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Sat, 10 Nov 2001, 05:10 PM

POMONA 3 - Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #3

By Darryl Jackman

POMONA, Calif. - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the 37th annual Automobile Club of Southern California 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: Robert Hallock Runs 6.415/138.73, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.976/167.91, Was #21
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 4.814/313.29, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.902/306.46, Was #9

1:24 PM It's Funny Car Time! The session begins with Bazemore as #1 and Toliver on the bump. Hallock strikes the tires and has to click it. Capps gets a full pass and moves well into the top half of the field.

Left Lane: Dale Creasy Jr. No Time, Now #24; Best prior run: 10.440/85.91, Was #24
Right Lane: Bob Bode Runs 5.224/240.51, Now #14; Best prior run: 4.999/305.01, Was #14

The sun is starting to heat the air but the track it's self appears to be in pretty good condition. Bode is in but Creasy has has two aborted passes this weekend. Creasy never made the burnout and was pushed away. Bode was pulling hard to the big end but there was a loud bang that ended his run.

Left Lane: Louis Sweet Runs 4.946/284.99, Now #13; Best prior run: 5.619/180.09, Was #20
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.793/317.12, Now #3; Best prior run: 4.922/318.24, Was #11

This run by Pedregon makes the Force armada #2, #3 and #4. Pedregon seemed to put out a couple of holes as he approached the lights. Sweet was side by side with the Syntec Ford until something went away in the engine just before the lights.

Left Lane: Bruce Sarver Runs 4.896/314.75, Now #10; Best prior run: 6.985/129.85, Was #23
Right Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 4.826/317.27, Now #6; Best prior run: 6.408/135.14, Was #22

Both drivers start the session out of the field but that doesn't last for long. Both make the field with Frank going into the top half. Pedregon had a late chute and made the turn with the chutes in full blossom.

Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 16.382/66.79, Now #21; Best prior run: 5.154/243.81, Was #21
Right Lane: John Lawson Runs 5.820/167.14, Now #22; Best prior run: 5.167/291.01, Was #22

Things go wrong for both drivers in this pair. We had smoke for Haddock and as Lawson disappeared into the haze there was an audible bang from the engine. Both were coasting at the finish line.

Left Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 9.961/80.73, Now #19; Best prior run: 5.063/288.58, Was #19
Right Lane: David Benjamin Runs 5.696/222.40, Now #20; Best prior run: 5.090/277.54, Was #20

Toliver started the session in the field but will now have to fight his way back in. Toliver slows shortly after he leaves the line. Benjamin went further but called it off at about 900 feet. They will need that final session.

Left Lane: Scotty Cannon Runs 4.851/310.63, Now #10; Best prior run: 4.931/318.02, Was #14
Right Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 4.825/315.27, Now #6; Best prior run: 5.050/296.70, Was #18

A tip of the cap to both of the crews on this pair. Gray goes into the top half of the field and Cannon moves up four spots.

Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 10.677/79.20, Now #9; Best prior run: 4.846/318.84, Was #9
Right Lane: Phil Burkart Runs 5.000/309.27, Now #17; Best prior run: 4.980/305.29, Was #17

Burkart brings the Geronimo car, with Nitro Fish livery, into the staging area with Del Worsham. Burkart is outside looking in and Worsham in the bottom half of the field. Worsham's ride is to agressive and smokes the tires. Burkart runs it out the back light but the timers say it's just a bit to slow. He really needs that final session. Louis Sweet is holding down the bump spot.

Left Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.865/314.75, Now #12; Best prior run: 4.897/313.73, Was #13
Right Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 4.889/295.27, Now #13; Best prior run: 4.913/302.69, Was #15

Four eighties are cheap this weekend. After this pair there are 12 cars in that bracket.

Left Lane: Dean Skuza Runs 4.818/314.24, Now #6; Best prior run: 4.843/311.05, Was #8
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 4.931/279.09, Now #15; Best prior run: 4.897/310.13, Was #15

Johnson was slowed when the car got out of the groove at half track. He slapped the pedal and got it back to the middle of the lane. Skuza was a bit loose on the top end but moves up two spots.

Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.805/318.62, Now #4; Best prior run: 4.806/308.78, Was #4
Right Lane: Al Hofmann Runs 4.893/299.86, Now #11; Best prior run: 4.861/309.49, Was #11

Densham makes a pass that keeps him in the #4 spot. Hofmann has a hole out and slows slightly.

Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.741/322.27, Now #1; Best prior run: 4.772/320.20, Was #1
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.960/244.21, Now #2; Best prior run: 4.788/318.32, Was #2

And now to everyone's favorite match race. Bazemore challenges Force for #1 on the Drag News List. Oops. Sorry, I guess I'm just too old. I'm really looking forward to the next season when these two start from even and I'm expected a year long battle. The two were side by side until about 1000 feet. Force got out of the groove and smoked the tires. Bazemore widens his qualifying lead by another .03. This is really fun!

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink