Fri, 27 Sep 2013, 20:46 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Dave Rowe

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Second annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest 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: Chad Head Runs 4.115/275.17, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.539/98.01, Was #15

7:15 p.m. Head, along with many others, had traction problems in the first round of qualifying.

No traction problems on this pass but he gets a little out of the groove and starts moving around. The car noses over a little before the finish line as the blower belt breaks. He improves and moves all the way to the third spot for now.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 8.388/76.24, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.236/106.40, Was #15
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.112/304.60, Now #2; No Prior Run

Pedregon keeps the Goodyears stuck all the way through the run and goes all the way to the second spot for now. Arend gets about 200 feet out, has traction problems and backs off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.022/315.64, Now #1; Best prior run: 5.323/143.05, Was #14
Right Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. No Time, Now #17; Best prior run: 6.868/103.27, Was #17

Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 44 percent, barometer 29.55 inches, adjusted altitude 2,357 feet, track temperature 88 degrees.

Creasy had problems and did not stage. Hight went right down the groove and sets both ends of the track record.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.104/306.05, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.658/183.92, Was #14
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.023/311.92, Now #2; Best prior run: 6.108/112.22, Was #15

A couple of good looking passes, both right down the groove, header flames high and steady on both cars. Force makes a big improvement and gets in the second spot behind Hight for now, Wilkerson moves up to the third spot.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.094/306.40, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.619/188.20, Was #15
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.041/314.46, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.593/192.30, Was #14

Two more good runs, both right down the groove. Worsham moves up to the third spot, Tasca right behind in the fourth spot.

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Left Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 4.507/193.68, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.475/201.73, Was #15
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 4.076/308.00, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.294/242.02, Was #13

DeJoria makes a decent pass and moves up to the fourth spot. Gray gets about 400 feet out, gets out of the groove and backs off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Daniel Wilkerson Runs 5.676/162.74, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.336/287.47, Was #14
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.077/307.37, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.151/303.30, Was #13

Wilkerson was mixing up cylinders at the hit, gets about 600 feet out and finally backs off the throttle. Pedregon goes right down the groove with a decent pass to move up to the fifth spot.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 6.791/91.59, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.113/310.41, Was #10
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 5.691/121.15, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.144/303.84, Was #13

0-for-2 on this one, Beckman and Capps both get about 300 feet out and have to back off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.001/320.20, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.112/307.93, Was #8
Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 4.062/312.86, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.127/310.20, Was #12

Hagan makes an impressive pass to end the session. He went right down the groove with the quickest and fastest pass of the round and sets both ends of the track record. Force made a clean pass but was falling behind Hagan all the way through the run.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink