Sat, 20 Sep 2014, 15:16 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Rick Green

CONCORD, N.C. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Seventh annual Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 Tim Wilkerson                           2 Matt Hagan                   
E2                   0.102  5.099 149.88     ****WINNER****  0.077  4.180 298.21
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Beckman   ) 0.127  4.067 311.49      (T Pedregon  ) 0.063  4.087 313.29
 Qualified:            #11  4.162 305.84                        #3  4.114 304.25

Hagan is 11 - 3 against Wilkerson in prior events. Hagan with the starting line advantage and never trailed as he was straight down the groove to go to the semifinal. Wilkerson made a move toward the centerline and then when he reeled it back in it started to smoke the tires.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 John Force                            139 Dave Richards                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.129  4.757 183.69                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Force     ) 0.074  4.058 315.49      (A DeJoria   ) 0.170  5.347 164.59
 Qualified:             #9  4.141 287.66                       #16  5.167 157.26

Force is 1 - 0 against Richards in prior events. Richards was a no show. Force started to loose traction early and he clicked it off.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                              77 Bob Tasca III                
E2                   0.083  4.530 224.85     ****WINNER****  0.081  4.376 252.66
 Prior rounds:
E1    (T Johnson Jr) 0.081  4.068 314.39      (C Pedregon  ) 0.083  4.083 311.27
 Qualified:             #5  4.123 297.35                       #13  4.204 297.29

Capps is 17 - 9 against Tasca III in prior events. Tasca with the slight starting line advantage and then Capps had the lead until he started to haze the tires. He pedaled it a couple times, but couldn't get it to hook up. Tasca started hazing the tires about 600 feet out and had to pedal a couple of times, but got the win light. He will have lane choice over Force in the semifinal.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Robert Hight                          170 Jeff Arend                   
E2   ****WINNER****  0.095  4.544 198.47                     0.106  4.929 164.85
 Prior rounds:
E1    (C Head      ) 0.082  4.078 310.27      (D Worsham   ) 0.065  4.124 312.93
 Qualified:             #2  4.108 308.14                       #10  4.161 302.01

Hight is 17 - 2 against Arend in prior events. Hight with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Hight did start the haze the tires and pedaled it a couple times and got it to recover for the win. Arend hazes the tires about 400 feet out, pedals and can't get it to hook up, so he gives up on the run. Hight will give up lane choice to Hagan in the semifinal.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink