Sun, 22 May 2016, 17:34 PM Funny Car Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 28th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Matt Hagan                              2 Jack Beckman                 
E4   ****WINNER****  0.047  5.724 179.04                     0.058  6.560 146.75
 Prior rounds:
E3    (C Force     ) 0.070  3.951 324.05      (T Wilkerson ) 0.070  3.936 324.20
E2    (R Hight     ) 0.056  3.942 323.81      (T Johnson Jr) 0.085  3.956 316.75
E1    (B Stewart   ) 0.066  3.943 325.69      (D Creasy Jr ) 0.068  3.933 327.19
 Qualified:             #1  3.862 335.57                        #2  3.866 332.10

4:24 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 84 degrees, relative humidity 53 percent, barometer 28.76 inches, adjusted altitude 3,787 feet, track temperature 110 degrees.

Beckman is 16 - 15 against Hagan in prior events and Hagan is 2 - 1 against Beckman in prior final rounds. This is a rematch of the Atlanta final, which was the first final of 2016 for both drivers. Hagan won that matchup. Hagan has 19 wins in 37 final round appearances and Beckman has 22 wins in 45 final round appearances.

That was a wild race! Beckman struck the tires just after the launch. Hagan got loose at half track and he pedaled it a number of times, not knowing where Beckman was. Matt Hagan fishtailed his way to the finish line and the win.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink