CDR: 2009 Funny Car O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals Elim #2-4

TOPEKA, Kan. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX:

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	10	L	Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	0.073	4.052	310.8
L	2	R	Robert HIGHT	Mustang	0.108	4.670	300.0

Robert Hight's struggles pas the tree meant that his comeback was too late, leaving Tony Pedregon to qualify for his sixth semi-final this year.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	4	L	Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	0.091	4.047	296.3
L	5	R	Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	0.116	4.998	273.0

The better start was enough to put Wilkerson through. Mike Smith loses at this stage for the second time this season, both in the past three events.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	9	L	Bob TASCA III	Mustang	0.045	3.996	310.3
L	1	R	Del WORSHAM	Solara	0.057	4.156	297.8

This faultless run from Bob Tasca III would have beaten anyone but it happened to be the unlucky Del Worsham for the second time in three events.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	3	L	Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	0.081	5.310	5.3
L	6	R	Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	0.109	N/A	N/A

It is the first time that Force-Hood has dueled with the other Pedregon and despite her poor time could have pushed her car over the line. Cruz suffered his severe problems very early on and called it off.

Semifinals

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	3	R	Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	0.084	4.148	314.0
L	10	L	Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	0.084	4.436	300.0

After suffering defeat at the hands of the current championship leader for four straight events at the beginning of the season, Ashley finally claims victory over her nemesis. After getting away together it was Force-Hood who edged away throughout the race to reach her first final in 2009.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	4	R	Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	0.101	4.152	289.8
L	9	L	Bob TASCA III	Mustang	0.089	4.447	301.5

Tim Wilkerson takes a 2-1 advantage this season over Tasca III with a very similar story to the other semifinals winner, with both drivers always edging away from their opponents who had picked the favoured left lane.

Final

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	3	L	Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	0.063	4.061	302.3
L	4	R	Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	0.062	5.090	274.5

It was the left lane that ultimately produced the event winner as Ashley Force-Hood got the double over both Wilkersons as she had the Pedregons. Tim Wilkerson experienced enough wheelspin to pump the pedal and lose enough traction to take the loss.

CDR: 2009 Funny Car O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals Elim #1

TOPEKA, Kan. - SUMMIT FastNews - Results of round 1 eliminations in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX:

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	9	R	Bob TASCA III	Mustang	0.095	5.444	286.5
L	8	L	Ron CAPPS	Charger	0.091	5.763	251.5

Both men got away to very sluggish starts but Tasca III was able to get his car on the right path before Ron Capps in order to beat him for the second time this season.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	10	R	Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	0.950	4.018	296.8
L	7	L	Brain THIEL	Monte Carlo	0.840	8.098	77.3

Brian Thiel has qualified in four straight events now but has only made it past the first round in one of them. Severe wheelspin in the early stages of this race was guilty of taking him out in his debut against Tony Pedregon.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	6	R	Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	0.089	4.574	290.5
L	11	L	Mike NEFF	Mustang	0.113	N/A	N/A

Another first-time meeting between drivers and the other Pedegon brother goes on the quarterfinals while his opponent has big problems.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	5	R	Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	0.021	4.824	276.0
L	12	L	Jeff AREND	Solara	0.105	5.292	273.5

Mike Smith got away very well but was unable to reach top speed. It was enough to hold off Jeff Arend who, with this first race against Smith, has not won in in his last four races since reaching the final against Matt Hagan back in the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	1	R	Del WORSHAM	Solara	0.073	4.142	305.3
L	16	L	Bob BODE	Impala	0.12	N/A	N/A

Bob Bode is also in a funk as he loses his sixth first round race in a row, but Del Worsham has won five of his seven this season, with one of the losses against Bode.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	2	R	Robert HIGHT	Mustang	0.087	5.719	275.0
L	15	L	Grant DOWNING	Monte Carlo	0.064	8.517	91.8

In only his second race of the season Grant Downing's wheelspin forced him to the wall where he lost his momentum. This left Robert Hight's poor time enough to send him into the second round for the third time where he is currently undefeated.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	4	L	Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	0.102	4.022	309.8
L	13	R	Matt HAGAN	Charger	0.084	5.397	266.0

Matt Hagan's great run of form has come to an end with more wheelspin proving the difference. Tim Wilkerson put in the second fastest time of the round.

W/L	#	L	Driver	Car	R/T	E.T.	Speed
W	3	L	Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	0.086	4.204	307.3
L	14	R	Daniel WILKERSON	Impala	0.107	5.729	264.0

The final race of the round saw Ashley Force-Hood take down Daniel Wilkerson after his second successful qualifying of the season. Force-Hood has only made it into the semi-finals on two occasions in her five previous trips to the second round.

Second Elimination Round Schedule (Asterisk indicates fastest driver in previous round and gets the lane choice)
(1)* Del Worsham vs Bob Tasca III (9)
(2) Robert Hight vs Tony Pedregon (10)*
(3)* Ashley Force-Hood vs  Cruz Pedregon (6)
(4)* Tim Wilkerson vs Mike Smith (5)

CDR: 2009 Funny Car O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals Qual #4

TOPEKA, Kan. - TOPEKA - Notes from round 4 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX listing lane, driver name, vehicle, elapsed time, and top speed:

The top three remain the same and Tim Wilkerson pulls out the fastest time of the final qualifying round to surge up to fourth from eighteenth. This led to the only other change in the top sixteen as Jim Head was pushed outside of the final qualifying spot, and Bob Gilbertson missed qualifying for the first time this season ending in seventeenth, three-thousandths of a second behind Bob Bode, despite putting in the fourth fastest time of the final round.

	Driver	Car	#4	SPEED
L	Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	4.235	303.3
R	Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	4.351	305.3
L	Robert HIGHT	Mustang	4.351	307.5
L	Bob GILBERTSON	Stratus	4.460	287.0
R	Del WORSHAM	Solara	4.490	313.8
R	Ron CAPPS	Charger	4.494	289.5
L	Matt HAGAN	Charger	4.558	295.5
R	Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	4.621	302.0
R	Bob TASCA III	Mustang	4.625	302.0
R	Jack BECKMAN	Charger	4.675	291.5
L	Jack WYATT	Firebird	4.683	291.5
L	Mike NEFF	Mustang	4.688	277.5
L	Gary DENSHAM	Impala	4.702	278.0
R	Andy KELLEY	Stratus	4.731	282.5
R	Jerry TOLIVER	Monte Carlo	4.735	299.0
R	Jeff AREND	Solara	4.753	287.5
L	John FORCE	Mustang	4.835	288.0
L	John SMITH	Monte Carlo	5.353	279.3
L	Terry HADDOCK	Stratus	5.872	262.0
L	Grant DOWNING	Monte Carlo	7.998	116.5
L	Bob BODE	Impala	8.053	94.0
R	Jim HEAD	Solara	8.516	88.8
L	Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	8.944	79.0
L	Daniel WILKERSON	Impala	9.285	76.3
R	Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	9.595	81.3
R	Leif HELANDER	Camaro	9.776	75.0
R	Cory LEE	Dodge	No Start	N/A
R	Justin SCHRIEFER	Camaro	No Start	N/A
R	Brian THIEL	Monte Carlo	No Time	N/A

Final Order

Driver	Car	Fast Time	Qual Spd	Fast Spd
Del WORSHAM	Solara	4.213	313.3	313.8
Robert HIGHT	Mustang	4.223	300.3	308.5
Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	4.232	306.3	306.3
Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	4.235	303.3	303.3
Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.241	308.8	308.8
Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	4.269	293.8	293.8
Brian THIEL	Monte Carlo	4.304	308.5	308.5
Ron CAPPS	Charger	4.304	286.0	289.5
Bob TASCA III	Mustang	4.308	293.5	302.0
Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	4.335	288.5	302.0
Mike NEFF	Mustang	4.384	303.5	305.0
Jeff AREND	Solara	4.417	293.5	297.5
Matt HAGAN	Charger	4.420	287.5	305.0
Daniel WILKERSON	Impala	4.436	287.0	292.0
Grant DOWNING	Monte Carlo	4.448	291.5	291.5
Bob BODE	Impala	4.457	285.0	285.0

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Driver	Car	Fast Time	Qual Spd	Fast Spd
Bob GILBERTSON	Stratus	4.460	287.0	301.0
Jim HEAD	Solara	4.477	286.0	295.0
Jack BECKMAN	Charger	4.496	287.5	292.0
John SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.537	279.5	279.5
Jerry TOLIVER	Monte Carlo	4.544	291.0	299.0
John FORCE	Mustang	4.579	294.0	294.0
Gary DENSHAM	Impala	4.585	287.0	287.0
Jack WYATT	Firebird	4.591	296.0	296.0
Justin SCHRIEFER	Camaro	4.591	295.0	295.0
Andy KELLEY	Stratus	4.731	282.5	282.5
Terry HADDOCK	Stratus	4.825	282.5	282.5
Cory LEE	Dodge	5.479	N/A	283.5
Leif HELANDER	Camaro	5.754	N/A	272.5

CDR: 2009 Funny Car O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals Qual #3

TOPEKA, Kan. - TOPEKA - Notes from round 3 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX listing lane, driver name, vehicle, elapsed time, and top speed:

The fastest time of the third found was also the fastest time so far launching Del Worsham up from sixteenth. Ron Capps jumped up four spots to seventh, and Tony Pedregon finally makes his presence known as ninth quickest. John Smith, Tim Wilkerson and  Jack Beckman are forced out of the qualifying places, and Bob Gilbertson remains in limbo.

	Driver	Car	#3	SPEED
L	Del WORSHAM	Solara	4.213	313.3
L	Ron CAPPS	Charger	4.304	286.0
L	Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	4.335	288.5
L	Jeff AREND	Solara	4.417	293.5
R	Robert HIGHT	Mustang	4.429	308.5
L	Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	4.435	298.0
R	Daniel WILKERSON	Impala	4.436	287.0
R	Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.447	290.0
R	Bob BODE	Impala	4.457	285.0
R	Mike NEFF	Mustang	4.464	305.0
R	Bob GILBERTSON	Stratus	4.532	286.0
L	Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	4.539	280.0
L	Brian THIEL	Monte Carlo	4.543	292.5
L	Jerry TOLIVER	Monte Carlo	4.544	291.0
R	John FORCE	Mustang	4.579	294.0
R	Jack WYATT	Firebird	4.591	296.0
R	Terry HADDOCK	Stratus	4.825	282.5
L	Jack BECKMAN	Charger	4.878	292.0
L	Jim HEAD	Solara	4.951	282.5
R	Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	5.314	284.8
R	Grant DOWNING	Monte Carlo	5.315	271.8
R	Matt HAGAN	Charger	5.348	270.3
L	Cory LEE	Dodge	5.479	283.5
L	Bob TASCA III	Mustang	8.320	69.0
L	Justin SCHRIEFER	Camaro	8.917	60.5
L	Andy KELLEY	Stratus	9.711	55.3
L	Leif HELANDER	Camaro	10.562	46.0
R	John SMITH	Monte Carlo	10.870	42.8
R	Gary DENSHAM	Impala	11.093	35.3

Order After Round Three

Driver	Car	Fast Time
Del WORSHAM	Solara	4.213
Robert HIGHT	Mustang	4.223
Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	4.232
Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.241
Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	4.269
Brian THIEL	Monte Carlo	4.304
Ron CAPPS	Charger	4.304
Bob TASCA III	Mustang	4.308
Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	4.335
Mike NEFF	Mustang	4.384
Jeff AREND	Solara	4.417
Matt HAGAN	Charger	4.420
Daniel WILKERSON	Impala	4.436
Grant DOWNING	Monte Carlo	4.448
Bob BODE	Impala	4.457
Jim HEAD	Solara	4.477

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Driver	Car	Fast Time
Jack BECKMAN	Charger	4.496
Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	4.525
Bob GILBERTSON	Stratus	4.532
John SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.537
Jerry TOLIVER	Monte Carlo	4.544
John FORCE	Mustang	4.579
Gary DENSHAM	Impala	4.585
Jack WYATT	Firebird	4.591
Justin SCHRIEFER	Camaro	4.591
Terry HADDOCK	Stratus	4.825
Cory LEE	Dodge	5.479
Leif HELANDER	Camaro	5.754
Andy KELLEY	Stratus	9.711

CDR: 2009 Funny Car O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals Qual #2

TOPEKA, Kan. - TOPEKA - Notes from round 2 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX listing lane, driver name, vehicle, elapsed time, and top speed:

Robert Hight jumps up from fifth to become the fastest driver so far, knocking Force-Hood down to second. Cruz Pedregon also slips down with Mike Smith moving up ten spots to third overall. Mike Neff makes it into the top sixteen times, ending the midway point of qualification a place above Matt Hagan's eighth. Some successful drivers need to improve: Bob Gilbertson and Tony Pedregon are the most noteworthy absentees at this stage.

Round Two

	Driver	Car	#2	SPEED
L	Robert HIGHT	Mustang	4.223	300.3
L	Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.241	308.8
L	Mike NEFF	Mustang	4.384	303.5
L	Matt HAGAN	Charger	4.420	287.5
R	Jeff AREND	Solara	4.430	297.5
L	John SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.537	279.5
R	Del WORSHAM	Solara	4.549	302.0
R	Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	4.556	296.0
R	Justin SCHRIEFER	Camaro	4.591	295.0
L	Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	4.616	282.0
R	Jim HEAD	Solara	4.652	295.0
R	Bob TASCA III	Mustang	4.700	297.0
R	Jack BECKMAN	Charger	4.729	284.5
R	Ron CAPPS	Charger	4.821	279.5
L	Grant DOWNING	Monte Carlo	4.824	280.5
L	John FORCE	Mustang	4.932	275.5
L	Daniel WILKERSON	Impala	4.971	292.0
L	Bob BODE	Impala	5.161	278.3
L	Jack WYATT	Firebird	5.179	272.3
L	Bob GILBERTSON	Stratus	5.279	289.0
R	Jerry TOLIVER	Monte Carlo	5.494	278.8
R	Brian THIEL	Monte Carlo	5.533	271.0
L	Terry HADDOCK	Stratus	7.917	100.3
R	Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	8.265	80.0
L	Gary DENSHAM	Impala	9.544	58.0
R	Cory LEE	Dodge	9.872	51.0
R	Leif HELANDER	Camaro	11.079	38.0
R	Andy KELLEY	Stratus	No Start	N/A
R	Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	No Start	N/A

Order After Round Two

Driver	Car	Fast Time
Robert HIGHT	Mustang	4.223
Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	4.232
Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.241
Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	4.269
Brian THIEL	Monte Carlo	4.304
Bob TASCA III	Mustang	4.308
Mike NEFF	Mustang	4.384
Matt HAGAN	Charger	4.420
Jeff AREND	Solara	4.430
Grant DOWNING	Monte Carlo	4.448
Ron CAPPS	Charger	4.461
Jim HEAD	Solara	4.477
Jack BECKMAN	Charger	4.496
Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	4.525
John SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.537
Del WORSHAM	Solara	4.549

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Driver	Car	Fast Time
Bob GILBERTSON	Stratus	4.550
Gary DENSHAM	Impala	4.585
Justin SCHRIEFER	Camaro	4.591
Daniel WILKERSON	Impala	4.592
Jerry TOLIVER	Monte Carlo	4.632
John FORCE	Mustang	4.666
Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	4.688
Jack WYATT	Firebird	4.736
Bob BODE	Impala	5.161
Leif HELANDER	Camaro	5.754
Terry HADDOCK	Stratus	7.917
Cory LEE	Dodge	9.872
Andy KELLEY	Stratus	0.000

CDR: 2009 Funny Car O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals Qual #1

TOPEKA, Kan. - TOPEKA - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Funny Car at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 21st annual O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX listing lane, driver name, vehicle, elapsed time, and top speed:

Ashley Force-Hood has twice qualified third fastest but is sitting pretty at the top of the pack early on in the ninth event of the season. A Pedregon sits in second place but it's Cruz as brother Tony was off the pace and ends the first round in nineteenth spot. The winner of the previous event, Matt Hagan, is sixth fastest, and the man he beat in the final, Mike Neff is in the unlucky place of seventeenth.

	Driver	Car	#1	SPEED
L	Ashley FORCE-HOOD	Mustang	4.232	306.3
L	Cruz PEDRAGON	Solara	4.269	293.8
L	Brian THIEL	Monte Carlo	4.304	308.5
L	Bob TASCA III	Mustang	4.308	293.5
R	Robert HIGHT	Mustang	4.366	307.8
R	Matt HAGAN	Charger	4.428	305.0
R	Grant DOWNING	Monte Carlo	4.448	291.5
L	Ron CAPPS	Charger	4.461	288.0
L	Jim HEAD	Solara	4.477	286.0
L	Jack BECKMAN	Charger	4.496	287.5
R	Tim WILKERSON	Mustang	4.525	287.0
R	Bob GILBERTSON	Stratus	4.550	301.0
R	Mike SMITH	Monte Carlo	4.577	300.0
R	Gary DENSHAM	Impala	4.585	287.0
R	Daniel WILKERSON	Impala	4.592	287.5
L	Jerry TOLIVER	Monte Carlo	4.632	283.5
R	Mike NEFF	Mustang	4.661	288.0
R	John FORCE	Mustang	4.666	278.5
L	Tony PEDRAGON	Impala	4.688	292.0
L	Jeff AREND	Solara	4.712	280.5
R	Jack WYATT	Firebird	4.736	275.5
L	Del WORSHAM	Solara	4.953	294.0
L	Leif HELANDER	Camaro	5.754	272.5
R	John SMITH	Monte Carlo	5.836	279.0
L	Cory LEE	Dodge	10.149	46.3
L	Andy KELLEY	Stratus	No Start	N/A
R	Terry HADDOCK	Stratus	No Start	N/A
L	Justin SCHRIEFER	Camaro	No Time	N/A
R	Bob BODE	Impala	No Time	N/A