Sun, 19 May 2013, 13:02 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Rick Green

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 25th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   72 Tony Pedregon                           9 John Force                   
E1                   0.079  4.681 190.97     ****WINNER****  0.076  4.082 312.42
 Qualified:            #16  4.628 184.62                        #1  4.043 313.22

Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 59 percent, barometer 28.49 inches, adjusted altitude 3,883 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

This is the first time since Chicago last year that John Force qualified #1. It is the 15th time that three members of Team Force qualified in the top three spots at the same event..It is John's 7th number one spot at this event but his first since 2001. This is the first time in his career that Tony Pedregon has qualified 16th at back-to-back races. Pedregon with troubles getting the car started and then more problems on the burnout, but gets it staged. They leave together with Force having the slight starting line advantage. Force is straight down Broadway for the win as Pedregon started mixing up cylinders around half track and clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Johnny Gray                           771 Alexis DeJoria               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.090  4.117 310.34                     0.095  5.104 146.27
 Qualified:             #4  4.053 313.37                       #13  4.119 303.30

Gray is 2 - 0 against DeJoria in prior events. Gray with the slight starting line advantage and DeJoria had the lead at 330 feet until she started to get out of the groove and lose traction. Gray with a real nice looking pass for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  302 Dale Creasy Jr.                         5 Courtney Force               
E1                   0.104  4.304 273.50     ****WINNER****  0.075  4.136 311.63
 Qualified:            #15  4.297 284.45                        #2  4.050 315.56

The will be Dale Creasy's 87th start. This is the first time Creasy Jr. and Force have faced each other in eliminations. Force with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. She was straight down the groove. Creasy Jr. was just a tick off his qualifying time in the losing effort.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Jeff Arend                              7 Robert Hight                 
E1                   0.090  5.088 151.48     ****WINNER****  0.072  4.099 303.37
 Qualified:            #14  4.132 306.60                        #3  4.050 315.12

Hight is 13 - 2 against Arend in prior events. Hight was out of the gate first and never trailed for the win as Arend started to haze the tires just before half track.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  750 Del Worsham                          3111 Chad Head                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.090  4.116 309.42                     0.182  5.493 132.35
 Qualified:             #5  4.065 313.15                       #12  4.105 310.13

This is the first time Worsham and Head have faced each other in eliminations. Worsham with the starting line advantage and never trailed as Head started to lose traction early. He got over by the centerline before he clicked it off. Worsham will have lane choice over Gray in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
 2814 Matt Hagan                             77 Bob Tasca III                
E1                   0.069  4.095 308.21     ****WINNER****  0.068  4.085 314.31
 Qualified:             #6  4.069 300.46                       #11  4.094 314.02

Tasca III is 6 - 5 against Hagan in prior events. this was a great drag race as the leave together and Hagan has the lead until right on the top end. Tasca was able to chase him down and take the win by 0.0117 seconds (approximately 5 feet). Tasca will have lane choice over Hight in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               8 Tim Wilkerson                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.063  4.085 310.34                     0.124  4.338 236.55
 Qualified:            #10  4.087 309.77                        #7  4.071 310.55

Capps is 25 - 15 against Wilkerson in prior events. Capps with the starting line advantage and never trailed as Wilkerson was dropping cylinders early and then clicked it off early. Capps will have lane choice over C. Force in the next round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Jack Beckman                            4 Cruz Pedregon                
E1   ****WINNER****  0.092  4.052 315.49                     0.073  4.183 291.32
 Qualified:             #9  4.081 312.42                        #8  4.079 297.42

Jack Beckman vs. Cruz Pedregon will match the reigning World Champion (Jack) with the current point's leader and two-time World Champion (Cruz)..Jack is the defending champ and Cruz has won here three times. Pedregon is 11 - 8 against Beckman in prior events. Pedregon with the starting line advantage, but Beckman has the difference made up by the time they got to 100 feet. Beckman with his quickest pass of the weekend and the quickest pass of the round for the win. Pedregon slowed on the top end. Beckman will have lane choice over Force (who had the second quickest pass of the round) in the next round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink