Cruz Pedregon Topeka Preview
17th annual NHRA Summer Nationals Heartland Park Topeka Topeka, Kan. Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car - Pedregon Racing NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Cruz Pedregon Racking Up NHRA Points TOPEKA, Kan. (May 25, 2005) Former Funny Car champion, Cruz Pedregon, heads to Heartland Park Topeka this weekend to compete in the 17th annual NHRA Summer Nationals. The Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car driver is racking up championship points after driving to his fourth-straight semifinal during last weekendıs race in Columbus, Ohio. The California native is in fourth place in NHRA Nitro Funny Car point standings after his semifinal round appearance at National Trail Raceway. Pedregon, with 508 points, is just two points below third place Robert Hight, and 14 points from second-place Gary Scelzi. John Force stays at the top with 602 championship points. The Advance Auto Parts Car has been running without any flaw and for the upcoming event at Heartland Park Topeka, Pedregon knows he has a top car and a solid team backing his driving. He just needs the extra push to drive all the way to the final appearance. ³We made it to another semifinal in Columbus,² Pedregon said. ³When you make it to the semifinals time after time, you know this car-team combination is working. Weıre also running good speed numbers now. I canıt wait to race in Topeka and Iım excited that we keep racking up the points. Weıve gained a little on the top guys, so we need to keep it going.² Pedregon is eager to wrap up the final event of a back-to-back three-race swing of the 2005 POWERade season at Heartland Park Topeka. ³I feel Topeka is one of my old stomping grounds,² said Pedregon. ³It was one of the tracks Larry Minor took me to run his Top Fuel dragster back in 1991. At the time, I was just in awe of the place because it was so Œstate of the artı. Iıve also had a lot of wins there in the past, and Iıve driven some good cars on this track, and weıve been in the winnerıs circle there as well. I definitely like Topeka and love the fans. Not to mention that Advance Auto Parts has a lot of stores in that area.² TOPEKA RECAP The veteran driver has added successful outings at Topeka to an impressive resume that includes 22 career victories and the 1992 NHRA Funny Car Championship. Pedregon has won at Heartland Park Topeka in 1992, again in 1994 and swept both races in 1995. Pedregon has also earned runner up honors in 1994 and ı96, as well as advanced to the semifinals in 1993, ı96, ı98 and 2003. He earned the top-qualifier award in 1998, set low elapsed time of the event in 1992 and ı98, and set top-speed of the event in 1995 and ı96. ³Iıve always enjoyed going to Topeka,² said Pedregon. ³Itıs one of the best tracks we race at and Iıve had some great success there. Itıs Memorial Day weekend and we get a lot of fans that take time out of their extended weekend to come watch our sport. Weıre looking forward to heading back there and seeing if we canıt pull off a victory.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 <http://www.advanceautoparts.com/> . -PedregonRacing.com- Public Relations Contact: Alti Perea, Cox Marketing Group Media Relations Representative alti@coxmarketinggroup.com (704) 779-3648 mobile (704) 799-2114 office David Harris, Cox Marketing Group Account Manager davidh@coxmarketinggroup.com (704) 756-9301 - mobile (704) 799-2114 office Pedregon Racing Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car ŒQı Racing Nitro Funny Car (704) 799-2114 office