Sat, 14 May 2016, 15:45 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Rowe

COMMERCE, Ga. - Notes from round 3 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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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.001/320.66, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.016/311.41, Was #7

3:19 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 85 degrees, relative humidity 38 percent, barometer 29.10 inches, adjusted altitude 3,304 feet, track temperature 126 degrees.

Wilkerson goes right down the groove with a good looking pass, his quickest of the weekend, and he moves up a spot in the order.

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Left Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 5.509/134.38, Now #13; No Prior Run

Diehl gets about 300 feet out, starts hazing the tires and has to back off the throttle.

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Left Lane: Dave Richards Runs 4.467/201.58, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.192/288.27, Was #12
Right Lane: John Hale Runs 10.624/66.96, Now #14; No Prior Run

Hale hits the throttle, gets about 50m feet out and goes up in smoke. Richards was on a decent pass but the car went silent about 600 feet out, not sure why. Hale will get in the field in the 14th spot, Richards stays in the 12th spot.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 5.821/115.11, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.042/306.95, Was #10
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.033/313.66, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.057/312.35, Was #11

Pedregon gets about 300 feet out, strikes the tires and aborts the run. Johnson goes right down the groove with a clean pass, his quickest pass of the weekend, and he moves up a spot in the order.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.007/320.74, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.980/323.58, Was #5
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.019/316.82, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.022/311.05, Was #9

Two good passes, both right down the groove. Worsham improves but not enough to move up in the order. Hight doesn't improve but makes a good, clean pass.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 4.023/316.23, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.949/318.69, Was #4
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.022/319.37, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.019/321.73, Was #8

Two more good passes, side-by-side all the way through the run. Neither driver improves but make good passes for the conditions.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 5.600/124.05, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.943/326.08, Was #2
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.003/317.64, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.011/322.04, Was #7

Hagan gets about 300 feet out, strikes the tires and backs off the throttle. Capps goes right down the groove with his quickest pass of the weekend but will stay in the seventh spot.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.033/314.97, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.939/326.32, Was #1
Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 3.991/318.24, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.946/324.67, Was #3

Force makes an impressive pass for the conditions, the quickest of the round, and she will pick up some bonus points. Beckman makes a clean pass but doesn't improve.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink