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Sat, 11 Nov 2023, 18:04 PM

Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Dave Gerard

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, 58th annual In-N-Out 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:

Left Lane: Steven Densham Runs 15.966/66.87, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.949/318.02, Was #7
Right Lane: Alex Laughlin Runs 4.040/311.70, Now #14; Best prior run: 6.537/99.91, Was #18

2:26 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 14 percent, barometer 30.00 inches, adjusted altitude 2,513 feet, track temperature 105 degrees.

Matt Hagen is number one at 3.869 and Del Worsham is on the bump spot at 5.090.

Densham's engine goes silent right after the green light and he slowly coasts on down the track.

Laughlin get a much better pass this time and bumps into the field in #14 for now.

Alex Laughlin's incremental times: 60ft-0.905 sec., 330ft-2.308, 660ft-3.259/267.80 mph.

Left Lane: John Force Runs 4.251/215.75, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.967/323.66, Was #9
Right Lane: Blake Alexander Runs 4.034/280.49, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.981/319.52, Was #10

They leave close together and run down the track. There is a big flash of flames from Alexander's headers night in the lights and he slows.

Force's Camaro was strong early, but started to slow around the 660 lights

Left Lane: Chad Green Runs 3.973/316.38, Now #11; Best prior run: 7.669/84.38, Was #19
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 3.955/326.95, Now #8; Best prior run: 4.148/316.82, Was #16

That's a lot better!

Wilkerson gets away first and leads Green to the finish line on a strong looking pass. Off the bump and into the top half of the field.

Green finds a better tune too and chases down the track to move into the field in the #11 position.

Chad Green's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.279, 660ft-3.218/276.46 mph.
Tim Wilkerson's incremental times: 60ft-0.875 sec., 330ft-2.277, 660ft-3.211/280.02 mph.

Alex Laughlin is on the bump spot at 4.040.

Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.198/247.84, Now #18; Best prior run: 5.090/147.28, Was #18
Right Lane: Jason Rupert Runs 5.276/139.46, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.066/317.42, Was #17

Rupert's Mustang leaves hard and starts a steady move towards the centerline and he has to lift.

Worsham gets a little further and starts to drop cylinders and has to lift too.

They get one more chance later this afternoon.

Left Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 6.867/102.94, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.365/139.91, Was #19
Right Lane: Jeff Diehl Runs 4.269/226.05, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.025/306.74, Was #15

DeJoria is the last car to be able to bump in in this session, but it will not happen. The engine goes silent shortly before the 330 lights.

Diehl ran hard down track and then had a big flash from the engine. No oil on the track though.

Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 4.084/299.26, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.019/306.95, Was #14
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.915/330.88, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.908/332.43, Was #6

Two full passes . but no improvements.

Capps gets a big lead at the green and makes another clean pass just a little slower than yesterday's best.

Haddock has a clean pass and the weather slows him too.

Terry Haddock's incremental times: 60ft-0.908 sec., 330ft-2.323, 660ft-3.287/262.13 mph.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.876 sec., 330ft-2.252, 660ft-3.176/281.42 mph.

Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 3.935/324.67, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.961/317.64, Was #9
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.633/179.21, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.904/326.08, Was #5

In a special presentation in the Media Center earlier today: Snap-on celebrates its 30th season sponsoring NHRA's Cruz Pedregon with a new three-year contract!

Today's weather at this time of day presents a big challenge to the crew chiefs. Pedregon makes another strong pass, just a tad better than yesterday to move two spots up the ladder to #7.

Todd ran right behind until right before the 330 lights where the Supra slowed.

Cruz Pedregon's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.258, 660ft-3.190/279.61 mph.
J.R. Todd's incremental times: 60ft-0.886 sec., 330ft-2.275, 660ft-3.389/196.16 mph.

Left Lane: Robert Hight Runs 3.887/324.36, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.898/332.02, Was #4
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 4.001/266.64, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.880/336.99, Was #3

Hight is still in the run for the championship and needs all the small points he can get. The Camaro leaves hard and runs hard with a better ET to stay #4.

Tasca was pacing Hight until right after the 660 lights, where the engine went silent.

Robert Hight's incremental times: 60ft-0.862 sec., 330ft-2.238, 660ft-3.147/284.75 mph.
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.874 sec., 330ft-2.243, 660ft-3.161/276.24 mph.

Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 3.994/321.27, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.869/328.46, Was #1
Right Lane: Paul Lee Runs 3.937/327.43, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.875/322.88, Was #2

Last pair of the session and two clean passes, but with no improvements!

Matt Hagan's incremental times: 60ft-0.890 sec., 330ft-2.293, 660ft-3.239/275.96 mph.
Paul Lee's incremental times: 60ft-0.881 sec., 330ft-2.267, 660ft-3.192/279.04 mph.

2:58 p.m. Alex Laughlin is on the bump spot at 4.040.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink

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