Sat, 05 Aug 2017, 20:47 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

KENT, Wash. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 30th annual NHRA Northwest 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 6.598/107.07, Now #16; Best prior run: 5.998/120.28, Was #16

5:16 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 41 percent, barometer 29.56 inches, adjusted altitude 2,501 feet, track temperature 119 degrees.

Robert Hight is number one at 3.894 and Jeff Diehl is on the bump spot at 5.998.

The crew's initial attempt to start the engine doesn't work and there is some frantic checking of things. The engine does come to life finally and he makes his burnout without further drama.

Things don't get any better at the launch, as he is off the throttle and coasting about 200 feet out. He will stay on the bump spot, as there are only sixteen FC's on the property.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 3.943/325.14, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.187/230.33, Was #14
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 6.456/106.12, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.995/318.84, Was #10

Force is uncharacteristically near the bottom of the ladder after three attempts. Worsham make a three second pass in session three.

Worsham gets a small starting line advantage, but is loose before the 330 lights and coasting. He will stay #10 for now.

Force finally gets from start to finish without a problem and moves up into the top four for now, on clean pass. Nice!

Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.252, 660ft-3.189/276.97 mph.

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Left Lane: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 3.988/296.37, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.053/318.32, Was #13
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.956/317.34, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.984/314.24, Was #9

Lindberg hasn't made a three second pass for the last two weeks. He powers on down the track with better numbers than Capps until right at the 660 lights, where one parachute comes out. He never lifts and still makes his first three second pass of the weekend and moves three spots up the ladder.

Capps flies on by and finishes well, moving four spots up the ladder to the #5 spot for now.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 6.876/105.31, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.006/311.49, Was #13
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 3.943/323.35, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.983/322.88, Was #9

Beckman makes another strong pass from start to finish and pushes Capps back a spot to take over #5 with a four position improvement too!

Pedregon gets just pass the 60 foot lights and then has the slicks smoking hard.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.883 sec., 330ft-2.263, 660ft-3.192/276.92 mph.

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Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 3.963/324.05, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.963/322.19, Was #7
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 5.412/133.66, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.981/325.22, Was #9

DeJoria car is all over the lane down track and she still matches her Q3 time to the thousandth, with a little more speed to stay #7.

Todd leave right with her at the green with an identical reaction time, but is off the pedal early right at the 330 lights. He will stay #9.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.888 sec., 330ft-2.278, 660ft-3.211/276.86 mph.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.950/327.90, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.930/328.54, Was #2
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.748/169.08, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.973/307.23, Was #8

Hagan makes another clean and strong run and stay #2.

Force is running right with him to right before the 330 lights, when the slicks come loose and he is coasting.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.891 sec., 330ft-2.280, 660ft-3.204/279.85 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.883/329.34, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.894/329.42, Was #1
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.373/203.65, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.930/324.05, Was #3

Last pair of the weekend to try and improve their qualifying times.

Hight assures his dominance of qualifying by running the quickest pass of the weekend, with the second fastest pass to boot. Sweet!

Johnson is off the line first for a small advantage that is quickly lost. He does run well until until about the 660 lights and then he is coasting

This makes Hight's forth number one qualifier position of the season, third in last four races, and the fifty-third of his career.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.229, 660ft-3.143/282.78 mph.

5:38 p.m. Jeff Diehl is on the bump spot at 5.998.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink