Sun, 27 Oct 2002, 07:03 PM Funny Car Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Second annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals:

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Tony Pedregon       4.786 322.73  Q    4 John Force          4.793 322.81
   (B Gilbertson) 0.460  4.858 314.31  E1   (F Pedregon  ) 0.498  4.920 304.87
   (D Worsham   ) 0.437  4.897 307.72  E2   (G Densham   ) 0.464  4.803 323.19
   (R Capps     ) 0.466  4.923 310.63  E3   (T Wilkerson ) 0.468  4.846 320.51
                  0.462  4.869 301.94  E4 *****WINNER***** 0.463  4.820 305.22

This is the 162nd time John Force has appeared in an NHRA Funny Car final, the first time he has done so at The Strip.

Tony Pedregon is seeking his 20th career victory, a plateau reached by only 24 other professional drivers.

This is the 48th career meeting in eliminations between Force and Pedregon, the 46th as Castrol teammates. Force owns a 37-10 overall advantage and a 10-6 edge in final round meetings. Tony has won the last three times the two have squared off in the finals. This is the fourth time the two have met this season.

They leave the line at virtually the same time and are close all the way down the track. Force's incremental margins were: 60ft(0.018), 330ft(0.034), 660ft(0.029), 1,000ft(0.036). MOV: 0.0481 seconds (approximately 21 feet).