Sun, Oct 18, 12:29 AM TOPEKA - Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme A Rough Right Lane.

TOPEKA, Kan. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the 10th annual Parts America Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 John Force          5.193 297.81  Q   9 Gary Densham        5.278 276.41
 *****WINNER***** 0.462  5.006 292.96 E1                  0.463 15.053  72.26

6:48 PM and the first pair of Fuel Coupes pull up to the line. Densham loses traction at about 100', doesn't try to pedal the car. Force had the back end of the car dancing around a little at mid-track.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Tim Wilkerson       5.071 295.56  Q  12 Al Hofmann          5.446 197.88
                  0.527  7.311 272.72 E1 *****WINNER***** 0.531  7.266 219.13

Both cars were up in smoke at 100' and it didn't look like either driver was going to get back on the throttle for a second. Hofmann takes this pedaling match.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Ron Capps           4.986 303.84  Q  14 Vicky Fanning       5.713 267.06
 *****WINNER***** 0.562  5.303 297.22 E1                  0.575  5.781 246.00

Capps pedaled the car a couple times early then was able to stand on it. Fanning was doing some pedaling of her own and came very close to the retaining wall at half track.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Chuck Etchells      4.951 306.74  Q  15 Jack Wyatt          5.740 259.96
 *****WINNER***** 0.557  4.970 309.81 E1                  0.452  6.038 189.67

Wyatt was on and off the throttle once then the candles went out at about 1000', I couldn't tell why. Hofmann spits a sparkplug through the headers at half track and motors on down for the best ET of the evening, so far.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Cruz Pedregon       4.941 293.82  Q  16 Frank Pedregon      5.767 221.56
 *****WINNER***** 0.551  4.929 310.98 E1                  0.227 11.698  75.20

Cruz has a flawless pass as brother Frank gets a little too anxious waiting for the tree. The right lane is proving to be looser than the left lane as Frank also smoked the tires on the launch.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Tony Pedregon       4.992 314.46  Q  13 Dean Skuza          5.592 286.71
 *****WINNER***** 0.481  5.640 216.45 E1                  0.502 11.413  82.39

Both drivers pedal the cars with Skuza giving up at 400'. Pedregon almost gave Skuza the win, coming very close to the center line at half track.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Whit Bazemore       5.117 303.84  Q  11 Randy Anderson      5.366 268.89
 *****WINNER***** 0.479  8.440 256.11 E1                  0.492 15.416  70.63

Both drivers boil the hides at 100'. Anderson didn't get back on the throttle because he tagged the wall as the tires broke loose. Bazemore hesitates, then pedals the car down the track.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Jim Epler           5.170 309.49  Q  10 Del Worsham         5.303 287.63
 *****WINNER***** 0.481  5.301 295.66 E1                  0.455 12.835  81.06

Worsham spins the Goodyears at 60', tries to rein it in several times, to no avail. Epler struck the tires at 200' and is able to hook it back up. That takes care of Round 1 Eliminations in Funny Car. In Round 2, Cruz Pedregon has lane choice over Force, Tony Pedregon gets the pick over Hofmann, Etchells picks the lane facing Epler and Capps has the choice over Bazemore.