1998 NHRA Pioneer Keystone Nationals
Round-by-round Results
Nitro Funny Car
Sunday
Elimination Round #1 Driver Car ET MPH r/t
(W) Tony Pedregon '97 Mustang 5.162 280.98 (-) Ron Capps '98 Camaro 5.246 271.08 #12 Tony P. takes on #5 Capps... Tony has switched from his Syntec body to the white Castrol GTX body... Capps shook the tires, drifted toward the centerline and clipped the 1000' cone, and had to lift, letting Pedregon go by.
(-) Bob Weickgenaut '97 Avenger 10.320 81.85 .571 (W) Whit Bazemore '98 Camaro 5.016 298.21 .540 Whit moved around only slightly onthe track, laying down a very clean run while Bob shakes and smokes the tires.
(-) Jack Wyatt '96 Daytona 13.986 79.60 .419 (W) John Force '98 Mustang 4.901 304.98 .513 Wyatt gets a great light, but strikes the tires instantly. Force was straight down the track on this homerun pass. Larry Sullivan quote of the day: "My God!"
(-) Jim Epler '98 Avenger 8.808 96.69 .510 (W) Dean Skuza '98 Avenger 5.133 292.96 .487 Skuza peddles it as the car drives toward the wall, while Epler gets out of the groove, smokes the tires, and has to lift.
(W) Tom Hoover '98 Avenger 5.197 276.41 .562 (-) Tim Wilkerson '98 Firebird 5.483 284.99 .518 Wilkerson strikes the tires 100' downtrack and tries to catch it, while Hoover hazes the tires lightly the length of the track, good enough for the win.
(-) Gary Densham '98 Avenger 5.653 190.15 .487 (W) Cruz Pedregon '98 Firebird 4.988 302.21 .506 Densham leaves a big puff of smoke before the traps, but Cruz was long gone on only the third 4-second pass the track has seen this weekend.
(-) Randy Anderson '98 Firebird 6.113 154.08 .506 (W) Chuck Etchells '98 Camaro 4.997 303.03 .509 Anderson was drifting toward the centerline early in the run and he peddles it twice while dropping cylinders until he finally took out the 1000' cone. Etchells shows that we may see many more tremendous performances here today.
(-) Al Hofmann '98 Firebird 12.335 75.06 .509 (W) Del Worsham '98 Firebird 5.068 294.69 .507 Hofmann headed skyward by the time he reached the Christmas tree, hit the wheelie bars, struck the tires hard, and bounced around hard when it came down, while Worsham kills them with consistency.
Elimination Round #2
(W) Whit Bazemore '98 Camaro 5.033 290.69 .511 (-) Chuck Etchells '98 Camaro 5.013 293.15 .574 Bazemore hooked like a rocket off the line, using a holeshot good enough to keep Etchells behind him as he skated around on top end. Etchells started to haze the tires at the finish, giving him that breathing room as well.
(-) Tom Hoover '98 Avenger 5.348 209.30 .533 (W) Tony Pedregon '97 Mustang 5.055 286.16 .540 Hoover was dead-even with Pedregon until the flames went outaround 1000'. Pedregon's engine was hurting itself in the traps, spewing smoke in the shutdown area. We're down for cleanup.
(-) Del Worsham '98 Firebird 5.141 285.98 .485 (W) John Force '98 Mustang 5.006 297.61 .462 A good side-by-side race, but Force simplt outpowers Worsham.
(W) Dean Skuza '98 Avenger 5.084 286.62 .490 (-) Cruz Pedregon '98 Firebird 5.094 266.58 .700 Skuza steps up and puts a good number on the board, just starting to spin the tires near the finish. With the starting line advantage, however, this one was over early.
Elimination Round #3 - Semifinals
(W) Dean Skuza '98 Avenger 5.070 291.73 .504 (-) Whit Bazemore '98 Camaro 6.696 238.03 .490 Bazemore blew the tires off right on the starting line.
(-) Tony Pedregon '97 Mustang 10.831 78.67 .509 (W) John Force '98 Mustang 5.014 294.88 .564 Tony, in the opposite lane from Bazemore's run, also smokes the tires right on the line.
Elimination Round #4 - Finals
(W) Dean Skuza '98 Avenger 5.039 288.55 .481 (-) John Force '98 Mustang 5.112 282.57 .483 Skuza wins the burnout contest, as he has all weekend. Can he put together enough to beat Force in the real race? Yes! Skuza starts to haze 'em up on top end, but carries enough momentum to stay in front of Force's Mustang that starts smoking in the lights. Congratulations to the Matco Tools entry for their first win of the season.