Sat, 10 Nov 2018, 20:47 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Final Session

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from final, round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 54th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals 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: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 4.452/286.01, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.002/141.16, Was #19

5:13 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 71 degrees, relative humidity 18 percent, barometer 28.80 inches, adjusted altitude 2,428 feet, track temperature 79 degrees.

Tommy Johnson is number one at 3.881 and Terry Haddock is on the bump spot at 4.253.

Lindberg has a strong leave and then he has to do a quick pedal pump to calm the car down. He gets right back after it and runs to the lights. He makes his best pass of the weekend by far, but doesn't bump into the field.

Jonnie Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.882 sec., 330ft-2.474, 660ft-3.591/236.96 mph.

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Right Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 5.599/139.04, Now #19; Best prior run: 4.632/190.35, Was #19

Diehl basically repeats Lindberg's pass early, but the car quickly gets loose again and he has to lift. The car was driving hard towards the center line and common sense prevailed!

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Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.946/323.50, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.256/214.62, Was #17

Arend pulls out of line and goes back to the pits, as he can't get bumped now.

Hagan finds himself in unusual place in Q4 in #17. He takes care of that quick, as the Mopar Express Charger flies off the line and powers on down the track to move ten positions up the ladder into the top half of the field in #7. "Saving the best for last!"

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.249, 660ft-3.192/274.44 mph.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 11.856/57.48, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.065/300.20, Was #14
Right Lane: Bob Bode Runs 3.981/318.24, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.005/317.49, Was #13

Ray Martin is on the bump spot at 4.183.

Bode leaves hard and keeps the candles lit to the finish line and score a career best ET and speed. That is his first three second pass! The Mustang moves three spots up the ladder to #10.

Pedregon continues to struggle and has the tires shaking and spinning right at the green.

Bob Bode's incremental times: 60ft-0.884 sec., 330ft-2.284, 660ft-3.222/275.34 mph.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 5.242/141.79, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.950/320.97, Was #8
Right Lane: John Force Runs 3.975/320.36, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.001/326.63, Was #13

Langdon has the tires smoking right at the green.

Force finally gets a representative pass and runs clean and smooth right up three spots on the ladder to #10.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.876 sec., 330ft-2.265, 660ft-3.211/271.52 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.915/327.98, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.936/325.69, Was #6
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 7.564/92.64, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.991/320.20, Was #12

Tasca loses traction early and slows.

Hight does what he needs to do with a really straight pass right down the groove to move two spots up to the current top four. He runs his best speed too.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.876 sec., 330ft-2.254, 660ft-3.172/282.24 mph.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.191/227.54, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.931/321.81, Was #6
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.897/327.82, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.959/321.04, Was #9

Great pass for Todd to move seven spots, with flames over the roof all the way down the track.

Wilkerson was on a good run early, but has the flames drop quickly near the 660 lights.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.876 sec., 330ft-2.268, 660ft-3.215/253.33 mph.
J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.874 sec., 330ft-2.240, 660ft-3.154/281.60 mph.

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Left Lane: Courtney Force Runs 5.356/132.62, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.920/313.58, Was #6
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.848/331.53, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.900/327.03, Was #3

Force smokes the tires right before the 330 lights and slows.

Capps saves his best for last and powers off the line and straight down the groove right into the new top spot. BIG speed too!

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.204, 660ft-3.113/283.85 mph.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 3.867/330.96, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.901/323.35, Was #4
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 3.867/326.40, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.881/328.54, Was #2

Identical ET's, as they run right together from start to finish. They get even close in the shutdown area, as both cars move towards the centerline.

Beckman's Infinite Hero Charger runs almost 331 MPH to win the ET tie and give him the #2 position over Johnson in #3.

Two great passes to wrap up qualifying!

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.856 sec., 330ft-2.210, 660ft-3.131/282.78 mph.
Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.870 sec., 330ft-2.219, 660ft-3.125/283.07 mph.

5:40 p.m. Ron Capps is number one with a 3.848 and Ray Martin is on the bump spot at 4.183.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink