Topeka Funny Car

>From the Prodigy Auto Racing BB

Friday-Session 1 - Funny Car              -Left lane first- 
1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe           
                                                            
Number    Driver               R/T           E.T.   Speed   
F/C  620  MITCH MCDOWELL      0.544          5.182  294.11* 
F/C  433  JIM BLAKE                           N/A    N/A    
   Blake never got started. Great run by McDowell.          
   .                                                        
      single                                                
F/C  444  BRENT FANNING       0.923           N/A    N/A    
   Fanning breaks right off the line and dumps fluid all    
   over the track.                                          
F/C  850  NORM WILDING        0.900          6.794  132.17  
F/C  347  TIM WILKERSON       0.655          5.092  290.22  
   Wilding shuts down right off the line. Good run for      
   Wilkerson.                                               
F/C  520  TOM HOOVER                          N/A    N/A  * 
F/C    7  DEL WORSHAM                         N/A    N/A    
   Hoover does a burnout and continues down the track.      
   Worsham shuts off after the burnout.                     
F/C   28  RON CAPPS           0.508          8.816   86.73  
F/C  302  DALE CREASY         0.541          5.247  263.00  
   Capps went up in smoke at about 300 feet.                
   .                                                        
F/C    6  MARK OSWALD         0.528          8.219  100.97  
F/C   10  GARY DENSHAM        0.546          5.088  296.44  
   Oswald shook the tires on the launch and went up in      
   smoke at about 200 feet.                                 
F/C    2  TONY PEDREGON       0.567          5.132  301.81  
F/C  700  RANDY ANDERSON      0.599          5.065  302.21  
   Great side by side race.                                 
   .                                                        
F/C    3  CRUZ PEDREGON       0.528          5.194  285.09* 
F/C    1  JOHN FORCE          0.606          5.328  206.32  
   Force goes up in smoke at about 800 feet.                
   .                                                        
F/C    4  AL HOFMANN          0.605         11.033   69.83  
F/C  209  WHIT BAZEMORE       0.589          4.985  309.27  
   Hoffman went up in smoke at about 150 feet. Great run    
   by Whit.                                                 
F/C  305  DEAN SKUZA          0.564          5.569  195.35* 
F/C    8  KENJI OKAZAKI       0.499         10.467   82.25  
   Skuza loses the blower belt at about 1000 feet.          
   Kenji shook the tires at about 300 feet.                 
F/C    5  CHUCK ETCHELLS      0.544          5.098  305.29* 
      single                                                
   Good run by Etchells.                                    
   .                                                        

Friday-Session 2 - Funny Car -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed F/C 7 DEL WORSHAM 0.598 5.085 302.82* F/C 520 TOM HOOVER 0.509 5.133 297.12 Good runs by both cars. . F/C 302 DALE CREASY 0.549 8.212 97.58 F/C 28 RON CAPPS 0.558 5.052 273.14 Creasy headed towards the center line at about half track. F/C 10 GARY DENSHAM 0.501 5.088 296.93* F/C 6 MARK OSWALD 0.563 5.101 296.24 . . F/C 700 RANDY ANDERSON 0.540 10.095 73.69 F/C 2 TONY PEDREGON 0.517 5.090 302.41 Randy lifts at about 300 feet. . F/C 1 JOHN FORCE 0.537 5.151 310.77* F/C 3 CRUZ PEDREGON 0.548 9.151 85.89 Force smoked the tires at about 300 feet and pedaled it Cruz lost traction and never got back in it. F/C 209 WHIT BAZEMORE 0.563 4.952 311.85* F/C 4 AL HOFMANN 0.515 10.812 69.66 Awesome run by Whit. Hoffman went up in smoke at about 300 feet. F/C 8 KENJI OKAZAKI 0.919 10.161 84.47 F/C 305 DEAN SKUZA 0.946 9.996 88.50 Both drivers shut down at about 300 feet. . F/C 433 JIM BLAKE 0.518 7.251 117.41 F/C 5 CHUCK ETCHELLS 0.916 5.075 304.56 Blake lost traction at about 200 feet and pedaled it to about 1000 feet and shut down. F/C 444 BRENT FANNING 0.571 12.140 74.37 F/C 620 MITCH MCDOWELL 0.561 9.848 86.63 Fanning lost traction right off the line. McDowell lost traction at about 200 feet. single F/C 850 NORM WILDING 0.948 5.390 271.73 Norm improves enough to get off the bump. .

Saturday-Session 1 - Funny Car -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed F/C 6 MARK OSWALD 0.566 5.112 294.21* F/C 700 RANDY ANDERSON 0.533 5.324 210.47 Oswald was all over the track but held on for a decent run. Anderson lost power at about 1000 feet. F/C 2 TONY PEDREGON 0.574 5.881 170.35 F/C 1 JOHN FORCE 0.515 4.936 308.21 Force skates around but makes a great run to take No 1. F/C 3 CRUZ PEDREGON 0.514 5.192 300.40* F/C 209 WHIT BAZEMORE 0.525 5.423 201.92 Whit starts out good, loses traction and over revs the engine. F/C 4 AL HOFMANN 0.537 4.953 290.79* F/C 8 KENJI OKAZAKI 0.572 5.374 281.42 Hoffman makes a good run then goes up in flames in the lights. He will have to use his spare to continue. F/C 305 DEAN SKUZA 0.529 5.180 297.61* F/C 433 JIM BLAKE 0.491 5.272 280.89 Good runs by both cars. . F/C 5 CHUCK ETCHELLS 0.543 5.125 303.13* F/C 444 BRENT FANNING 0.972 11.206 76.08 Fanning shuts off at about 200 feet. No improvement for Etchells. F/C 620 MITCH MCDOWELL 0.550 7.495 113.16 F/C 347 TIM WILKERSON 0.505 5.097 286.89 McDowell shuts it off early. Wilkerson hazes the tires around half-track. F/C 850 NORM WILDING N/A N/A F/C 7 DEL WORSHAM 0.596 8.780 94.29 Wilding shuts off after the burnout. Worsham gets out of shape and has to shut down. F/C 520 TOM HOOVER 0.554 5.163 290.13* F/C 302 DALE CREASY 0.562 5.240 287.90 Good runs by both cars. Creasy improves slightly but stays No. 16. F/C 28 RON CAPPS 0.578 5.067 302.82* F/C 10 GARY DENSHAM 0.540 5.082 299.50 Good runs by both cars. .

Saturday-Session 2 - Funny Car -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed F/C 8 KENJI OKAZAKI 0.570 5.187 284.00* F/C 3 CRUZ PEDREGON 0.495 5.273 288.64 Kenji finally gets in the show. . F/C 433 JIM BLAKE 0.527 5.152 285.26* F/C 305 DEAN SKUZA 0.544 5.200 297.42 Blake runs his quickest time ever and bumps Cruz out for now. F/C 444 BRENT FANNING 0.889 8.798 87.15* F/C 5 CHUCK ETCHELLS 0.514 13.419 66.45 Fanning was mixing cylinders and clicked it. Etchells went up in smoke right off the line. F/C 347 TIM WILKERSON 0.515 5.141 290.60* F/C 620 MITCH MCDOWELL 0.531 6.521 141.82 Wilkerson drops cylinders all the way down the track. . F/C 7 DEL WORSHAM 0.552 5.037 305.29* F/C 520 TOM HOOVER 0.523 6.319 143.31 Both cars were skating all over the track. Worsham did a great job of driving. F/C 302 DALE CREASY 0.565 5.251 286.25 F/C 28 RON CAPPS 0.901 5.047 295.08 Good runs by both cars. . F/C 700 RANDY ANDERSON 0.927 5.047 299.80* F/C 6 MARK OSWALD 0.928 5.100 292.20 Good runs by both cars. . F/C 1 JOHN FORCE 0.540 5.043 303.33 F/C 2 TONY PEDREGON 0.515 5.007 300.10 Good runs by both cars. Tony gets in the top half of the field. F/C 209 WHIT BAZEMORE 0.515 12.110 70.98* single Whit goes up in smoke right off the line. .

Funny Car Qualifying List After Session 2, Saturday 1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe Pos Name Number E.T. Speed When 1 JOHN FORCE F/C 1 4.936 308.21 Sat1 2 WHIT BAZEMORE F/C 209 4.952 311.85 Fri2 3 AL HOFMANN F/C 4 4.953 290.79 Sat1 4 TONY PEDREGON F/C 2 5.007 300.10 Sat2 5 DEL WORSHAM F/C 7 5.037 305.29 Sat2 6 RANDY ANDERSON F/C 700 5.047 299.80 Sat2 7 RON CAPPS F/C 28 5.047 295.08 Sat2 8 CHUCK ETCHELLS F/C 5 5.075 304.56 Fri2 9 GARY DENSHAM F/C 10 5.082 299.50 Sat1 10 TIM WILKERSON F/C 347 5.092 290.22 Fri1 11 MARK OSWALD F/C 6 5.100 292.20 Sat2 12 TOM HOOVER F/C 520 5.133 297.12 Fri2 13 JIM BLAKE F/C 433 5.152 285.26 Sat2 14 DEAN SKUZA F/C 305 5.180 297.61 Sat1 15 MITCH MCDOWELL F/C 620 5.182 294.11 Fri1 16 KENJI OKAZAKI F/C 8 5.187 284.00 Sat2 17 CRUZ PEDREGON F/C 3 5.192 300.40 Sat1 18 DALE CREASY F/C 302 5.240 287.90 Sat1 19 NORM WILDING F/C 850 5.390 271.73 Fri2 20 BRENT FANNING F/C 444 8.798 87.15 Sat2

Sunday-Round 1 - Funny Car -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed F/C 6 MARK OSWALD 0.542 5.024 302.11 F/C 700 RANDY ANDERSON 0.507 4.977 307.27W Randy makes a great run to take out Oswald. Good run by both cars. F/C 7 DEL WORSHAM 0.516 6.239 152.61W F/C 520 TOM HOOVER 0.494 11.189 74.59 Hoover makes a turn to the right off the line. Worsham lost traction at about 600 feet out . F/C 8 KENJI OKAZAKI 0.531 5.099 276.92 F/C 1 JOHN FORCE 0.484 4.978 312.50W Kenji makes a good run but doesn't have the power to keep up with Force. F/C 620 MITCH MCDOWELL 0.528 6.192 167.13 F/C 209 WHIT BAZEMORE 0.483 5.104 282.04W McDowell loses traction right away. Whit started smoking the tires at about halftrack but recovered. F/C 4 AL HOFMANN 0.514 10.402 78.79 F/C 305 DEAN SKUZA 0.478 5.055 306.53W Hoffman loses traction at about 100 feet and Skuza makes a clean run for the win. F/C 433 JIM BLAKE 0.519 11.670 32.48 F/C 2 TONY PEDREGON 0.471 4.993 306.95W Blake has a blower explosion at about 200 feet out. The body flies off the carand the chutes come out. Jims ok. F/C 347 TIM WILKERSON 0.484 9.489 81.38 F/C 28 RON CAPPS 0.497 5.153 287.44W Wilkerson gets the front wheels off the ground and has to lift. Capps smokes the tires through the lights. F/C 10 GARY DENSHAM No show F/C 5 CHUCK ETCHELLS 0.553 5.023 300.00W Densham makes the burnout but get backup. He gets pushed to the side and Chuck makes a decent run.

Sunday-Round 2 - Funny Car -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed F/C 305 DEAN SKUZA 0.486 5.026 310.13 F/C 700 RANDY ANDERSON 0.513 4.961 305.60W Great side by side as Randy makes a great run to take the win. F/C 7 DEL WORSHAM 0.453 9.255 92.67 F/C 2 TONY PEDREGON 0.502 4.986 305.60W Worsham takes an instant turn to the right and he has to lift. Tony makes a good run in the right lane. F/C 5 CHUCK ETCHELLS 0.516 4.996 298.80 F/C 1 JOHN FORCE 0.495 4.958 298.40W Great drag race.They were side by side the length of the track. F/C 28 RON CAPPS 0.481 5.097 304.67 F/C 209 WHIT BAZEMORE 0.499 5.064 302.31W Capps gets a slight advantage at the line but can't hold of Bazemore. Next round: Force with lane choice over Pedregon. Anderson with lane choice over Bazemore.

Sunday-Round 3 - Funny Car -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed F/C 209 WHIT BAZEMORE 0.492 5.317 265.64 F/C 700 RANDY ANDERSON 0.485 5.064 277.00W Whit goes up in smoke at about halftrack. The race was even at the 330 ft. mark. F/C 2 TONY PEDREGON 0.500 4.944 310.13 F/C 1 JOHN FORCE 0.493 4.943 313.15W GREAT RACE!!!! Force sets a new National MPH record as he defeats Tony. Margin of victory was .008 seconds. Force has lane choice in the final round.

Sunday-Round 4 - Funny Car -Left lane first- 1997 NHRA Sears Craftsman Nationals by David Rowe Number Driver R/T E.T. Speed F/C 700 RANDY ANDERSON 0.462 5.356 245.43 F/C 1 JOHN FORCE 0.459 4.988 308.74W Randy hazes the tires slightly and recovers but can't catch the Ford of John Force.