Fri, 13 May 2016, 17:39 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Dave Rowe

COMMERCE, Ga. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 36th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 7.944/82.16, Now #1

5:06 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 29.16 inches, adjusted altitude 3,081 feet, track temperature 125 degrees.

Campbell leaves the line, gets about 100 feet out and loses traction. He backs off the throttle and coasts through the lights.

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Left Lane: Dave Richards Runs 8.201/80.27, Now #3
Right Lane: John Hale Runs 4.210/288.89, Now #1

Richards has traction problems about 200 feet out and was off the throttle early. Hale was on a good but the car nosed over a little before the finish line. He drifts to the right after the finish line and grazes the wall in the shutdown area.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.042/306.95, Now #1
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.057/312.35, Now #2

A good side-by-side here, both right down the groove. Pedregon moves into the top spot for now, Johnson just behind in second.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.049/314.17, Now #2
Right Lane: Chad Head Runs 5.335/136.88, Now #5

Head was on a decent pass but hazed the tires about 400 feet out and he had to back off the tires. Hagan made a clean, straight pass and gets in the second spot for now.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 8.685/83.12, Now #9
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.022/311.05, Now #1

DeJoria loses traction about 100 feet out and has to give up on the run. Worsham goes right down the groove with a good pass for the conditions to take the top spot for now.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.070/308.78, Now #6
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.037/318.39, Now #2

Beckman had the best numbers early in the run but Force came on very strong at half track and pulled away with a good pass. Force moves into the second spot, Beckman to the sixth.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.304, 660ft-3.281/264.75 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.901 sec., 330ft-2.315, 660ft-3.268/277.09 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 6.509/104.37, Now #10
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.063/312.57, Now #6

Hight goes up in smoke early and has to back off the throttle. Capps makes a clean pass and moves into the sixth spot for now.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.016/311.41, Now #2
Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 3.971/305.01, Now #1

Force makes an impressive pass, going right down the groove with the first three second run at this track and sets the track ET record. Wilkerson made a clean pass and gets in the second spot right behind Force.

Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.879 sec., 330ft-2.264, 660ft-3.202/281.83 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink