Sun, 28 Sep 2014, 16:21 PM Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

MADISON, Ill. - Results of round 3 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Third annual AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Matt Hagan                           3111 Chad Head                    
E3   ****WINNER****  0.091  4.158 302.96                     0.092  4.903 211.03
 Prior rounds:
E2    (J Arend     ) 0.081  4.139 307.44      (T Johnson Jr) 0.155  4.155 308.21
E1    (A DeJoria   ) 0.057  4.158 299.06      (R Hight     ) 0.057  4.121 305.98
 Qualified:             #7  4.071 315.49                       #14  4.168 292.27

3:13 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 87 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.61 inches, adjusted altitude 2,859 feet, track temperature 116 degrees.

Hagan is 2 - 1 against Head in prior events.

Hagan is second in the points and even if he wins the event he will not be able to catch John Force. He needs the win to keep his slim lead over Courtney Force who is just eight points behind and will be racing her dad in the next pair.

They leave the line together but Hagan starts to pull away quickly. Head gets about 300 feet out, strikes the tires, pedals once and gives up on the run. Hagan goes right down the groove for the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 John Force                              7 Courtney Force               
E3                   0.099  4.119 311.27     ****WINNER****  0.051  4.143 311.56
 Prior rounds:
E2    (R Capps     ) 0.078  4.111 312.50      (D Worsham   ) 0.067  4.154 311.13
E1    (B Stewart   ) 0.097  4.103 312.35      (B Tasca III ) 0.090  4.101 314.31
 Qualified:             #1  4.022 319.52                        #4  4.047 317.87

J. Force and C. Force have each won 6 times against the other in prior events.

John is the points leader and will leave the race in first regardless of what happens. Courtney needs the win to keep pace with Hagan who has already advanced to the final round.

Courtney straps a holeshot on her dad and makes it stick. John starts to gain ground past the sixty foot mark but runs out of room..

Courtney Force's incremental margins: 60ft(0.043), 330 ft(0.029), 660ft(0.024). MOV: 0.0246 seconds (approximately 11 feet).

Courtney will have lane choice over Hagan in the final round.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink