Cruz Pedregon / Advance Auto Parts Race Team - Houston Results

April 3, 2006

FUEL LEAK SIDELINES CRUZ PEDREGON AND THE 

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS RACE TEAM IN HOUSTON 

AFTER WEEKEND PROGRESS

 

2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 
Round 4 of 23 
NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston (Tex.) Raceway Park 
Race Date:  March 31 - April 2, 2006

 

(BAYTOWN, Texas):  Cruz Pedregon and his Advance Auto Parts Race Team
qualified 10th for the NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston (Tex.) Raceway Park
this past weekend after getting a handle on tire issues which have plagued
many competitors in 2006, falling from the race after a first-round loss to
Phil Burkhart Jr. because of a fuel leak.

 

"I hate to lose a race like that," said a disappointed Pedregon.  "We had a
good car, and I think we would have been fine, but with the fuel leak, we'll
never find out. We had the car setup to run 4.77 or a .78 - it was capable
of running those times. Qualifying was good in the sense that we found out
we're a lot closer than we have ever have been with understanding the tire
issue.  We were really encouraged with Saturday's runs after making some big
changes to the car setup, and by Sunday, we felt even better about our
chances after some strong runs the day before."

 

The two-time event winner was philosophical about the weekend's results:
"There's quite a few different ways to lose a race and only one way to win.
One of the fuel lines didn't get tightened.  It was an error on our part as
a team, and we are all really disappointed.  But we win as a team and lose
as a team. We're all human and humans work on cars and also drive them, and
sometimes we make mistakes.  We'll fix the problem and not let that happen
again.  We'll move on and focus our attention on running well in Las Vegas
next weekend."

 

In 2005, Cruz Pedregon and the Advance Auto Parts Race Team finished for the
second consecutive year in the top 10 in points, was #1 qualifier twice and
recorded a career best ET speed of 4.680 seconds at 330.80mph. 

 

NEXT RACE:  NHRA Nationals, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April
6-9, 2006

 

HOUSTON RACE RESULTS:

 

QUALIFIED:
10th - 4.821 / 316.08

 

FIRST ROUND RESULTS
*(L) Cruz Pedregon - 12.741 / 93.55
(W) Phil Burkhart Jr. - 4.824 / 323.19
*due to fuel leak

 

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS: 
1. Ron Capps, 395 
2. John Force, 327 
3. Robert Hight, 258 
4. Phil Burkart Jr., 249 
5. Eric Medlen, 221 
6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 214 
7. Del Worsham, 213 
8. Bob Gilbertson, 205 
9. Tony Pedregon, 174 
10. Cruz Pedregon, 171