Sun, 23 Apr 2017, 13:03 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

BAYTOWN, Texas - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual NHRA SpringNationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Ron Capps                             499 Todd Simpson                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.104  3.897 327.90                     0.046 11.347  81.01
 Qualified:             #2  3.884 326.56                       #15  8.421  85.90

11:29 a.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 70 degrees, relative humidity 47 percent, barometer 30.03 inches, adjusted altitude 1,126 feet, track temperature 102 degrees.

Ron Capps has won three times in Houston. This is the first time Capps and Simpson have faced each other in eliminations.

Simpson was up in smoke at the hit. Capps was a little to the right of the groove at the finish. Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.243, 660ft-3.157/284.62 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Courtney Force                        717 Jeff Diehl                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.092  5.344 132.02                     0.148 10.819  77.81
 Qualified:             #1  3.851 330.23                       #16 11.833  68.24

Courtney Force is the defending event champion. Force and Diehl have each won 1 time against the other in prior events.

Diehl smoked the tires on the launch. Force's engine went silent at about 400 feet, but she was still quick enough to get the win.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    4 John Force                            750 Del Worsham                  
E1   ****WINNER****  0.090  4.216 220.08                     0.103  4.485 205.51
 Qualified:             #3  3.890 325.53                       #14  4.139 267.00

Del Worsham is one of two drivers to have won here in both Top Fuel and Funny Car - the other was Mike Dunn. John Force has six wins here with his last coming in 2002. Force is 54 - 29 against Worsham in prior events.

Both drivers had problems and they were both coasting just before the 660-foot mark.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Robert Hight                          703 Jim Campbell                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.075  3.870 331.77                     0.120  4.543 195.51
 Qualified:             #4  3.894 329.67                       #13  4.126 299.73

Robert Hight won here in 2005 and 2014. This is the first time Hight and Campbell have faced each other in eliminations.

Campbell dropped a cylinder or two at about 300 feet. Hight was close to the centerline at the finish. His speed was a track record.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.232, 660ft-3.138/284.51 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   71 Cruz Pedregon                         373 J.R. Todd                    
E1                   0.115  3.935 322.04     ****WINNER****  0.078  3.959 323.58
 Qualified:             #5  3.897 324.98                       #12  4.016 322.65

Cruz Pedregon was the Houston winner in 1992 and 2013. This is the first time Pedregon and Todd have faced each other in eliminations.

This was a good looking drag race! Todd got the win by about 6 feet. He will give lane choice to Hight in round two.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.889 sec., 330ft-2.261, 660ft-3.185/280.37 mph.
J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.271, 660ft-3.204/277.15 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Jack Beckman                            3 Matt Hagan                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.083  4.224 222.62                     0.089  5.142 162.12
 Qualified:             #6  3.907 327.90                       #11  3.974 322.19

Jack Beckman has been runner-up here three times including twice in the last three years. Matt Hagan won here in 2010. Hagan is 18 - 17 against Beckman in prior events.

Hagan lost traction at about 300 feet. Beckman had to pedal it a couple times, starting just before the 660-foot mark. He'll give lane choice to John Force in round two.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Tommy Johnson Jr.                     801 Jonnie Lindberg              
E1                   0.059  4.556 190.16     ****WINNER****  0.069  3.944 326.16
 Qualified:             #7  3.934 320.05                       #10  3.961 323.50

Tommy Johnson's 4 round wins in Las Vegas moved his overall record to 345 - 342. Johnson Jr. is 1 - 0 against Lindberg in prior events.

Johnson was mixing up the cylinders at half track and he had to lift. Lindberg makes a decent run and he will give lane choice to Capps in round two.

Jonnie Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.900 sec., 330ft-2.265, 660ft-3.195/278.92 mph.

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    9 Tim Wilkerson                         771 Alexis DeJoria               
E1                   0.108  8.109 112.19     ****WINNER****  0.141  3.927 327.03
 Qualified:             #8  3.946 322.34                        #9  3.946 322.34

Tim Wilkerson's win in Houston came back in 2004. He has been runner-up here twice including last year. Tim and Alexis DeJoria ran identical times and speeds for their qualifying positions but Tim gets the higher spot because he turned his first. Wilkerson and DeJoria have each won 3 times against the other in prior events.

Wilkerson lost traction just past the tree and he could only watch DeJoria speed away from him. DeJoria will have lane choice over Courtney Force in round two.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.882 sec., 330ft-2.249, 660ft-3.180/279.44 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink