Sat, 26 Sep 2015, 16:48 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, Fourth 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: Shane Westerfield No Time, Now #18; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.973/322.50, Now #5; Best prior run: 4.047/308.50, Was #8

3:14 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 56 percent, barometer 29.64 inches, adjusted altitude 2,371 feet, track temperature 100 degrees.

This is Westerfield's first attempt this weekend. Capps made a decent run in the first round yesterday but crossed the centerline and took out a couple of timing blocks on his second attempt so he is in the first pair out today.

Westerfield hits the throttle, moves about two feet and the engine dies.

Capps goes right down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend and he moves up to the fifth spot for now.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 11.923/85.25, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.073/305.91, Was #11
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.149/293.98, Now #13; No Prior Run

DeJoria hits the throttle, goes up in smoke and she has to back off the throttle before she reaches the 100 foot mark. Pedregon makes his quickest pass of the weekend and he gets in the 13th spot for now.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 11.605/75.27, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.058/307.37, Was #10
Right Lane: John Bojec Runs 4.132/302.82, Now #13; No Prior Run

Bojec hasn't made a full pass yet this weekend. He changes that on this pass, going right down the groove, candles lit all the way through the run. He runs a career best and gets in the field in the 13th spot for now. Force hits the throttle and goes up in smoke.

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Left Lane: Chad Head Runs 5.934/244.34, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. No Time, Now #16; No Prior Run

Creasy does his burnout, can't get the car to back up and has to be pushed back. He gets back behind the starting line and cuts off the engine. Head goes up in smoke at the hit, stays off the throttle for a second, then gets back on it just to put a number up on the board. He gets in the field in the 15th spot for now.

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Left Lane: Brian Stewart Runs 5.729/128.18, Now #15; No Prior Run
Right Lane: John Hale Runs 6.486/102.39, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.095/305.63, Was #12

Stewart gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. He pedals once, the car makes a move toward the wall and he gives up on the run. Hale goes up in smoke about 300 feet out and backs off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.940/158.15, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.998/318.02, Was #8
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.698/168.39, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.053/305.22, Was #9

Wilkerson and Pedregon leave the line, both get about 400 feet out, then both strike the tires and back off the throttle.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 5.265/139.26, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.985/322.42, Was #6
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.826/162.41, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.994/313.22, Was #7

This was a carbon copy of the last pair. Both get off the line okay, get about 400 feet out, then both go up in smoke.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 3.935/326.79, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.959/319.90, Was #2
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.924/327.27, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.970/323.66, Was #4

Hagan and Worsham solve the traction problems here, both right down the groove, not a hint of tire smoke from either car. Hagan sets both ends of the track record and takes over the top spot for now with the seventh quickest pass and third fastest pass ever. Worsham ges in right behind him in the second spot.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.431/196.53, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.946/323.43, Was #3
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 3.941/318.54, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.963/319.22, Was #4

Johnson goes right down the groove with a career best pass and moves up to the third spot. Beckman was on a decent pass but goes up in smoke about 600 feet out and backs off the throttle.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink