TONY PEDREGON / Q POWER NITRO FUNNY CAR TEAM GAINESVILLE ADVANCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 13, 2006 

Media Contacts: 

   Allison Holt, JRL Group, (847) 291-7080, allison@jrlgroup.com

  Janie Vogel, JRL Group, (440) 915-7627,  
janievogel@yahoo.com

  On-site race weekend:  Andy Lieb, (847) 567-5751 (cell)

 

 

 

TONY PEDREGON

- 2003 NHRA Funny Car Champion - 

Q POWER NITRO FUNNY CAR TEAM

GAINESVILLE ADVANCE

 

EVENT:

NHRA ACDelco Gatornationals

 

TRACK NAME / LOCATION:

Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla.

www.GainesvilleRaceway.com <http://www.gainesvilleraceway.com/> 

 

DATE:

March 16-19, 2006

 

SERIES:

NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series

Nitro Funny Car Division

 

TEAM MEMBERS:

Driver/Owner: Tony Pedregon 

Teammate: Cruz Pedregon 

Crew Chief:  Dickie Venables

Asst. Crew Chief: Kurt Elliott

 

 

(Indianapolis, Ind.)  Tony Pedregon and his Q Power Nitro Funny Car Team
head to the Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla. this weekend for the
exciting NHRA ACDelco Gatornationals and another attempt at entering the
record books with a solid run at this early spring race, which kicks off the
NHRA’s eastern appearances in 2006.  

 

Pedregon is no stranger to victory lane at the Gainesville Raceway, having
visited there in 2002.  He was also the top qualifier in 2003.  

 

Coming off two solid races in the first two events of the year in Pomona and
Phoenix, where Pedregon reached the quarterfinals, he and his Q Power Race
Team hope a trip to the Gatornationals fast quarter-mile strip will earn him
more top honors:  “I’ve won at Gainesville before, and I know it’s going to
be a really fast track for us this weekend, so I’m excited to see if I can
repeat my past performance there.  We are in the best position we have been
in for years to get a win at the Gatornationals.”  

 

Pedregon is also aware of how the success of his team affects his fans and
sponsors:  “The Gainesville area has a huge Hispanic market, and that’s
important to us – we are hoping to really do well for all of our fans in
Florida.  We put in some good work in Phoenix and in the off-season, and we
feel like we’ve got the best of everything to work with - good companies
surrounding our program and the best equipment on the race track.  We are
really excited for the upcoming race at Gainesville and the rest of the 2006
season.” 

 

After conquering the fast quarter-mile at Gainesville Raceway this weekend,
the NHRA warriors head to Houston for the NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston
Raceway Park from March 31 – April 2.  Check your local ESPN2 listings for
broadcast times and event coverage.  

 

 

PHOENIX RACE REVIEW:

Race:                NHRA Nationals (2 of 23 in NHRA race season)

Date:                Feb. 24-26, 2006

Series:              NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Nitro Funny Car
division

Track:               Firebird Raceway, Chandler, Ariz.

Qualified:           4th, 4.724 sec. / 317.19 mph

Result:              After qualifying fourth in the Nitro Funny Car division
(4.724 sec / 317.19 mph), Pedregon won the first round of eliminations on
Sunday by taking out Gary Densham with a 4.778 at 324.51 mph. Pedregon was
eliminated in the second round with a 4.847 sec. / 324.05 mph effort, losing
to eventual winner Tommy Johnson Jr. (4.809/324.05) in a fierce battle that
saw Pedregon cross the stripe a mere .04 seconds behind Johnson. 

Current Points:  8th (after Phoenix race)

Tony Pedregon Phoenix Post-Race Quote: 

“We lost a close race, but I think what is encouraging is that one of our
focuses for this year was to make our car and team more consistent, and we
definitely made progress toward that goal in Phoenix.  We had drastically
different weather conditions between rounds one and two. We ran really well
in the first round, but the temperature warmed up and we knew we’d have to
pull back quite a bit. Looking back, we probably pulled back a little too
much. But the car responded to everything we did. We’ll win more of those
races than we’ll lose. We’ll encounter those same conditions in the next few
races, and be more prepared then. We are happy because we moved from 10th to
8th in points, and gained more ground.“

 

 

GAINESVILLE WEEKEND SCHEDULE: 

 

FRIDAY, March 17, 2006

Pit and Spectator Gates Open
7:00 AM

Final Registration and Tech Inspection (Pro's, TAD/TAFC)             7:00 AM
- 12:00 PM

Sportsman Qualifying/Eliminations
7:30 AM

Pro Mod Qualifying Session
11:00 AM

Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car)                11:30
AM

Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel Dragster)               12:30
PM

Top Alcohol Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Dragster)                  1:30
PM

Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car)                2:30 PM

Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel Dragster)               3:30
PM

Pro Mod Qualifying Session
4:30 PM

Top Alcohol Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Dragster)                  5:00
PM

Secure Track
7:00 PM

            

SATURDAY, March 18, 2006

Pit and Spectator Gates Open
7:00 AM

Sportsman Eliminations
7:30 AM

Pro Mod Qualifying Session
11:00 AM

Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car)                11:30
AM

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel Dragster / Funny Car)               12:30
PM

Top Alcohol Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Dragster)                  1:30
PM

Pro Stock Qualifying Session (PS Motorcycle / PS Car)                2:30 PM

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel Dragster / Funny Car)               3:30
PM

Pro Mod - Round 1
4:30 PM

Top Alcohol Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Dragster)                  5:00
PM

Secure Track
7:00 PM

            

SUNDAY, March 19, 2006

Pit and Spectator Gates Open
7:30 AM

Sportsman Eliminations
9:00 AM

Pre-Race Ceremonies
10:00 AM

Final Eliminations
11:00 AM

Secure Event
4:30 PM

**Schedule subject to change

 

 

GAINESVILLE ESPN2 TELEVISION COVERAGE:

March 19:  12:30 a.m.-2:30 a.m. - Qualifying

March 19:  5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. - Eliminations

March 22:  2:30 a.m.-4:30 a.m. - Repeat Eliminations

(All times Eastern)

 

 

GAINESVILLE LIVE AUDIO BROADCAST: 

The public-address commentary from the 37th Annual NHRA Gatornationals will
be broadcast live over the Internet from
http://www.nhra.com/2006/events/race03/broadcast.html.  Follow the
wire-to-wire, play by play coverage from the third race of the 2006 NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series season.   NHRA members get exclusive access to
listen live to Friday and Saturday's qualifying shows; check in both days at
7:30 a.m. Eastern.  The all-access final eliminations show – open to all
NHRA.com visitors – begins Sunday at 9 a.m. Sunday Eastern. 

 

 

2005 SEASON RECAP:

In 2005, Tony Pedregon and the Q Power Race Team finished 7th in points with
2 wins, was #1 qualifier three times and recorded the second-quickest
elapsed time in NHRA history at 4.680 seconds in Chicago. 

 

 

D R I V E R

T O N Y   P E D R E G O N

 

 

The B A S I C S . . . 

Car

Q Power Monte Carlo

 

Birthdate

March 8, 1965

 

Residence

Detroit, MI

 

Website

www.PedregonRacing.com <http://www.pedregonracing.com/> 

 

Career Wins

29

 

Career Final Rounds

52

 

Career Best Elapsed Time

4.680 sec.

 

Career Best Speed

331.28 mph

 

 

The B A C K G R O U N D . . . 

 

·         2005: Set career best for time when he and his brother (Cruz) each
ran 4.680s at Chicago 2; Finished the season on a roll with two wins and a
runner-up finish at the final five events; Earned his first victory since
Las Vegas 2 in his championship season of 2003; Qualified for all 23 events,
increasing his streak of successfully qualifying at national events to 110;
Earned three No. 1 qualifiers and had the low E.T. at three events 

·         2004: In his first season as a team owner, finished No. 8 in the
final POWERade championship standings, his ninth consecutive season
finishing in the top 10; Established career-bests for both E.T. and speed;
Career-best E.T. is the seventh quickest Funny Car pass in NHRA history;
Recorded two of the 10 fastest Funny Car speeds in NHRA history (331.28,
Chicago 1; 329.83, Atlanta); His career won-lost record in elimination
rounds of 319-189 is 13th-best among all active pro drivers with 50 or more
decisions; Was the No. 1 qualifier three times (Las Vegas 1, Atlanta,
Chicago 1); Qualified for all 23 events, upping his national event
qualifying streak to 87 consecutive races dating back to Bristol 2001, fifth
best among all active pro driver 

·         2003: Became the first driver other than John Force to win the
Funny Car championship since 1992; established career-bests for wins, No. 1
qualifying awards, elapsed time and speed; a career-best eight wins on the
season places him fourth on the all-time Funny Car win list with 24 career
victories; one of four Funny Car drivers to qualify for all 23 events;
earned $100,00 for winning the Funny Car bonus event in his eighth career
appearance 

·         2002: Earned six victories in eight final round appearances; Was
contending for the POWERade championship until the semifinal of the last
event of the season; Finished No. 2 in the standings for the fourth time in
his career; Finished in the top five of the standings for the sixth time in
eight professional seasons; Won three consecutive races for the first time
in his career 

·         2001: Won a race as the No. 1 qualifier (Englishtown) for the
first time in his career, beating team owner John Force; Won back-to-back
races (Englishtown and Topeka) for the first time in his career 

·         2000: Went to the finals six times, collecting two victories 

·         1999: Was the No. 1 qualifier at four events; Posted the quickest
time in history when he clocked a 4.779 second run at Gainesville; Runner-up
in the Funny Car bonus race at Indianapolis 

·         1998: Earned two wins in two final-round appearances 

·         1997: No. 1 qualifier at three events and raced in five finals;
Beat brother Cruz Pedregon at Houston in the first final-round meeting
involving brothers; Runner-up in Funny Car bonus race 

·         1996: Made seven final-round appearances in first season with John
Force Racing; Named the inaugural winner of the Automobile Club of Southern
California Road to the Future Award, which identified the sport’s budding
stars; Finished second in driver points in first full season on the tour;
Earned first career victory (Atlanta) 

·         1995: Ran limited Funny Car schedule for car owner Larry Minor 

·         1993: Qualified for first NHRA event at the wheel of a Top Fuel
dragster 

 

 

The F U N S T U F F . . . 

 

·         Wife: Andrea; Daughters: Cecily and Arielle; Son: Desidario (Desi)

·         Height/weight: 5´8", 165 lbs. 

·         Father, Frank, raced Top Fuel dragsters in the 1960s 

·         Brothers Cruz and Frank Pedregon also compete in the Funny Car
class 

·         Pedregon is an accomplished painter whose work adorns the helmets
of fellow drivers John Force, Cory McClenathan, Cruz Pedregon, and others

 

 

 

NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 2006 Schedule

 

February 9-12 - CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, CA

February 24-26 - Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals, Chandler, AZ

March 16-19 - ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville, FL

March 31-April 2 - O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, Houston, TX

April 6-9 - NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals, Las Vegas, NV

April 28-30 - O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol, TN

May 4-7 - Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta, GA

May 18-21 - Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals, Columbus, OH

May 25-28 - O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals, Topeka, KS

June 8-11 - CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, Joliet, IL

June 15-18 - K&N Filters SuperNationals, Englishtown, NJ

June 23-25 - O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals, Madison, IL

July 14-16 - Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, Denver, CO

July 21-23 - Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals, Seattle, WA

July 28-30 - Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals, Sonoma, CA

August 10-13 - Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Brainerd, MN

August 18-20 - O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals, Memphis, TN

August 30-Sept. 4 - Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Clermont, IN

September 14-17 - Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals, Reading, PA

September 21-24 - O’Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals, Ennis, TX

October 6-8 - Virginia NHRA Nationals, Richmond, VA

October 26-29 - ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas, NV

November 9-12 - Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Pomona,
CA 

 

 

MANY THANKS TO THE Q POWER RACE TEAM

2006 SUPPORTERS

 

Q POWER / QUAKER STATE – www.qpower.com <http://www.qpower.com/>  
SNAP-ON – www.snapon.com <http://www.snapon.com/>  
GREAT STUFF – www.greatstuff.dow.com/index.htm 
HERZOG – www.herzogcompanies.com <http://www.herzogcompanies.com/>  
FETERL – www.feterl.com <http://www.feterl.com/>  
MOUNTAIN VIEW CHEVROLET 
GOODYEAR – www.goodyear.com <http://www.goodyear.com/>  
SLICK 50 – www.slick50.com <http://www.slick50.com/>  
LARRY MINOR MOTORSPORTS – www.larryminor-motorsports.com
<http://www.larryminor-motorsports.com/>  
SIOUX CITY TRUCK & TRAILER – www.siouxcitykenworth.com
<http://www.siouxcitykenworth.com/>  
EARL’S PERFORMANCE PLUMBING – www.holley.com <http://www.holley.com/>  
WELD RACING – www.weldracing.com <http://www.weldracing.com/>  
MR. GASKET COMPANY – www.mrgasket.com <http://www.mrgasket.com/>  
THE PALMS CASINO RESORT – www.palms.com <http://www.palms.com/>  
FRAM – www.fram.com <http://www.fram.com/>  

 

*****

 

Tony Pedregon / Q Power Nitro Funny Car Team high- and low-resolution photos
available upon request.

Media Contacts: 

Allison Holt, JRL Group, (847) 291-7080 x201, allison@jrlgroup.com

Janie Vogel, JRL Group, (440) 915-7627, janievogel@yahoo.com

On site the weekend of March 17-19:  Andy Lieb, (847) 567-5751 (cell)