Sat, 15 Oct 2011, 06:56 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 27th annual NHRA Arizona 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: John Force Runs 4.352/278.00, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.890/234.90, Was #18
Right Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 4.369/268.60, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.877/206.80, Was #17

3:19 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 91 degrees, relative humidity 15 percent, barometer 28.55 inches, adjusted altitude 3,819 feet, track temperature 128 degrees.

Ron Capps is on the bump spot at 4.618. Two cars are going home at the end of this session!

It wasn't a think of beauty, but the Force Mustang finally gets to the finish line under power and into the #12 position [sort of].Diehl runs about the same numbers and gets in on the #14 spot.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.406, 660ft-3.475/236.88 mph.
Jeff Diehl's incremental times: 60ft-0.916 sec., 330ft-2.405, 660ft-3.472/236.55 mph.

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Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 4.364/273.94, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.402/275.90, Was #15
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 6.217/113.03, Now #18; Best prior run: 4.618/266.58, Was #18

Jeff Arend is on the bump spot at 4.411. Last chance for Capps in the NAPA Challenger.

Capps leaves with a 0.920 sixty foot time and runs with Troxel until after the 330 lights, where the slicks start to smoke hard. Sounded like he tried to pump it to no avail. That will end a terrific 105 race string of consecutive qualifying races.

Troxel makes a better pass ET wise, but slows a little in the traps. She will move up into the current #14 spot.

Melanie Troxel's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.419, 660ft-3.485/240.72 mph.

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Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.921/179.28, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.593/218.27, Was #17

Pedregon makes a single pass and has a good start. The car runs strong until near the 660 lights and then is up in smoke. Pedregon tries to catch it back up several times, and finally drops enough cylinder to stop the tire spin. He gets to the finish line, but can't bump in.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.518/230.29, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.322/282.72, Was #9
Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 6.505/101.19, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.411/274.55, Was #16

Jeff Arend is on the bump spot at 4.411 and can't be pushed out. It's only up from here.

Up isn't in the cards, as the Solara falls to tire smoke before the 330 lights.

Tasca wasn't on a four thirty pace and has to lift, when the Mustang pulls steadily towards the wall at about the 660 mark.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 4.637/193.35, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.320/274.27, Was #8
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 6.941/96.90, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.356/277.72, Was #13

Nope! Hight has the best sixty foot time of the session by far, but kicks the tires at the 330 lights.

DeJoria's Solara is soft off the line and moving well down the track, but has the slicks up in smoke near the 660 lights and slows.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.329/282.19, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.294/264.55, Was #6

Todd Lesenko won't run this session, as he has ensured a spot on the ladder, currently in #11.Hagan will get a single.

He sticks the car on the track and makes a strong tune up pass for tomorrow's eliminations. Outside of a quick jog after the finish line, a straight and clean pass.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.924 sec., 330ft-2.420, 660ft-3.474/245.18 mph.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.341/284.56, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.279/284.45, Was #5
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.381/261.32, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.315/283.91, Was #7

A great looking side by side pass for the pair, but no improvements. They have identical soft 0.930 sixty foot times and Wilkerson gets a small advantage until the 660. It's Beckman on the top end to take the "win" by 0.0593 seconds.

Fun stuff!

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.930 sec., 330ft-2.433, 660ft-3.489/244.74 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.930 sec., 330ft-2.415, 660ft-3.488/236.67 mph.

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Left Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 4.264/284.51, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.240/285.83, Was #3
Right Lane: Mike Neff Runs 4.298/288.70, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.251/287.23, Was #4

They leave within 0.017 of each other and Gray has all the incremental to make his best pass of the weekend and gets to the finish line first.

Neither car can improve, but two great passes for the conditions.

Johnny Gray's incremental times: 60ft-0.926 sec., 330ft-2.385, 660ft-3.418/246.53 mph.
Mike Neff's incremental times: 60ft-0.934 sec., 330ft-2.423, 660ft-3.460/248.34 mph.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.284/284.45, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.215/296.37, Was #1
Right Lane: Jim Head Runs 9.302/76.55, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.238/289.07, Was #2

Last pair of Pro's to qualify this weekend and its a good one...

Strong pass for Pedregon with the header flames getting wacky near the lights. He cards the second best time of the session and stays number one for the weekend.

Head has a strong initial leave and then is up in smoke before the 330 lights.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.920 sec., 330ft-2.387, 660ft-3.430/244.34 mph.

3:51 p.m. Jeff Arend ends up on the bump spot at 4.411.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink