Sun, 21 Jul 2013, 14:23 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

MORRISON, Colo. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 34th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Jeff Arend                              8 Tim Wilkerson                
E1                   0.103  7.724  67.90     ****WINNER****  0.094  4.214 305.15
 Qualified:            #14  4.360 283.55                        #3  4.114 296.37

11:48 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 81 degrees, relative humidity 45 percent, barometer 24.19 inches, adjusted altitude 9,335 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

Wilkerson is 9 - 6 against Arend in prior events. Tim Wilkerson qualified #3 and that's his best starting spot since the Houston race.

Arend moved to the left after the launch. He started spinning the tires and his chutes deployed before half track.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.939 sec., 330ft-2.398, 660ft-3.408/257.68 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   72 Tony Pedregon                         750 Del Worsham                  
E1                   0.083  4.641 192.93     ****WINNER****  0.081  4.245 296.18
 Qualified:             #5  4.124 299.86                       #12  4.171 299.93

Pedregon is 37 - 20 against Worsham in prior events.

Pedregon started hazing the tires at about 500 feet and he could only watch Worsham drive on down for the win.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.929 sec., 330ft-2.393, 660ft-3.419/251.77 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  121 Terry Haddock                           1 Jack Beckman                 
E1                   0.184  4.376 277.60     ****WINNER****  0.106  4.245 295.46
 Qualified:            #15  4.448 276.46                        #2  4.097 309.91

This is the first time Haddock and Beckman have faced each other in eliminations. Terry Haddock is making his second start of the year. Jack Beckman is the defending event champion and he has won this race twice (2007).

Haddock's best pass of the weekend wasn't good enough. A smooth pass for both drivers.

Terry Haddock's incremental times: 60ft-0.902 sec., 330ft-2.439, 660ft-3.501/242.06 mph.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.935 sec., 330ft-2.401, 660ft-3.419/253.56 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  499 Todd Simpson                            4 Cruz Pedregon                
E1                   0.160  4.879 206.70     ****WINNER****  0.097  4.188 295.46
 Qualified:            #16  4.695 237.42                        #1  4.073 307.37

Pedregon is 2 - 0 against Simpson in prior events. This is Cruz Pedregon's third #1 spot of the year. He won at Houston from the top spot. Todd Simpson is looking for his first round win in ten professional starts. Todd won this race in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class in 1996.

Simpson started mixing up the cylinders before half track. Pedregon took it straight down the groove for the win.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.911 sec., 330ft-2.357, 660ft-3.368/255.15 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Courtney Force                        771 Alexis DeJoria               
E1   ****WINNER****  0.122  No Time 302.28                   0.160  4.328 287.78
 Qualified:            #13  4.316 276.13                        #4  4.122 307.02

Force is 3 - 1 against DeJoria in prior events. This is the best starting spot for Alexis DeJoria in her Funny Car career.

Force was skating around a little bit on the top end of the track but she stayed on the throttle. No visible problems for DeJoria.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.932 sec., 330ft-2.422, 660ft-3.479/245.58 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Bob Tasca III                           9 John Force                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.079  4.268 296.76                     0.068  4.313 288.33
 Qualified:            #11  4.171 304.74                        #6  4.127 308.99

Tasca III is 8 - 6 against Force in prior events. John Force has won this race six times and that's the most for any Funny Car driver.

Force dropped a cylinder at about 400 feet. His car drifted to the left and he had to fight to keep the car off of the centerline. Tasca will give lane choice to Wilkerson in round two.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.949 sec., 330ft-2.428, 660ft-3.446/254.76 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.928 sec., 330ft-2.396, 660ft-3.459/241.24 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Johnny Gray                             7 Robert Hight                 
E1                   0.194  No Time 282.36   ****WINNER****  0.089  4.213 299.00
 Qualified:            #10  4.168 304.74                        #7  4.144 306.95

Hight is 9 - 7 against Gray in prior events. Johnny Gray won here in Top Alcohol Dragster in 1996 and in Top Alcohol Funny Car in 1998.

Gray moved to the right and he was close to the centerline on the top half of the track. A good looking pass for Hight and he will have lane choice over Beckman in round two.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.918 sec., 330ft-2.362, 660ft-3.391/251.25 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                            2814 Matt Hagan                   
E1   ****WINNER**** 0.366 No Time 299.60                     0.046  4.258 296.31
 Qualified:             #8  4.152 300.33                        #9  4.158 309.63

Capps is 12 - 6 against Hagan in prior events.

Capps crossed the finish line ahead of Hagan by about a fender-length. The timing system showed Capps' ET as a 3.922. It was determined that he couldn't have gone that quick, but he was still awarded the win. Capps will give lane choice to Cruz Pedregon in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink