Sun, 28 Jul 2013, 18:01 PM Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By David Gerard

SONOMA, Calif. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 26th annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                               5 Courtney Force               
E3   ****WINNER****  0.083  4.048 315.34                     0.088  4.506 186.59
 Prior rounds:
E2    (J Arend     ) 0.101  4.099 308.35      (J Beckman   ) 0.056  4.089 315.34
E1    (D Worsham   ) 0.102  4.066 311.20      (C Pedregon  ) 0.080  4.088 317.72
 Qualified:             #3  4.012 312.50                        #7  4.057 314.46

2:42 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 74 degrees, relative humidity 55 percent, barometer 29.80 inches, adjusted altitude 1,773 feet, track temperature 110 degrees.

Capps is 7 - 3 against Force in prior events. Force ran quicker and faster in round two and will have lane choice.

Lane choice doesn't make a difference, as Capps gets a 0.005 advantage off the line and stays out in front until right near the 660 lights, where Force's blower goes bang and she slows. Capps powers on down the track and makes his best pass of the weekend. He now on to the final round with a good chance at lane choice.

Ron Capps' incremental margins: 60ft(0.024), 330 ft(0.046), 660ft(0.099). MOV: 0.4633 seconds (more than 100 feet).

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.297, 660ft-3.270/266.64 mph.
Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.338, 660ft-3.364/222.33 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  771 Alexis DeJoria                          9 John Force                   
E3                   0.098  4.095 309.84     ****WINNER****  0.094  4.086 311.34
 Prior rounds:
E2    (R Hight     ) 0.090  4.145 306.33      (J Gray      ) 0.105  4.057 313.95
E1    (M Hagan     ) 0.110  4.705 185.08      (T Pedregon  ) 0.109  4.073 312.86
 Qualified:            #16  4.188 303.71                        #4  4.025 316.60

Force is 5 - 3 against DeJoria in prior events. She started on the bump spot and has a chance to go to the final round.

DeJoria and Force make one of the best side by side passes of the weekend with both teams taking no prisoners. Force is away first and slowly pulls ahead until after the 330 lights. DeJoria starts to pull back even, but runs out of track.

In the Final round, Team DSR will have lane choice over Team JFR.

John Force's incremental margins: 60ft(0.012), 330 ft(0.017), 660ft(0.011). MOV: 0.0135 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.335, 660ft-3.308/265.48 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.900 sec., 330ft-2.322, 660ft-3.301/264.91 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink