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POMONA, Calif. (AP) — Del Worsham, Jack Beckman and Tommy Johnson Jr. will decide the NHRA Funny Car season title Sunday in the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals.
Worsham and Beckman provided a preview Saturday by closing qualifying with a side-by-side 3.89-second race.
Series leader Worsham took a 36-point lead over Beckman into the final eliminations. Johnson, 96 points back, needs to have his two rivals lose early and then win the race and set a national record to have any chance at the title.
Worsham, who qualified third, will meet Tony Pedregon in the opening round, and No. 2 qualifier Beckman will face Chad Head. Beckman, who entered the playoffs as the top seed and had a record-setting regular season, will need to go two rounds more than Worsham to win the series crown.
Ron Capps led Funny Car qualifying, season champion Antron Brown was the fastest in Top Fuel, Greg Anderson topped the Pro Stock field, and Jerry Savoie had the Pro Stock Motorcycle lead.
Capps had a 3.886-second run at 326.87 mph in a Dodger Charger, Brown had a 3.721 at 326.71, Anderson ran a 6.490 at 213.03 in a Chevrolet Camaro, Savoie had a 6.803 at 197.51 on a Suzuki.
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