Sun, 13 Oct 2002, 04:27 PM Funny Car Round 3 Eliminations

By Dave Rowe

ENNIS, Texas - Results of round 3 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 17th annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals presented by Castrol Syntec:

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Del Worsham         4.823 319.82  Q    9 Tommy Johnson Jr.   4.870 313.91
   (B Bode      ) 0.501  4.886 314.46  E1   (R Capps     ) 0.477  5.068 279.76
   (F Pedregon  ) 0.500  4.900 305.49  E2   (T Pedregon  ) 0.453  4.893 311.31
 *****WINNER***** 0.508  4.857 312.39  E3                  0.535  6.811 121.13

3:13 PM The temperature is 63 degrees, the humidity is 60 percent, the barometer is at 30.36 and the track temp is 81 degrees.

Johnson is a little late off the line and then blows the burst panel off about 400 feet out.

Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Gary Densham        4.854 320.97  Q    2 Bruce Sarver        4.798 320.39
   (B Gilbertson) 0.512  4.828 321.08  E1   (D Creasy Jr ) 0.524  4.822 308.21
   (W Bazemore  ) 0.513  4.802 322.00  E2   (J Force     ) 0.472  4.942 266.19
                  0.500  5.168 307.79  E3 *****WINNER***** 0.480  4.917 301.81

Densham must win this round to stay in third place in the points race, Worsham winning this round has put him out in front at this point. Densham is 3-1 against Sarver this year and seems to have the performance advantage today.

Densham hits the throttle, gets way out of shape and has to pedal. Sarver went right down the groove and puts out the last Force team left in competition. He gives up lane choice to Worsham in the finals.