Cruz Pedregon Gainesville Pre-Race

NHRA 2005 NOTES & QUOTES

36th Annual Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville Raceway  Gainesville, Florida
Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car - Pedregon Racing
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
 
Cruz Pedregon: Arte and Solera
Art and Character Come Together at Gainesville Raceway

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 17, 2005)  If Gainesville Raceway has the
tradition, Cruz Pedregon has the talent and experience to take his team to
the winner¹s circle of the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals.

After Pedregon won this race in 1998, it has taken him years of dedication
and hard work to have a car and a team capable of winning again at this
legendary track.

Cruz Pedregon and his Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo Nitro Funny Car have
had a successful start to the season on the West coast and now, they are
ready to bring home a victory in the East.

³This race would be a good place to get in the winner¹s circle,² said
Pedregon. ³We have started the season with solid performances qualifying in
the top half of the field for the past two races, and we can execute better
than in the past to increase our chances of being successful  we¹re off to
a good start. 

³It has been a lot of hard work to build a team that has a chance at a
championship, but this is how long it takes to get it right,² commented
Pedregon. ³I feel that every year we¹re getting better and more experienced
but in racing, not only you have to be good, it also takes a little bit of
luck. There¹re a lot of factors that make you win a race; we¹ve eliminated
as many negative factors as we can and turned them into positives. I feel as
good about our chances in this race as I did back in 1998.²

It is clear that Pedregon heads off to Gainesville reassured by the
performance of his Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car and the expertise that
his crew chief  Wes Cerny  has brought to the table.

³I feel we have a good car and we did not have to make any major changes to
the car to prepare for Gainesville,² added Pedregon. ³We have changed the
steering wheel a bit and added some safety features to make the car a little
safer in the event of tire failure, that¹s it.

³Wes, our crew chief, has over 30 years of experience and always knows how
to adjust to any type of track or climatic conditions we may encounter. It¹s
reassuring to know I have a good team that makes the proper adjustments to
the car so I can jump in and do my job.²

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is based in Roanoke, Va., and is the second largest
auto parts chain in the nation. With over 2600 stores in 39 states, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands, the company serves both the do-it-yourself and
professional installer markets. Additional information about the company,
employment opportunities, services, as well as on-line purchase of parts and
accessories can be found on the company's web site at
www.advanceautoparts.com.

Advance Auto Parts Notebook:

First Hospitality Event

 Advance Auto Parts will hold its first hospitality event of the drag racing
season at the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

³We look forward to the Advance Auto Parts hospitality event in
Gainesville,² said Pedregon. ³And we¹re excited about the several hundred
Advance Auto Parts people and their guests that will visit with us. I want
to extend my appreciation for their continuous support that has helped me
make my childhood dreams a reality.²