Fri, 08 Feb 2019, 16:13 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 59th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Frank Pedregon No Time, Now #1

12:38 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 60 degrees, relative humidity 30 percent, barometer 28.94 inches, adjusted altitude 1,550 feet, track temperature 91 degrees.

This is Pedregon's first NHRA appearance in FC since 2006.

Sounded like someone forgot to put the throttle stop on the linkage, as the engine RPM's goes sky high in the burnout and the engine quickly goes silent.

The Stratus is pushed back behind the line.

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Left Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 8.584/79.12, Now #1
Right Lane: Gary Densham No Time, Now #3

Burkart's crew has to hustle, as the battery pack is dead and they quickly have to swap it out.

Densham's Mustang lurches forward as it tries to start. The crew pushes him away.

Burkart gets out a short ways and rattles the tires loose. He has to lift and roll on down.

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Left Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 4.024/315.78, Now #2
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 3.930/328.14, Now #1

Two new wraps for these guys. Pedregon has swapped to a 2019 Charger and Campbell is running a new Cattleman's Cut sponsor.

We finally get two cars down the track together!

Pedregon is reportedly doing his own tuning this year and he takes his Snap-on Dodge right on down the green track to run a three second pass with a big speed.

Campbell was away first and let most the way to slide into #2 with a good ET and speed.

Jim Campbell's incremental times: 60ft-0.900 sec., 330ft-2.300, 660ft-3.249/270.81 mph.
Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.878 sec., 330ft-2.252, 660ft-3.183/277.66 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 7.843/90.00, Now #4
Right Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 3.927/325.77, Now #1

Tasca is running a new Ford Mustang body. The Mustang shakes off the line and he lifts.

Another strong pass in the right lane. Langdon had to work hard down track, keeping the Camry between the strips.

Shawn Langdon's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.254, 660ft-3.179/279.38 mph.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.101/330.23, Now #5
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.971/323.19, Now #3

Lots of crew chief and crew changes at JFR over the winter. Force has to do a little pedal job about 100 feet out and he still runs over 330 MPH.

Hagan makes a clean and straight pass to move into the #3 spot without drama.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.376, 660ft-3.350/270.54 mph.
Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.870 sec., 330ft-2.267, 660ft-3.213/273.72 mph.

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Left Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 5.014/168.58, Now #6
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 7.228/83.49, Now #7

Wilkerson will be getting his new 2019 Mustang body later this year. The 2017 Mustang starts to leave hard and then kicks the tires hard. The parachute comes out and he is done.

Beckman gets a little further and has to do a quick pedal too. He coasts on down too.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.915/304.87, Now #1
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 8.010/79.35, Now #10

Capps leaves hard and drives hard to the finish line. Looks like he may have clicked it early, but still moves into the top spot.

Johnson has shake and spin early and coasts on down.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.853 sec., 330ft-99.999, 660ft-3.154/278.92 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.338/269.40, Now #8
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.940/319.98, Now #4

Only two JFR Funny Cars this year.

Number one and number two FC leaders in 2018 come to the lie.

Todd has a strong leave, but is off the throttle before the lights. He still cards a time good enough for #4.

Hight struggles and can't finish the pass under power.

J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.882 sec., 330ft-2.264, 660ft-3.186/280.14 mph.

1:05 p.m. Ron Capps is number one at 3.915 and No bump spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink