Sun, 30 Oct 2016, 16:47 PM Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 16th annual NHRA Toyota Nationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    7 John Force                           3111 Chad Head                    
E2   ****WINNER****  0.075  3.917 325.92                     0.081  4.032 280.66
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Bojec     ) 0.115  3.906 326.95      (T Wilkerson ) 0.072  4.757 264.55
 Qualified:             #3  3.876 331.94                       #11  3.923 326.24

1:29 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 83 degrees, relative humidity 37 percent, barometer 27.73 inches, adjusted altitude 4,767 feet.

Force is 5 - 2 against Head in prior events.

Force gets a small advantage off the line and goes right down the groove with a good pass. Head was falling behind, then the car nosed over late in the run, not sure why. Force takes the win and moves on the the semi final round.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Matt Hagan                              1 Del Worsham                  
E2   ****WINNER****  0.053  3.887 329.02                     0.041  3.935 326.71
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Hale      ) 0.065  3.911 328.14      (T Johnson Jr) 0.066  3.923 327.35
 Qualified:             #2  3.872 329.18                        #7  3.895 325.69

Worsham is 11 - 10 against Hagan in prior events.

Hagan has moved into second place in the points ahead of Johnson. He is still 86 points behind Capps but still has a chance but will need a lot of help to get there.

Worsham gets out of the gate first but Hagan reels him in quickly. Hagan gets about 800 feet out makes a little move to the left, but goes on through the lights for the win. Worsham made a hard move to the left at the end of the run but avoided the timing blocks at the end of the run.

Hagan will have lane choice over Force in the next round.

Matt Hagan's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(0.012), 330 ft(0.017), 660ft(0.030). MOV: 0.0366 seconds (approximately 18 feet).

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Jack Beckman                          746 Courtney Force               
E2                   0.070  7.852  78.74     ****WINNER****  0.082  3.886 321.73
 Prior rounds:
E1    (J Arend     ) 0.075  3.890 326.95      (A DeJoria   ) 0.122  3.888 327.82
 Qualified:             #1  3.871 327.43                        #8  3.905 325.69

Beckman leaves first but strikes the tires about 10 feet out. The rear of the car moves around wildly and he has to give up on the run. Force goes right down the groove with her quickest pass of the weekend to take the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   28 Ron Capps                              71 Cruz Pedregon                
E2   ****WINNER****  0.103  3.921 323.43                           No Time      
 Prior rounds:
E1    (P Lee       ) 0.083  3.916 323.66      (R Hight     ) 0.089  4.244 218.55
 Qualified:             #4  3.881 326.71                       #12  3.952 318.99

Capps is 41 - 25 against Pedregon in prior events.

Pedregon decided not to attempt a run after the big wheelstand in the first round.

Capps makes a decent pass but will give up lane choice to Courtney Force in the next round.

With the win Capps keeps his points lead at 86 over Hagan.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink