Cruz Pedregon Moves Up to Sixth
Advance Auto Parts Racing Nitro Funny Car Pedregon Racing NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Texas Motorplex Ennis, Texas Final Qualifying Notes & Quotes Cruz Pedregon Moves Up to Sixth Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo Picks Up Over Yesterday ENNIS, Texas (Sept. 25, 2004) Cloud cover during the fourth session set up conditions that allowed Cruz Pedregon and the Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car to jump up to the sixth slot for tomorrowıs NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. Pedregon, who sat seventh after Fridayıs two sessions, clicked off a 4.845-second elapsed time at 316.38 mph during todayıs final qualifying session. The California resident has a first round match up with Ron Capps. ³The session was brutal,² commented Pedregon, on how the final qualifying session was unfolding. ³The times were getting better and better and we were falling further behind as I sat there listening to the radio prior to my run. We were tenth, after being seventh heading into the session, as I went up to the starting line.² Track conditions could play a factor in who wins tomorrowıs race. ³You have to be ready to take out a little clutch,² Pedregon said. ³If thereıs slot of penetration on the race track as far as the sun is concerned, weıll have to pull it back a bit. This is a great race track when thereıs cloud cover, but definitely loosens up when the sun comes out. Thatıs the great thing about what (crew chief) Wes (Cerny) has been able to do with this car, weıre not wishing for it to be cloudy or cool to get down the track. Whatever the conditions are, thatıs what works for us.² Advance Auto Parts Notebook: RACE CONDITONS: Cruz Pedregon and the entire Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo Nitro Funny Car team had a few tense moments prior to the final-qualifying session today. The team had to make a major change right before sending the car out. ³The engine just wasnıt responding right,² Pedregon said. ³I talked with (crew chief) Wes (Cerny) after last nightıs run, and then our early run today, and I didnıt feel it had the power it should. So we changed engines right before the session and the car came to life. We should really be in good shape for tomorrow now.² ³We now know where we are,² Pedregon continued. ³We know the changes the we have been making have been the right ones. I think weıre ready to race. PedregonRacing.com