Gary Scelzi nails the floppers in Bristol

Special to Motorsport.com by Bill King

Funny Car at the weather-plaqued NHRA O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway produced a few classic pedalling contests, several upsets and three appearances by the RacerGirl.

Ultimately Gary Scelzi scored his 30th career victory, his fifth in Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, and in his final round win over Jeff Arend, hit the speed trap at a track-record 329.26mph. Arend was in his first final since winning Reading in 1996.

That's about all that was predictable among the Floppers. Championship leaders Whit Bazemore and John Force remained one-two Sunday evening, despite going down in the opening round to Tommy Johnson Jr. and Cruz Pedregon respectively.

Much to the delight of the male spectators, Jack Wyatt advanced despite two lurching passes in the RacerGirl Firebird before being drilled by Scelzi in the semis.

Pro Stock
Top Fuel

Funny Car Results:

First Round:

. Eric Medlen, Mustang (Q1) 9.209sec/178.78mph (RT/.104sec) def. Ron Capps, Stratus (Q16) 9.804/187.00 (.095)

. Jeff Arend, Monte Carlo (Q9) 5.000/256.99 (.086) def. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo (Q8) 9.439/102.47 (.071)

. Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo (Q13) 6.098/221.27 (.060) def. John Force, Mustang (Q4) 7.096/137.19 (.090)

. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo (Q12) 4.936/308.64 (.079) def. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo (Q5) 4.951/310.98 (.122)

. Jack Wyatt, Firebird (Q15) 7.016/218.51 (.181) def. Robert Hight, Mustang (Q2) 7.837/174.12 (.211)

. Tim Wilkerson, Monte Carlo (Q7) 4.862/304.67 (.111) def. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo, (Q10) 9.140/107.61 (.103)

. Gary Scelzi Stratus (Q3) 4.791/325.37 (.088) def. Gary Densham, Monte Carlo (Q14) 5.141/231.36 (.112)

. Tommy Johnson Jr, Monte Carlo (Q6) 4.913/316.08 (.081) def. Whit Bazemore, Stratus (Q11) 5.144/302.14 (.075)

Quarter-Finals:

. Arend, 4.896/320.58 (.071) def. Medlen, 5.453/197.65 (.114)

. C. Pedregon, 4.842/314.24 (.113) def. T. Pedregon, 7.581/112.87 (.089)

. Wyatt, 5.294/237.34 (.302) def. Wilkerson, 13/659/90.91 (.152)

. Scelzi, 5.134/244.25 (.090) def. Johnson Jr, 5.185/273.22 (.080)

Semi-Finals:

. Arend, 4.905/310.91 (.109) def. C. Pedregon, 9.132/112.19 (.084)

. Scelzi, 4.818/322.19 (.124) def. Wyatt, 9.389/84.85 (.162)

Final:

. Scelzi, 4.815/329.26 (.080) def. Arend, 4.971/282.42 (.101)

Updated Points: Bazemore 433; Force 375; C. Pedregon 373; Scelzi 370; Hight 360; Johnson Jr 319; Medlen 308; Capps 294; Gilbertson 292; Worsham 280