Sat, 01 Nov 2014, 18:34 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 14th annual NHRA Toyota 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: Jon Capps Runs 4.163/279.21, Now #13; No Prior Run

2:58 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 29 percent, barometer 27.66 inches, adjusted altitude 3,847 feet, track temperature 90 degrees.

Capps makes his quickest pass of the weekend and gets in the show for now.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 4.024/320.66, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.160/309.13, Was #12
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.290/294.69, Now #14; No Prior Run

Force goes right down the groove with the quickest pass of the weekend so far to take the top spot for now. Haddock was moving around in the middle of the run but was able to make his quickest pass of the weekend.

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Left Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 11.276/83.62, Now #16; No Prior Run
Right Lane: John Bojec Runs 4.960/168.96, Now #15; No Prior Run

Diehl goes up in smoke at the hit and has to give up on the run. Bojec got out of shape about 600 feet out and backed off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Paul Lee Runs 4.151/301.40, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.131/305.42, Now #11; No Prior Run

Lee makes his quickest pass of the weekend and gets in the field in the 14th spot. Pedregon makes a good run to get in the field in the 11th spot for now.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.042/310.91, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.145/290.69, Was #12
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.719/171.29, Now #17; No Prior Run

Pedregon gets about 600 feet out, hazes the tires and backs off the throttle. Arend goes right down the groove with his quickest pass of the year to move into the third spot for now.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.079/314.17, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.122/310.55, Was #11
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.105/308.78, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.147/306.88, Was #13

Wilkerson makes his quickest pass of the weekend and moves up to the ninth spot. tasca goes right down the groove and moves into the 12th spot.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 7.848/81.87, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.089/316.52, Was #10
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.665/178.97, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.090/311.13, Was #11

Hight gets about 300 feet out, strikes the tires and aborts the run. Worsham gets a little further, about 600 feet, then loses traction and backs off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.037/322.34, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.058/318.62, Was #6
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 6.650/99.44, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.076/308.35, Was #8

DeJoria gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. Capps goes right down the groove and moves all the way to the second spot.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.080/313.07, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.045/318.84, Was #6
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 7.685/79.63, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.065/311.41, Was #7

Johnson gets about 300 feet out, hazes the tires and gives up on the run. Beckman makes a decent pass but doesn't improve.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.010/320.66, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.044/318.02, Was #5
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.140/310.27, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.039/318.54, Was #3

Hagan makes an impressive pass, right down the groove with the quickest pass of the weekend, and he takes the pole to end this session and picks up another three points in the process. Force makes a clean pass but was falling behind at every marker.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink