Sun, 23 Feb 2014, 15:21 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By David Gerard

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   33 Tommy Johnson Jr.                      10 Tim Wilkerson                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.082  4.098 308.64                     0.110  4.186 300.26
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Pedregon  ) 0.088  4.095 313.37      (C Head      ) 0.112  4.263 266.95
 Qualified:             #2  4.029 316.08                        #7  4.066 308.35

1:07 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 75 degrees, relative humidity 23 percent, barometer 28.75 inches, adjusted altitude 2,777 feet, track temperature 108 degrees.

Johnson Jr. is 10 - 5 against Wilkerson in prior events.

A better leave and another 4.09 pass puts TJ in to round three with ease.

Wilkerson gave it a valiant try to no avail.

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.894 sec., 330ft-2.321, 660ft-3.306/261.93 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.904 sec., 330ft-2.353, 660ft-3.368/254.14 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Jack Beckman                            5 Robert Hight                 
E2                   0.097  4.127 306.81     ****WINNER****  0.092  4.059 314.97
 Prior rounds:
E1    (M Hagan     ) 0.091  4.057 312.71      (C Pedregon  ) 0.098  4.484 262.69
 Qualified:             #6  4.055 314.09                        #3  4.030 314.24

Hight is 14 - 11 against Beckman in prior events, but Beckman is 5-3 in round two matchups.

Hight has all of the numbers from start to finish to take the win and lane choice over Johnson in round three.

They leave just 0.005 difference at the green and Hight slowly pulls ahead of a strong Beckman to the finish line.

Robert Hight's incremental margins: 60ft(0.008), 330 ft(0.018), 660ft(0.049). MOV: 0.0734 seconds (approximately 33 feet).

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.895 sec., 330ft-2.338, 660ft-3.329/260.91 mph.
Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.892 sec., 330ft-2.325, 660ft-3.285/269.62 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   77 Bob Tasca III                           1 John Force                   
E2                   0.112  4.120 306.88     ****WINNER****  0.074  4.106 312.78
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Capps     ) 0.088  4.090 312.42      (J Diehl     ) 0.131  7.501  94.53
 Qualified:             #8  4.078 306.60                        #1  3.990 317.79

Tasca III is 9 - 7 against Force in prior events and they are 2-2 in round two.

This is only the second good pass of the weekend for Force, but it's another good one to stay ahead of Tasca's Mustang and take a decisive win.

John Force's incremental margins: 60ft(0.005), 330 ft(0.011), 660ft(0.032). MOV: 0.0521 seconds (approximately 23 feet).

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.328, 660ft-3.321/258.67 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.921 sec., 330ft-2.355, 660ft-3.327/266.85 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  771 Alexis DeJoria                        750 Del Worsham                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.089  4.123 298.21                     0.111  4.900 183.12
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Arend     ) 0.102  4.065 309.27      (C Force     ) 0.098  4.121 303.03
 Qualified:             #4  4.048 309.27                        #5  4.051 316.67

Worsham is 1 - 0 against DeJoria in prior events and this is their first round two match up.

DeJoria gets a big starting line advantage and then drops a cylinder down track. Worsham can't take advantage of it, as the tires are smoking before the 330 lights.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.319, 660ft-3.310/259.26 mph.

1:16 p.m. Force will have lane choice in round three.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink