Fri, 29 Oct 2004, 07:57 PM Funny Car Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Rick Green

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Fourth annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

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Left Lane: Dale Pulde Runs 10.218/90.24, Now #2
Right Lane: Stephen Neese Runs 7.954/107.19, Now #1

Weather conditions: air temperature 72 degrees, relative humidity 49 percent, barometer 28.04 inches, adjusted altitude 3,324 feet, track temperature 91 degrees.

Pulde lost traction around 150 feet and then Neese lost traction and they both clicked them off and coasted on through the 1320.

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Left Lane: Frank Pedregon Runs 4.946/309.49, Now #1
Right Lane: Jack Wyatt Runs 9.181/88.89, Now #3

Pedregon launched hard and keep the car hooked up all the way through the quarter mile with a nice looking pass. Wyatt lost traction early and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Johnny Gray Runs 13.542/87.31, Now #6
Right Lane: Bob Bode Runs 5.738/175.43, Now #2

Gray was up in smoke as soon as he hit the throttle. Bode lost traction just past half track and clicked it off.

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Left Lane: Terry Haddock Runs 5.074/300.53, Now #2
Right Lane: Jim Head No Time, Now #8

Head hit the throttle and went up in smoke and then about 100 feet out banged the blower and sent the burst relief panel flying high into the air. Haddock was straight down the groove for a nice pass.

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Left Lane: Jeff Arend Runs 4.909/313.29, Now #2
Right Lane: Tony Bartone Runs 4.888/306.26, Now #1

This was a good looking drag race here, both cars straight down the groove.

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Left Lane: Bob Gilbertson Runs 5.751/170.67, Now #6
Right Lane: Ron Capps Runs 10.089/84.67, Now #9

Capps was shaking the tires right off the starting line and clicked it off. Gilbertson started to lose traction and then started dropping cylinders.

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Left Lane: Jerry Toliver Runs 4.929/308.00, Now #3
Right Lane: Tommy Johnson Jr. Runs 8.159/102.56, Now #9

Johnson Jr. much like Capps and shuts it off. Toliver was dropping cylinders as he crossed the finish line.

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Left Lane: Phil Burkart No Time, Now #16
Right Lane: Tony Pedregon Runs 4.877/317.94, Now #1

Tony Pedregon with a great looking pass to go to the number one spot. Burkart started mixing up just past half track and then started drifting toward the centerline and clipped the finish line cone, so his run is DQ'ed.

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Left Lane: Cruz Pedregon Runs 4.871/318.39, Now #2
Right Lane: Tim Wilkerson Runs 4.796/323.97, Now #1

This was a great looking drag race here, both hitting on all eight all the way down the 1320.

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Left Lane: Gary Densham Runs 4.866/322.34, Now #3
Right Lane: Eric Medlen Runs 4.794/322.27, Now #1

Densham has a new paint scheme with Popeye the sailorman on it. Medlen keep the candles lit and the Goodyears stuck all the way down the 1320. Densham was just a tick back.

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Left Lane: Whit Bazemore Runs 4.893/309.91, Now #7
Right Lane: Gary Scelzi Runs 4.998/254.86, Now #11

Scelzi starts eating up some parts around 1000 feet with a lot of engine smoke. Bazemore with a good pass to start the weekend.

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Left Lane: Del Worsham Runs 4.815/320.51, Now #3
Right Lane: John Force Runs 4.867/320.05, Now #5

Worsham with good looking pass and Force did what he wanted and needed to do. Force got a nice looking pass, that will keep him in the field and will guarantee him his 13th Funny Car championship.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink