Mon, 4 Sep 2000, 03:12 PM INDY - Funny Car Round 2 Eliminations

By Darryl Jackman

CLERMONT, Ind. - Results of round 2 eliminations in Funny Car at the 46th annual U.S. Nationals:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 John Force          4.967 306.53  Q   10 Jim Epler           5.046 298.47
   (D Worsham   ) 0.509  5.005 304.32  E1   (S Cannon    ) 0.540  5.002 304.46
                  0.553  5.048 314.90  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.500  4.986 295.79

1:50 PM-Another exciting round of Top Fuel leads us into round two of the Funny Cars. We have a bit of revenge here as Epler takes out Force in repayment for the Big Bud Shootout loss yesterday. There'll be no double up money for Force today. Epler got a good lead on the Castrol Mustang at the hit and flat out ran Force to the other end. That's the reason for two car teams as Epler keeps Force from garnering any more of a points lead on Toliver at this event.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Ron Capps           4.968 300.53  Q   11 Bruce Sarver        5.048 302.35
   (B Gilbertson) 0.493  4.997 301.47  E1   (F Pedregon  ) 0.531  5.066 299.60
 *****WINNER***** 0.543  4.903 304.39  E2                  0.511  4.957 306.05

Big win in a great side by side race for Ron Capps. Sarver took the lead and it wasn't until after half track that Capps caught him. Capps sets low et of the event to this point for the funny cars. That will give him lane choice over Epler in the semi-final round.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Tony Pedregon       4.977 303.98  Q   12 Cruz Pedregon       5.049 302.01
   (J Toliver   ) 0.473  5.049 296.63  E1   (C Powell    ) 0.520  5.123 277.72
                  0.510  5.181 250.00  E2 *****WINNER***** 0.464  5.011 305.15

The family feud comes to the line in the second round. Cruz took out Cristen Powell in the first round while brother Tony was doing away with Jerry Toliver. Call this an upset if you want but the scoreboard tells the story. It's Cruz going to the next round. Not a big money team and yet they continue on.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   9 Tim Wilkerson       5.017 296.76  Q   16 Whit Bazemore       5.084 299.86
   (C Lee       ) 0.523  4.990 305.42  E1   (T Johnson Jr) 0.506  5.047 301.40
                  0.531  5.059   NS    E2 *****WINNER***** 0.524  4.955 307.65

Something strange happened to the lights here as Wilkerson was off the throttle by half track. It appeared that the blower belt came off so his time was very wrong. Bazemore just comes back to life with the second quickest run of the event. Bazemore is back to choosing his lane when he faces Cruz Pedregon in the semi.