Sat, 27 Sep 2014, 16:45 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Rowe

MADISON, Ill. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Third annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest 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: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 4.623/200.35, Now #13; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 10.028/71.93, Now #14; No Prior Run

3:15 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 40 percent, barometer 29.65 inches, adjusted altitude 2,571 feet, track temperature 113 degrees.

DeJoria goes up in smoke at the hit and has to give up on the run. Creasy was on a decent pass but the candles went out a little early, not sure why.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.706/182.03, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Chad Head Runs 4.273/280.25, Now #13; No Prior Run

Head makes his quickest pass of the weekend and gets in the 13th spot for now. Arend has traction problems about 700 feet out and backs off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 5.028/153.46, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.193/302.21, Was #12
Right Lane: Brian Stewart Runs 4.181/300.06, Now #12; No Prior Run

Wilkerson was on a decent pass but started hazing the tires about 300 feet out and backed off the throttle. Stewart went right down the groove with his quickest pass to get in the show in the 12th spot for now.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.125/302.35, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.138/293.73, Was #10
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.164/302.01, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.157/307.23, Was #11

Capps goes right down the roove with his quickest pass of the weekend and moves up to the ninth spot in the order. Tasca makes a clean pass but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.994/160.18, Now #17; No Prior Run

Pedregon's car was really struggling early in the run and he backed off the throttle about 600 feet out.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.197/303.64, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.078/311.49, Was #7
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 5.133/146.10, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.099/313.00, Was #8

Hight gets about 500 feet out, strikes the tires and gives up on the run. Beckman makes a good pass but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.557/191.59, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.075/313.95, Was #6
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.120/308.21, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.049/314.75, Was #4

Hagan gets about 500 feet out, hazes the tires and makes a move to the centerline before backing off the throttle. Worsham was moving around but kept the car in the groove and made a decent pass.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.131/307.79, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.053/315.78, Was #5
Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 4.160/308.99, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.047/317.87, Was #3

A good side-by-side, both right down the groove. Neither driver improves, Force stays in the third spot, Johnson in fifth.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.080/311.85, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.022/319.52, Was #1
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.135/305.49, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.022/314.02, Was #2

Force goes right down the groove with the quickest pass of the round to earn another three bonus points. Pedregon makes a clean pass but doesn't improve.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink