Sat, 28 Sep 2013, 14:46 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Rowe

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 3 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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Right Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.196/280.95, Now #13; No Prior Run

1:20 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 86 degrees, relative humidity 47 percent, barometer 29.56 inches, adjusted altitude 2,971 feet, track temperature 105 degrees.

Arend goes right down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend to get in the show for now.

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Left Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 5.869/135.35, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.096/309.84, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.113/310.41, Was #11

Creasy gets about 300 feet out, starts hazing the tires and backs off the throttle. Beckman goes right down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend and moves up to the ninth spot for now.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.145/304.94, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Daniel Wilkerson Runs 4.496/217.14, Now #15; No Prior Run

Capps doesn't improve from his best attempt yesterday but gets in the show in the 13th spot for now. Wilkerson was on a decent pass but the car nosed over late in the run, not sure why.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 6.709/94.37, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.112/304.60, Was #11
Right Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 4.117/310.41, Now #13; No Prior Run

Pedregon gets about 200 feet out, hazes the tires and backs off the throttle. Gray makes his best pass of the weekend and gets in the show in the 13th spot, bumping out Creasy.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.377/134.40, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.077/307.37, Was #7
Right Lane: Chad Head Runs 5.042/152.47, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.115/275.17, Was #12

Pedregon and Head get about 400 feet out, strike the tires and both back off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 4.178/299.53, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.076/308.00, Was #6
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 8.478/79.72, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.104/306.05, Was #10

Wilkerson rattles the tires early and backs off the throttle about 200 feet out. DeJoria makes a clean pass but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 4.077/314.31, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.062/312.86, Was #5
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.698/178.80, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.094/306.40, Was #8

Force doesn't improve but makes a clean pass, the quickest of the round so far. Tasca gets about 400 feet and goes up in smoke.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 5.062/153.39, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.041/314.46, Was #4
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.102/307.23, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.022/315.64, Was #2

Worsham gets about 400 feet out and strikes the tires. Hight makes a clean pass but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.063/313.66, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.023/311.92, Was #3
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 5.360/135.69, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.001/320.20, Was #1

Force makes an impressive pass, the quickest of the round, and will pick up three bonus points. Hagan gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink