4.866 315.93
 Qualified:            #10  4.892 307.30                        #7  4.877 313.95

Skuza with the slight advantage over Bazemore in the head to head match ups 13 - 12. Skuza with the starting line advantage and was out in the lead until just past 1000 feet when Bazemore was able to chase him down. Whit Bazemore's MOV: 0.0268 seconds (approximately 12 feet). Bazemore will give up lane chase to Force in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink