Fri, 27 Oct 2023, 16:37 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Right Lane: Steven Densham Runs 4.133/285.59, Now #1

1:07 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 73 degrees, relative humidity 28 percent, barometer 29.90 inches, adjusted altitude 3,532 feet.

Densham makes a full pass but looks like he had a cylinder out on the left side for most of the run.

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Right Lane: Bobby Bode Runs 4.255/235.35, Now #2

Jeff Diehl was supposed to make a pass here. Not sure what happened with Diehl's car. They fire up the engine, the RPM's come up and the car jumps. They cut the engine off and push it off of the track.

Bode was on a decent pass but gets about 800 feet out and the car noses over, not sure why.

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Left Lane: Paul Lee Runs 3.915/323.97, Now #1

Lee goes down the groove with a solid run to start his weekend.

Paul Lee's incremental times: 60ft-0.873 sec., 330ft-2.250, 660ft-3.170/280.37 mph.

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Left Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 5.916/120.40, Now #5
Right Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.131/255.73, Now #2

Alexander gets about 300 feet out, rattles the tires, then he gives up on the run. Pedregon makes a clean, straight pass and ges in the second spot for now.

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Left Lane: Alex Laughlin Runs 4.040/302.96, Now #3
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 3.958/328.62, Now #2

Two good runs, both down the groove with solid passes. Laughlin gets in the third spot for now, DeJoria just ahead in the second spot.

Alex Laughlin's incremental times: 60ft-0.913 sec., 330ft-2.312, 660ft-3.254/272.17 mph.

Alexis DeJoria's incremental times: 60ft-0.907 sec., 330ft-2.290, 660ft-3.211/279.21 mph.

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Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 3.965/314.97, Now #4
Right Lane: Chad Green Runs 3.953/321.73, Now #2

A good side-by-side, both down the groove with good runs. Green gets in the second spot for now, Wilkerson is back a couple of spots in the fourth spot.

Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.258, 660ft-3.194/273.16 mph.

Chad Green's incremental times: 60ft-0.895 sec., 330ft-2.275, 660ft-3.202/279.32 mph.

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Left Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 3.909/329.58, Now #1
Right Lane: John Force Runs 3.916/323.81, Now #3

Todd goes down the groove with the quickest pass of the round so far and takes the top spot for now. Force makes a solid run and gets in the second spot for now.

J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.887 sec., 330ft-2.267, 660ft-3.175/283.07 mph.

John Force's incremental times: 60ft-0.885 sec., 330ft-2.261, 660ft-3.172/282.54 mph.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.928/322.73, Now #5
Right Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.881/328.46, Now #1

Hight goes down the groove with a good run for the conditions and takes the top spot for now. Capps makes a good pass and gets in the fifth spot for now.

Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.878 sec., 330ft-2.254, 660ft-3.183/279.79 mph.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.877 sec., 330ft-2.244, 660ft-3.148/285.89 mph.

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Left Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 3.910/327.66, Now #4
Right Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.909/324.44, Now #3

Another good side-by-side, both down the groove with good runs. Tasca moves into the fourth spot, Hagan just ahead in the third spot too end this session.

Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.876 sec., 330ft-2.249, 660ft-3.169/281.01 mph.

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.874 sec., 330ft-2.258, 660ft-3.167/284.27 mph.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink