Sat, 16 Nov 2019, 17:18 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By David Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, 55th 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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Left Lane: John Hale Runs 5.255/142.91, Now #14; No Prior Run
Right Lane: Steven Densham Runs 4.133/260.76, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.129/289.57, Was #9

1:38 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 82 degrees, relative humidity 26 percent, barometer 28.81 inches, adjusted altitude 3,259 feet, track temperature 109 degrees.

Matt Hagan 3.872 and Bob Tasca III is on the bump spot at 6.117.

Hale coundn't make the pass on his only earlier attempt, as there was a emergency shutoff issue on the burnout.

They both leave together, but Hale has to pedal before the 330 lights. It still gets him into the field for now in #14.

Densham is still having issue down track with another blower bang before the lights.

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Left Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 4.484/189.71, Now #7; Best prior run: 4.017/304.74, Was #7
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 4.499/186.28, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.949/326.16, Was #5

Terry Haddock is on the bump spot at 6.085.

Too much power for the track for both cars. Lots of rattle and shake early and they both are done early.

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Left Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 6.736/94.98, Now #18; Best prior run: 8.051/83.37, Was #19
Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 10.978/77.23, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.491/185.64, Was #13

Really short burnout for Campbell. Two more broken passes.

Lee's Charger is smoking the tires hard at the green.

Campbell gets to near the 330 lights before losing to shake and spin.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 3.910/327.59, Now #4; Best prior run: 6.117/109.91, Was #17
Right Lane: Jonnie Lindberg Runs 4.783/186.30, Now #15; Best prior run: 7.377/81.26, Was #19

Tasca finally gets the tune up right and gets a strong pass to the finish line and into the current top four.

Lindberg is on and off the throttle several times and herds the Mustang to the finish line to dump into the show.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.244, 660ft-3.166/280.49 mph.
Jonnie Lindberg's incremental times: 60ft-0.878 sec., 330ft-2.399, 660ft-3.593/206.45 mph.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.815/174.44, Now #16; Best prior run: 6.020/112.21, Was #17
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.991/324.59, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.229/219.76, Was #12

John Hale is on the bump spot at 5.255.

Todd was just bumped out and will not get in this time. After a strong leave, he shakes the tires loose and is in and out of the throttle several times. The Camry gets close to the center line and he has to give it up. He still just bumps into the field.

Capps gets a full pass this time and runs clean to the top half of the field in #8.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.883 sec., 330ft-2.286, 660ft-3.240/274.05 mph.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 4.199/233.03, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.354/306.05, Was #13
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.039/319.22, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.185/292.65, Was #12

They run together to near the 660 lights, where Hight's Camaro has the slicks come loose and he has to lift.

Force makes it to the finish line under power and moves up two spots to #10.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.314, 660ft-3.274/271.19 mph.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon No Time, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.967/320.28, Was #7
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 5.232/0.00, Now #17; Best prior run: 6.085/111.87, Was #18

Pedregon leaves hard and then starts to drop cylinders. Pedregon is drifting out of the groove and gets the finish line block with his header.

Haddock continues to struggle and won't get a speed after Pedregon moved the reflector.

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Left Lane: Shawn Langdon Runs 6.123/112.59, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.893/330.80, Was #3
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 3.918/323.97, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.945/319.82, Was #5

2:05 p.m. Back to qualifying.

Langdon fires and falls back.

Johnson makes a full pass with better times to stay #5.

Tommy Johnson Jr.'s incremental times: 60ft-0.868 sec., 330ft-2.242, 660ft-3.167/278.58 mph.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.957/326.87, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.872/333.58, Was #1
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 3.968/321.12, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.876/327.43, Was #2

Two strong passes and they will stay in the top two spots to wrap up the session.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.879 sec., 330ft-2.262, 660ft-3.205/276.18 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.883 sec., 330ft-2.278, 660ft-3.211/276.35 mph.

2:10 p.m. J.R. Todd is on the bump spot at 4.815.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink