Sat, 20 Sep 2014, 17:46 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 29th annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals 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: Matt Hagan Runs 4.176/300.86, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.083/312.86, Was #6
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.228/301.07, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.088/312.13, Was #9

4:22 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 95 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 29.37 inches, adjusted altitude 3,704 feet, track temperature 142 degrees.

Hagan goes right down the groove on a clean pass but doesn't improve. Hight makes a clean run on this tricky track but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.337/262.69, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.096/306.26, Was #11
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.271/293.79, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.081/314.24, Was #5

Force and Tasca were both moving around in the middle of the run and neither can improve.

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Left Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 4.537/225.90, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.649/132.76, Was #18
Right Lane: Todd Simpson Runs 4.771/182.60, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.172/163.12, Was #17

Diehl starts hazing the tires about 400 feet out, stays on the throttle and gets in the show in the 14th spot for now. Simpson started hazing the tires at the same time but was off the throttle early. he improves and gets in the show on the bump...for now.

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Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 6.094/118.72, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.061/231.28, Was #17
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.269/293.09, Now #14; Best prior run: 5.099/149.88, Was #18

Haddock goes up in smoke early and gives up on the run. Wilkerson goes right down the groove and gets in the show, bumping out Simpson in the process.

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Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.186/297.22, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.157/293.73, Was #13

Tony Pedregon was scheduled to be in this pair but decided not to make a pass and pulled out of line.

Cruz Pedregon goes right down the groove, candles lit all the way through the run. He did not improve and stays in the 13th spot.

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Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.204/300.26, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.087/312.35, Was #8

Beckman drifted a little to the left late in the run but made a decent pass for the conditions.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 6.049/108.77, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.088/307.79, Was #10
Right Lane: Chad Head Runs 5.473/131.34, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.084/309.06, Was #7

Worsham and Head leave the line together, get about 300 feet out, then both haze the tires and back off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 4.194/299.46, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.041/305.42, Was #2
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 6.242/103.59, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.076/309.42, Was #4

Johnson gets about 300 feet out, rattles the tires and backs off the throttle. DeJoria goes right down the groove with an impressive pass but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 4.966/155.90, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.039/314.90, Was #1
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.197/297.88, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.051/311.92, Was #3

Force gets about 400 feet out, goes up in smoke and backs off the throttle. Capps drifted a little to the left but made a good run for the conditions.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink