Sun, 8 Oct 2000, 02:02 PM MEMPHIS - Funny Car Round 1 Eliminations

By David Rowe

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the 13th annual AutoZone Nationals presented by Pennzoil:

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   2 Tim Wilkerson       4.871 308.64  Q   15 Gary Densham        5.012 292.33
 *****WINNER***** 0.525  5.011 289.14  E1                  0.540  9.634  85.21

12:19 PM Wilkerson made four good runs during qualifying and continues here. Densham only made one full pass during qualifying and has the same problems, the car going up in smoke about 100 feet out.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   7 Scotty Cannon       4.920 308.85  Q   10 Del Worsham         4.958 300.20
 *****WINNER***** 0.548  4.911 295.08  E1                  0.533  5.031 263.20

These two have met twice this year, Worsham winning both of those. Worsham gets a slight holeshot but Cannon caught him by the time they reached the 330' cones. He continues to to extend his lead and runs a career best ET for the win. Margin of victory = 0.105 seconds (approximately 41 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   4 Ron Capps           4.893 302.89  Q   13 Tommy Johnson Jr.   4.997 295.08
 *****WINNER***** 0.512  5.006 285.35  E1                  0.492  5.151 282.36

Capps banged a blower in the last qualifying session yesterday and had to use his spare body today. Johnson gets a slight advantage off the starting line but Capps caught him by the time they reached the sixty-foot mark and never looked back. Margin of victory = 0.125 seconds (approximately 52 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   3 Whit Bazemore       4.876 302.21  Q   14 Dean Skuza          5.007 278.98
 *****WINNER***** 0.528  4.912 298.54  E1                  0.512  9.884  83.40

These two have met three times this year, Skuza winning those. Bazemore makes a good pass but starts mixing up cylinders around the 1000' mark. Skuza comes off the line and goes up in smoke about sixty feet out.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   1 John Force          4.870 304.94  Q   16 Al Hofmann          5.024 291.57
 *****WINNER***** 0.516  5.053 260.11  E1                  0.503  5.520 185.26

Force is 2-0 against Hofmann this year....make that 3-0. Force was vulnerable on this run, the car starting losing cylinders around the 1000' mark and the putting oil out on the track. This will cost him ten points and lane choice in round two. Hofmann couldn't take advantage of Force's misfortune, his car breaks the tires loose around half-track and he has to abort the run.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   5 Jerry Toliver       4.896 302.28  Q   12 Bruce Sarver        4.985 294.43
                  0.500  5.377 273.33  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.505  4.941 280.19

This is the third time these two have met this year, each winning one. Toliver leaves the line and shakes the tires. He pedals but too late to save the run. Sarver had trouble in qualifying, making only one full pass, but keeps the tires glued to the track here and takes the win.

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   6 Tony Pedregon       4.917 302.41  Q   11 Jim Epler           4.971 295.53
                  0.487  5.012 292.71  E1 *****WINNER***** 0.472  5.013 289.01

Here we have the battle of the blockers. Epler gets an advantage off the line and makes it stick, getting the holeshot win. He was on an even better run until just before the lights, then the engine throws the blower belt. Pedregon makes a good pass but can't make up the difference he gave up on the starting line. Margin of victory = 0.014 seconds (approximately 6 feet).

 Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-Rd-Qua-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed
   8 Frank Pedregon      4.936 267.27  Q    9 Scott Weis          4.956 298.87
 *****WINNER***** 0.529  4.977 301.40  E1                  0.538  6.278 137.34

Pedregon was only able to make one good pass during qualifying, smoking the tires in the other three. He keeps the tires stuck on this pass and will get lane choice over Force in round two.