Sat, Oct 3, 07:22 PM TOPEKA - Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session # 2

By Bob Orme

TOPEKA, Kan. - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the 10th annual Parts America Nationals, 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: Dale Creasy, Jr. Runs 8.439/ 97.81 Now # 7, (Best prior run: 7.038/130.24 Was # 7)
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 8.829/102.08 Now #10, (No prior time)

1:05 PM and the Floppers are on the line. Wilkerson was hazing the tires at 200', popped the burst panel at 400' then coasted on down. Creasy lost traction at 330', started drifting toward the center line and was finally able to get it back into the groove.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 6.140/147.34 Now # 1, (Best prior run: 4.941/293.82 Was # 1)
Right Lane: Dean Skuza Runs 10.002/ 88.32 Now #11, (Best prior run: 9.267/ 51.67 Was #11)

Skuza was the first to lose traction, smoking 'em at about 300'. Pedregon had a wisp of tire smoke at half track and shut it down.

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Left Lane: Randy Anderson Runs 5.366/268.89 Now # 5, (Best prior run: 13.271/ 61.03 Was #17)
Right Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 5.767/221.56 Now # 6, (Best prior run: 6.729/137.36 Was # 6)

Both drivers pedaled at 300' and got back on it. Anderson was skating around a bit, but still manages to move up in position.

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Left Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.986/303.84 Now # 2, (Best prior run: 5.055/296.34 Was # 2)
Right Lane: Jim Epler Runs 18.242/ 57.31 Now #17, (Best prior run: 12.666/ 66.32 Was #17)

Epler boils the hides immediately, doesn't try to get back on the throttle. Capps keeps all the candles lit while laying down a very stout pass.

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Left Lane: Tom Hoover Runs 6.249/146.24 Now # 8, (Best prior run: 7.144/122.26 Was # 9)
Right Lane: Bob Weickgenannt Runs 9.030/ 88.17 Now #12, (Best prior run: 15.775/ 45.28 Was #18)

Weickgenannt was pressing the center line just past the 330' cone and had to back off the throttle. Hoover struck the tires at half track and pedaled it once to go the rest of the way down.

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Right Lane: Norman Wilding Runs 9.569/ 85.14 Now #14, (No prior time)

Wilding broke loose at 200', got back on the throttle and started fishtailing at mid track where he decided to shut it down. Looks as though he left some fluid on the track so we're in for a short clean-up.

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Left Lane: Al Hofmann Runs 6.395/186.72 Now # 9, (Best prior run: 11.002/ 77.51 Was #17)
Right Lane: Del Worsham Runs 13.572/ 78.13 Now #20, (Best prior run: 15.867/ 72.52 Was #20)

Worsham was up in smoke on the launch. Hofmann lost traction at 330', then pedaled and danced the rest of the way down the track.

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Left Lane: Vicky Fanning Runs 6.849/222.60 Now #11, (Best prior run: 7.291/120.70 Was #11)
Right Lane: Chuck Etchells Runs 5.040/290.60 Now # 3, (Best prior run: 10.054/ 83.75 Was #16)

Fanning was out of shape early, pressing the center line from 330' to mid track and using all of the lane on the top end. Etchells appeared to have minor traction trouble early but was able to drive through it.

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Left Lane: Al Segrini Runs 15.961/ 56.04 Now #21, (No prior time)
Right Lane: Jack Wyatt Runs 5.740/259.96 Now # 7, (Best prior run: 10.983/ 78.72 Was #17)

Segrini blew the tires of on the launch. Wyatt got almost sideways at 300', straightened it out and pedaled the rest of the way down the track.

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Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 6.545/200.40 Now #12, (Best prior run: 12.094/ 72.19 Was #18)
Right Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 5.388/299.10 Now # 7, (Best prior run: 5.892/161.78 Was # 9)

Both cars started dancing around their lanes at 300' with Bazemore doing a better job of pedaling out of it. Densham bumps Skuza out of the show for the time being.

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Left Lane: John Force Runs 10.498/ 85.89 Now # 5, (Best prior run: 5.193/297.81 Was # 5)
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 8.044/106.86 Now # 4, (Best prior run: 5.124/285.35 Was # 4)

Both Force and Pedregon have traction trouble at about 200'. Force pedaled once, couldn't hook-up and gave up. Pedregon pedaled, did hook-up but had a loud "boom" emit from the engine at 400' and had to click it off.

That's the end of the today's first round of Funny Car qualifying with Cruz Pedregon holding onto the pole with a 4.941 ET and Bob Weickgenannt sitting on the bubble with a 9.030.