Sun, 27 Oct 2002, 02:57 PM Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By Bob Orme

LAS VEGAS - Results of round 1 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
   4 John Force          4.793 322.81  Q   13 Frank Pedregon      4.915 311.13
 *****WINNER***** 0.498  4.920 304.87  E1                  0.558  7.662 115.42

11:25 AM Pedregon smoked the tires at 300 feet. Force had a soft (0.961-second) 60-foot time and was dropping cylinders at the finish.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Whit Bazemore       4.791 325.85  Q   14 Cruz Pedregon       4.918 313.29
 *****WINNER***** 0.486  5.045 322.11  E1                  0.493  6.774 130.59

Bazemore had to pedal it at about 200 feet and at that point it looked like Pedregon was going to take this one. Not to be, as he struck the tires at about 500 feet and could only watch Bazemore drive around him.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Tony Pedregon       4.786 322.73  Q   15 Bob Gilbertson      4.925 312.13
 *****WINNER***** 0.460  4.858 314.31  E1                  0.511  8.218  99.51

Pedregon left first and never looked back. Gilbertson smoked the tires at 300 feet and had to lift.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 Bruce Sarver        4.773 317.12  Q   16 Bob Bode            4.930 302.82
 *****WINNER***** 0.496  4.879 300.40  E1                  0.566  9.545  82.70

Bode went up in smoke at 200 feet, pedaled it a couple times, got very close to the centerline at half track and had to lift. Sarver was on a string on this pass, straight and strong all the way down the track.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Gary Densham        4.829 310.13  Q   12 Dale Creasy Jr.     4.892 305.49
 *****WINNER***** 0.493  4.817 321.04  E1                  0.509  7.187 117.04

Creasy got out of the groove in the middle section of the track and Densham was gone. Densham said the blower belt was missing when he made the turnoff so he must have lost it right after the finish line. Densham has lane choice over Force in round two.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Scotty Cannon       4.835 318.54  Q   11 Ron Capps           4.891 313.00
                  0.535  5.332 200.44  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.471  4.890 316.45

Cannon was staying with Capps until about 900 feet when he started hazing the tires. Capps has lane choice over Bazemore in round two.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Del Worsham         4.856 318.84  Q   10 Dean Skuza          4.882 310.91
 *****WINNER***** 0.484  5.584 242.41  E1                  0.471  6.698 131.75

Worsham was ripe for picking, his car trailing tire smoke from 300 feet on down. Skuza couldn't take advantage, as he lost the blower belt at about half track. Worsham will give lane choice to Tony Pedregon in round two.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Tommy Johnson Jr.   4.865 309.84  Q    9 Tim Wilkerson       4.879 310.27
                  0.509  7.655 108.28  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.481  4.936 302.82

Johnson struck the tires at about 250 feet, pedaled it a couple times and then shut it off. Wilkerson will give lane choice to Sarver in round two.