Mon, 01 Sep 2014, 14:03 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

BROWNSBURG, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 60th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  771 Alexis DeJoria                        256 Blake Alexander              
E2   ****WINNER****  0.101  4.039 315.49                     0.074  4.112 304.60
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Pedregon  ) 0.096  4.077 313.22      (J Beckman   ) 0.072  4.133 304.39
 Qualified:             #7  4.033 316.52                       #15  4.144 299.46

1:35 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 65 percent, barometer 28.95 inches, adjusted altitude 3,781 feet, track temperature 99 degrees.

DeJoria and Alexander have only faced each other once before, in the first round at the Gatornationals last year. DeJoria won that one.

Alexander did his job and the Paul SAmith-tuned car did its usual, but DeJoria's hotrod was quick enough to take the lead before the 660-foot marker and win by a car length.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.016), 330 ft(0.006), 660ft(0.024). MOV: 0.0464 seconds (approximately 21 feet).

There was oil in Alexander's lane, but he had a free one on the books.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   33 Tommy Johnson Jr.                       7 Courtney Force               
E2                   0.068  4.094 314.09     ****WINNER****  0.073  4.062 317.34
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Wilkerson ) 0.060  4.059 316.01      (B Tasca III ) 0.053  4.080 319.14
 Qualified:            #11  4.053 316.67                        #3  4.005 322.73

These two have met just twice before, with one win each, in the semifinals at Joliet and Topeka this year.

TJ was better on the tree, Force was quicker on the track, and Force will face DeJoria in the semifinals. DeJoria has lane choice.

Courtney Force's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.002), 330 ft(0.017), 660ft(0.021). MOV: 0.0275 seconds (approximately 13 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
  750 Del Worsham                            28 Ron Capps                    
E2                  -0.027 11.876  66.30     ****WINNER****  0.062  4.071 317.42
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Arend     ) 0.063  4.054 314.02      (C Head      ) 0.094  4.069 316.97
 Qualified:             #4  4.016 317.12                        #5  4.026 320.36

This is the 40th time these two have raced each other. Capps enjoys a 35-14 record against Worsham, 14-1 in round 2.

Worsham went red, then lost traction. Capps made a clean run, awaits the result of the Force-Hagan matchup.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 John Force                              2 Matt Hagan                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.066  5.386 163.02                     0.059  6.182 145.22
 Prior rounds:
E1    (R Hight     ) 0.099  4.029 321.35      (B Bode      ) 0.053  4.404 260.16
 Qualified:             #8  4.042 319.75                        #1  3.998 316.01

This is the 22nd time these two have raced each other. Force holds an 11-10 record against Hagan at prior events, 4-3 in round 2. Force chose the left lane, but there have been winners in both lanes in this round.

Hagan was up in smoke almost immediately, then started pedaling. Force then joined the pedaling contest before reaching the 330-foot marker and it was then a case of "stab and steer" for both drivers. Force had a big lead, but it got smaller quickly when there was a flash of flame from Force's supercharger. Fortunately for him, he was close enough to the finish line to coast across for the win.

Force will face Capps in the semifinals, Capps has lane choice.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink