Sat, 09 Mar 2024, 16:15 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3 |
By Dave Rowe |
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals 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: Blake Alexander Runs 7.088/96.87, Now #10; Best prior run: 3.977/317.94, Was #10
3:39 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 72 percent, barometer 29.80 inches, adjusted altitude 2,457 feet.
Alexander rattled the tires at the hit, tried to drive through it, then gave up on the run about 150 feet out.
Left Lane: Daniel Wilkerson Runs 4.048/307.37, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.051/0.00, Was #12
Right Lane: John Smith Runs 4.367/237.63, Now #16; Best prior run: 4.312/257.48, Was #16
Wilkerson gets about 600 feet out and loses a cylinder on the left side. The car starts pushing to the left towards the wall, but he is able to get through the beams and back off of the throttle. Smith had traction problems early in the run, gets about 700 feet out and the car noses over.
Left Lane: Paul Lee Runs 3.940/324.67, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.206/0.00, Was #15
Right Lane: Dave Richards Runs 5.133/151.97, Now #17; Best prior run: 8.576/86.66, Was #17
Lee goes down the groove with a full pass this time and moves up to the tenth spot for now. Richards had problems at the hit, gets about 500 feet out and gives up on the run.
Paul Lee's incremental times: 60ft-0.883 sec., 330ft-2.275, 660ft-3.195/280.72 mph.
Left Lane: Buddy Hull Runs 9.656/73.13, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.116/304.87, Was #15
Right Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 3.996/316.52, Now #12; Best prior run: 3.989/315.86, Was #12
Hull hits the throttle and starts shaking the tires. He gets about 200 feet out and clicks it off. haddock goes down the groove with another good pass and gets in the three's for the second time in his career.
Terry Haddock's incremental times: 60ft-0.893 sec., 330ft-2.297, 660ft-3.231/275.06 mph.
Right Lane: Alexis DeJoria Runs 4.329/209.56, Now #7; Best prior run: 3.900/327.74, Was #7
DeJoria gets about 350 feet out, pulls the tires loose and has to back off of the throttle.
Left Lane: John Force Runs 7.190/91.59, Now #9; Best prior run: 3.920/324.67, Was #9
Right Lane: J.R. Todd Runs 4.155/228.81, Now #6; Best prior run: 3.897/324.90, Was #6
Force rattles the tires, gets about 250 feet out and backs off of the throttle. Todd gets about 400 feet out, the tires break loose, the rear of the car kicks out to the left, and he has to give up on the run.
Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.781/166.93, Now #8; Best prior run: 3.912/329.58, Was #8
Right Lane: Chad Green Runs 3.952/320.97, Now #5; Best prior run: 3.887/329.26, Was #5
Pedregon gets about 350 feet out, pulls the tires loose and has to back off of the throttle. Green goes down the groove with a good pass for the conditions but he doesn't improve.
Chad Green's incremental times: 60ft-0.880 sec., 330ft-2.263, 660ft-3.199/278.06 mph.
Left Lane: Matt Hagan Runs 4.243/215.27, Now #4; Best prior run: 3.883/331.20, Was #4
Right Lane: Bob Tasca III Runs 3.850/338.09, Now #2; Best prior run: 3.829/337.75, Was #2
Hagan gets about 500 feet out, has traction problems and backs off of the throttle. Tasca goes down the groove with the quickest pass of the round so far but he doesn't improve.
Bob Tasca III's incremental times: 60ft-0.874 sec., 330ft-2.232, 660ft-3.130/288.33 mph.
Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 3.895/328.86, Now #3; Best prior run: 3.871/333.00, Was #3
Right Lane: Austin Prock Runs 3.862/331.94, Now #1; Best prior run: 3.820/334.65, Was #1
A good side-by-side, both down the groove with good, solid passes but neither driver improves. Prock will pick up a couple of bonus points, Capps will pick up on.
Ron Capps' incremental times: 60ft-0.885 sec., 330ft-2.253, 660ft-3.158/286.25 mph.
Austin Prock's incremental times: 60ft-0.872 sec., 330ft-2.233, 660ft-3.134/285.77 mph.
Copyright ©2026 AUTOSALES INC, dba Summit Racing Equipment
Ready to take your order at 1-800-230-3030 | Customer Service 1-800-517-1035
Ready to take your order at 1-800-230-3030 | Customer Service 1-800-517-1035