Sat, 08 Feb 2020, 18:10 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, 60th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com 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: Terry Haddock Runs 4.339/223.25, Now #13; No Prior Run

2:22 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 39 percent, barometer 28.80 inches, adjusted altitude 2,673 feet, track temperature 103 degrees.

Matt Hagan is number one at 3.867 and Cruz Pedregon is on the bump spot at 10.951.

Haddock makes his first attempt of the weekend and has a strong leave. The Mustang runs hard until near the 660 light and starts to push hard towards the wall. He quickly gives it up, but still moves into the field in #13.

Terry Haddock's incremental times: 60ft-0.930 sec., 330ft-2.355, 660ft-3.348/251.77 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 3.940/324.28, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.182/233.96, Was #12
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.326/214.01, Now #13; Best prior run: 10.951/75.01, Was #17

Pedregon was on a much better pass until right at the 660 lights, where the Charger makes a violent move to turn it almost sideways. He bumps back into the field in #13.

Tasca makes a full pass this time and picks up four spots to the top eight on a clean and straight run.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.869 sec., 330ft-2.255, 660ft-3.189/277.03 mph.
Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.885 sec., 330ft-2.287, 660ft-3.283/234.66 mph.

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Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.894/329.18, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.867/331.20, Was #1
Right Lane: John Force Runs 3.933/320.43, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.130/302.28, Was #12

Alex Miladinovich is on the bump spot at 4.554.

That's a lot better for Force! The team gets the tuneup right this time and the Camaro is strong from start to finish. It's good enough to move him up four positions to the top half of the field for now.

In tougher weather conditions, Hagan runs straight and strong to near his best numbers from yesterday. He was already number one!

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.861 sec., 330ft-2.233, 660ft-3.154/283.37 mph.
John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.863 sec., 330ft-2.237, 660ft-3.177/275.17 mph.

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Left Lane: Alex Miladinovich Runs 6.743/106.02, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.554/246.71, Was #16
Right Lane: Jim Campbell Runs 13.408/33.94, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.930/173.76, Was #17

Campbell's Charger turns the tires square at the hit and he has to lift early.

Miladinovich leaves hard and the Camry drives right towards the 330 reflector and he just misses it before getting the car back into the lane. That keeps him on the bump spot with one session to go!

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Left Lane: Steven Densham Runs 5.450/129.29, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.361/205.35, Was #15
Right Lane: Bob Bode Runs 4.011/287.05, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.984/320.89, Was #12

Densham's Mustang shakes the tires loose about the 330 foot lights. Steven Densham was charged with an oildown, #1 for the season. That will cost 5 points.

Bode leaves well and then has his Mustang start to power right towards the centerline near the 660 lights. He gets really close to the 1000 foot reflector, but just stays in his lane.

2:40 p.m. Time for some clean up on the top end.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 3.949/310.27, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.918/322.96, Was #7
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 7.454/92.47, Now #11; Best prior run: 3.983/325.37, Was #11

2:52 p.m. Back to qualifying.

They leave close together, but DeJoria's Camry drop some holes early and she lifts.

Wilkerson was on a clean pass until right near the 1000 foot mark, where the chutes came out a little early.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.258, 660ft-3.191/278.75 mph.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.949/330.15, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.914/327.11, Was #6
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.911/328.38, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.947/324.12, Was #10

Just another nice looking side by side pair of passes!

Todd is away first and starts out in from until right after the 660 lights. A strong pass with a better speed. He will get bumped back a spot by a better pass from Capps.

Capps' incrementals after the launch were better and he moves up four spots into the top half of the field in #6.

J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.883 sec., 330ft-2.270, 660ft-3.198/279.09 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.871 sec., 330ft-2.249, 660ft-3.172/280.14 mph.

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Left Lane: Paul Lee Runs 4.171/234.04, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.910/332.92, Was #5
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 8.871/73.24, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.905/318.02, Was #4

Lee has to lift early and stays #5. Johnson shakes the tires loose off the line.

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Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 5.838/116.73, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.885/330.31, Was #3
Right Lane: Jack Beckman Runs 3.885/326.95, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.868/326.95, Was #2

They leave with identical RT's and are just 0.001 apart at 60 feet.

Hight's Camaro gets loose early and he has to lift.

Beckman pulls hard to the finish line and runs close to yesterday's ET with an identical speed.

Jack Beckman's incremental times: 60ft-0.868 sec., 330ft-2.225, 660ft-3.145/281.13 mph.

3:05 p.m. Matt Hagan is still number one at 3.867 and Alex Miladinovich is on the bump spot at 4.554.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink