Fri, 13 May 2016, 19:53 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #2

By Dave Rowe

COMMERCE, Ga. - Notes from round 2 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 this round, position in order following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

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Right Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 4.216/285.95, Now #11; No Prior Run

7:25 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 35 percent, barometer 29.16 inches, adjusted altitude 2,943 feet.

Diehl was on a good pass but it looked like he put out a cylinder or two about 900 feet out. He runs well enough to get in the field for now.

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Left Lane: Chad Head Runs 5.474/131.69, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.335/136.88, Was #12
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 3.949/318.69, Now #1; Best prior run: 8.685/83.12, Was #16

DeJoria goes right down the groove with an impressive pass, setting the track record and moving into the top spot for now. Head loses traction about 400 feet out and has to back off the throttle.

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Left Lane: John Hale Runs 8.830/76.76, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.210/288.89, Was #11
Right Lane: Dave Richards Runs 4.192/288.27, Now #11; Best prior run: 8.201/80.27, Was #16

Hale gets about 50 feet out and goes up in smoke ending his run. Richards runs a career best ET and moves him up to the 11th spot.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.011/322.04, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.063/312.57, Was #9
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.980/323.58, Now #3; Best prior run: 6.509/104.37, Was #15

A good side-by-side, both right down the groove. Hight makes the third three second run at this track, sets the track MPH record and moves up to the third spot.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 7.803/82.18, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.057/312.35, Was #10
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 3.939/326.32, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.070/308.78, Was #11

Johnson goes up in smoke early and has to abort the run. Beckman makes an impressive pass, setting both ends of the track record and moves into the top spot for now.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.019/321.73, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.037/318.39, Was #8
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.943/326.08, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.049/314.17, Was #10

Hagan goes right down the groove with a good pass to get in the second spot behind Beckman. Force makes a decent pass and improves but not enough to move up in the order.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 5.657/122.20, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.022/311.05, Was #9
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.091/258.27, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.042/306.95, Was #10

Worsham gets about 300 feet out and goes up in smoke. Pedregon was on a decent pass, then the car makes a quick move to the right, almost hitting the wall about 900 feet out.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 3.946/324.67, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.971/305.01, Was #4
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.981/152.90, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.016/311.41, Was #7

Force makes another good pass and moves up a spot to third. Wilkerson gets about 500 feet out, strikes the tires and has to back off the throttle.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink