A Few Stats Thru Bristol

After compiling the stats after Bristol, I had to double check one
astonishing feat...3 perfect lights by Mike Edwards so far this season.
Mike has always been great on the tree, having a lifetime 54-17
holeshot record, since his start in Pro Stock in 1995. But 3 perfect
lights, not only in one season, but 3 out of 16 times in 8 events!
That translates into cutting perfect lights almost 20% of the time
this season! So if you think he would be ranked #1 in reaction
time average, you would be wrong. Mike is ranked 7th with a
.032 average.

Why? Partly because he cut a .117 light at Gainesville in the third
round, after a perfect light in the second round. This often
happens when a driver over-compensates the next round after a
perfect light. The other reason is how tight the average numbers
are. The is only a .01 difference between #1 and #7 ranked drivers.
So, who is cutting the tree down this year and ranked #1? V.
Gaines, that's who. V. has had only one light worse than the
average of .042 and that was a .044 at ST. Louis. V.'s reaction
time average is a .022.

And speaking of lights, what happened in Top Fuel at Atlanta with 4
holeshot wins? Both fuel classes have somewhere between 12 and 18
holeshot wins a year. 4 at one event is a record. There have been
a handful of events where 3 occurred but never as many as 4.

Finally, while Ashley Force and Melanie Troxel are deservingly
getting the Funny Car spotlight this year, statwise though, Tim
Wilkerson is getting my DragStats spotlight! Below are ALL of Tim's
runs from eliminations this year. His slowest mph is a 270.86
at Pomona and his slowest elapsed time was a 5.179 at the
horrible Vegas prepped track. How about those
consistent apples! Hats off to Tim!

Event Et Mph Rt Rd Opponent
ATL 4.887 317.05 .107 Rd # 1 SCELZI
ATL 4.857 317.87 .113 Rd # 2 FORCE
BRISTOL 4.823 311.77 .114 Rd # 1 DENSHAM
BRISTOL 4.884 296.70 .091 Rd # 2 HIGHT
GAINVL 5.072 290.63 .070 Rd # 1 NEFF
GAINVL 4.848 322.34 .100 Rd # 2 BECKMAN
GAINVL 4.925 318.69 .111 Rd # 3 DENSHAM
HOUST I 4.870 319.37 .063 Rd # 1 CAPPS
HOUST I 5.113 275.00 .068 Rd # 2 WORSHAM
PHX 4.940 283.61 .159 Rd # 1 BODE
POMNA I 5.099 270.86 .066 Rd # 1 DENSHAM
ST LOUIS 4.828 322.88 .115 Rd # 1 BARTONE
ST LOUIS 4.826 310.20 .107 Rd # 2 WORSHAM
ST LOUIS 4.829 314.83 .118 Rd # 3 PEDREGON,C
ST LOUIS 4.874 317.27 .074 Rd # 4 NEFF
VEGAS I 4.943 311.77 .153 Rd # 1 HEAD
VEGAS I 4.966 310.70 .121 Rd # 2 PEDREGON,T
VEGAS I 5.179 286.25 .131 Rd # 3 CAPPS
VEGAS I 4.962 292.58 .092 Rd # 4 FORCE, A
Best: 4.823 322.88 W/L: 13 - 6 68.4%