Tony Pedregon Sunday Wrap Up From Dallas
20th Annual OıReilly NHRA Fall Nationals Texas Motorplex Ennis, Texas Q Racing Nitro Funny Car - Pedregon Racing NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Tony Pedregon Dallas Wrap Up ENNIS, Texas (October 9, 2005) Tony Pedregon had only one opportunity to drive his Q Racing Nitro Funny Car down the Texas Motorplex quarter mile during todayıs running of the OıReilly NHRA Fall Nationals. Pedregon clicked off a 4.906-second elapsed time at 308.28 mph, but it wasnıt enough to eclipse round one opponent Del Worshamıs 4.852-second pass at 324.67 mph. Dickie Venables (crew chief) explained what happened to the Q car on the starting line. ³We didnıt have enough water for the burn out and the tires stayed dry,² Venables said. ³When you canıt perform a proper burn out, the clutch gets hot and ends up damaged. Also, under those circumstances, the engine does not read right when you step on the throttle. I am surprised we were able to go as far as we went and not smoke the tires. ³We also dropped a cylinder during the run which may have happened anyway- so I am not sure if the burn out was to blame for the loss, but it did have an influence,² Venables concluded. Pedregon added to his crew chiefıs comments about todayıs first round. ³Besides the unusual burn out, the Q car was ahead at the eighth-mile mark,² said Pedregon, the 2003 POWERade Funny Car World Champion ³But once the cylinder dropped, we lost the edge. Still, weıve had a good car this weekend and qualified in the top half of the field. I am proud of the Q products we use because I feel theyıre the best Iıve had. Weıll be ready to tackle Las Vegas in two weeks.²