Sat, 19 Aug 2017, 15:24 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Bob Orme

BRAINERD, Minn. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 36th annual Lucas Oil NHRA 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: Jim Campbell Runs 4.079/306.88, Now #13; Best prior run: 9.537/67.32, Was #16

1:49 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 79 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 28.57 inches, adjusted altitude 3,567 feet, track temperature 112 degrees.

Campbell makes a clean pass and moves up a few spots in the order.

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Left Lane: Brian Stewart Runs 4.011/303.37, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.015/150.73, Was #16
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 10.484/80.98, Now #17; Best prior run: 9.804/83.54, Was #17

Stewart's engine went silent just before the finish. Pedregon was up in smoke almost immediately.

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Left Lane: Bob Bode No Time, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.855/168.62, Was #16
Right Lane: Courtney Force Runs 3.923/328.54, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.863/335.98, Was #4

Bode lost traction before he passed the tree and his engine went "pop" at about 120 feet. He rolled to a stop at about 500 feet.

A good looking pass by Force in the heat of the day. Courtney Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.265, 660ft-3.181/281.60 mph.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 5.198/143.61, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.937/327.98, Was #9
Right Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. Runs 4.188/297.29, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.315/224.02, Was #15

Todd's dropped a cylinder just before the 330-foot mark and he lifted. Creasy makes a clean, conservative pass.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 10.974/75.82, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.928/325.14, Was #8
Right Lane: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 3.970/325.77, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.988/294.24, Was #12

Capps lost traction just after the hit.

A good looking pass by Lindberg. Jonnie Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.892 sec., 330ft-2.293, 660ft-3.224/279.27 mph.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 3.979/323.27, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.985/321.27, Was #12
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 3.941/327.43, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.947/330.31, Was #10

A good looking drag race and both drivers improve a little bit.

Del Worsham's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.298, 660ft-3.227/278.63 mph.
Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.886 sec., 330ft-2.272, 660ft-3.195/281.77 mph.

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Left Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 3.897/330.96, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.880/329.58, Was #5
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 5.053/152.92, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.898/329.26, Was #7

Wilkerson lost traction at the 330-foot mark.

A very good pass by Johnson. Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.864 sec., 330ft-2.237, 660ft-3.156/282.48 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 3.950/316.75, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.852/334.15, Was #3
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 3.931/326.87, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.886/333.25, Was #6

A good looking drag race! Both drivers run it straight down the groove.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.886 sec., 330ft-2.274, 660ft-3.195/281.30 mph.
Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.253, 660ft-3.185/278.06 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 5.252/138.17, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.793/338.00, Was #1
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.932/327.03, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.807/336.57, Was #2

Hagan makes a solid pass. Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.260, 660ft-3.187/279.44 mph.

Hight was on a good pass until he lost traction at the 330-foot mark.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink