Fri, 12 Sep 2014, 16:56 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Larry Sullivan

CONCORD, N.C. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual Pep Boys NHRA Carolina 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: Bob Gilbertson No Time, Now #17; No Prior Run

Weather conditions: air temperature 87 degrees, relative humidity 57 percent, barometer 29.30 inches, adjusted altitude 3,489 feet, track temperature 114 degrees.

Gilbertson did not make a run in the first session today.

The run was a short one. Gilbertson spun the tires hard and the car backfired. The burst panel let go, deploying the chutes. He stopped short of the 660-foot timing block.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.208/303.03, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.044/112.32, Was #11

It wasn't spectacular, but it was a full pass and the first 300 mph run by a Funny Car today.

Jeff Arend's incremental times: 60ft-0.923 sec., 330ft-2.386, 660ft-3.397/256.06 mph.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.363/231.75, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.777/182.08, Was #11
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 6.267/107.25, Now #12; Best prior run: 8.791/79.25, Was #15

Cruz slowed before the 660-foot timers, Tony slowed just after.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.141/287.66, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.494/209.52, Was #11
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.140/305.91, Now #1; Best prior run: 7.000/94.87, Was #15

First time around, these two closed the session and both smoked the tires. This time, both made strong runs (for the conditions) and ran just a thousandth apart to take over the top two spots, and Hight ran top speed of the meet so far.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.901 sec., 330ft-2.333, 660ft-3.331/259.86 mph.
Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.912 sec., 330ft-2.348, 660ft-3.343/261.17 mph.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.123/297.35, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.229/293.66, Was #10
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.820/169.68, Now #13; Best prior run: 6.974/67.19, Was #15

Both had good starts, but Tasca hazed the tires and lifted. Capps had no visible problems and he took the #1 spot away from Hight.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.885 sec., 330ft-2.313, 660ft-3.310/258.12 mph.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.126/306.46, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.215/293.66, Was #10
Right Lane: Chad Head Runs 4.868/166.01, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.825/92.94, Was #15

Same story, Head exceeding the limits of adhesion and Worsham going right down the groove with a nice ET and top speed so far.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.909 sec., 330ft-2.350, 660ft-3.331/263.05 mph.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.124/305.22, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.207/253.95, Was #9
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.162/305.84, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.292/246.93, Was #11

Finally a side-by-side race. Two good runs.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.910 sec., 330ft-2.332, 660ft-3.325/259.11 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.900 sec., 330ft-2.349, 660ft-3.356/257.19 mph.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.114/304.25, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.192/290.19, Was #9

Alexis DeJoria was supposed to be in the right lane, opposite Hagan. No sign of her car in the lanes either and no word yet why not. Wait, ask and ye shall receive. They brought the car to the lanes and found a main fuel line leak that sent them back to the pits.

Nice chance to watch and listen to a Funny Car making a solo pass. It was a good one and Hagan is now #1, with the sixth 300 mph speed of the round.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 5.009/150.72, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.185/292.77, Was #9
Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 7.406/80.02, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.155/288.21, Was #7

Oh-for-two, Force smoking the tires early, TJ a little later.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink