TONY PEDREGON / Q POWER NITRO FUNNY CAR TEAM SEATTLE ADVANCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 19, 2006 

Media Contacts: 

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

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

 

 

TONY PEDREGON

- 2003 NHRA Funny Car Champion -

Q POWER NITRO FUNNY CAR TEAM

SEATTLE ADVANCE

 

EVENT:

NHRA Nationals

 

TRACK NAME / LOCATION:

Pacific Raceways, Kent, Wash. (near Seattle)

 <http://www.pacificraceways.com/> www.PacificRaceways.com

 

DATE:

July 21-23, 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. (July 19, 2006) – 2003 NHRA World Champion Tony Pedregon
and his Q Power Nitro Funny Car Team head to Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash.
(near Seattle) for the NHRA Nationals for the 14th of 23 NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series events in 2006.  Pedregon retained fourth place in the point
standings after the last NHRA round in Denver.  

 

NHRA’s annual trek to the Great Northwest transports racers and fans to one
of the tour’s most breathtaking environments. The event is contested at
venerable Pacific Raceways, surrounded by towering pine trees and parked in
the shadow of majestic Mount Rainier, and represents the middle stop on
NHRA’s long-running and much-publicized Western Swing. The trees add more
than beauty: They emit tons of power-enhancing oxygen to feed the appetite
of the high-horsepower machines, resulting in prime performances. Track
management extended the concrete launchpads to 660 feet in 2004, and 10,000
aluminum seats have been added on the tower side of the track for 2006.

 

"We're happy to get back to sea level," Pedregon said of the coming
weekend's race.  "Seattle is a great market, and an important one for the
NHRA.  I'm excited about the opportunity to get back in the winner's circle.
I just spent a lot of time attending meetings at the Q headquarters in
Houston.  It excites me that the brand is doing great, the company is
excited about the program, and they love the fact that we are capable of
winning any time we roll into the track."

 

How to get to Pacific Raceways:  The track is 10 miles east of Interstate 5
on Highway 18. From I-5, use Exit 142A (Auburn exit) and travel east 10
miles on Highway 18, following the signs to the track. From other points,
use Highway 18 and exit SE 304th Street or SE 312th Street.

 

After conquering the quarter-mile Pacific Raceways this weekend, the NHRA
warriors head to Sonoma, Calif. and Infineon Raceway on July 28-30.  Check
your local ESPN2 listings for broadcast times and event coverage.  

 

For more information on Tony, please go to
<http://www.pedregonracing.com./> www.PedregonRacing.com.

 

 

TONY PEDREGON HISTORY AT PACIFIC RACEWAYS:

Pedregon was number one qualifier and also won this event in 2002.  

 

2006 RESULTS:

Feb. 9-12 – Pomona:  

Qualified:  3rd, 4.713; 1st Round:  Pedregon 5.147 vs Worsham 4.894

Feb. 24-26 – Phoenix

Qualified:  4th, 4.724; 1st Round:  Pedregon 4.778 vs Densham 9.445; 2nd
Round:  Pedregon 4.847 vs Johnson 4.809 

March 16-19 – Gainesville

Qualified:  16th, 4.900;  1st Round:  Pedregon 5.018 vs Force 4.775

March 31-April 2 – Houston

Qualified: 8th, 4.798; 1st Round:  Pedregon 4.869 vs Bazemore 6.819; 2nd
Round:  Pedregon 9.461 vs Force 4.761

April 6-9 – Las Vegas

Pedregon ran a 4.79 Friday night but the pass was disallowed by the NHRA
when his team did not stop and weigh the car at the inspection station due
to the drama of an engine explosion at the finish line.  This was Pedregon’s
first DNQ in five years dating back to the Bristol race in 2001 (115
events). 

April 28-30 – Bristol

Qualified:  12th, 4.851; 1st Round:  Pedregon 5.314 vs Johnson 4.817

May 5-7, 2006 – Atlanta – WON THIS EVENT

Qualified:  9th, 4.797 / 275.00  1st Round: Pedregon 4.765 vs Bazemore
4.774; 2nd Round:  Pedregon 4.735 vs Force 4.715 (Pedregon’s margin of
victory was .0124 of a second (approx. 6 feet);.03 sec. advantage at the
starting line over Force, Pedregon’s former car owner); Semi-Final Round:
Pedregon 4.739 vs Medlen 5.083; Final Round:  Pedregon 4,740 vs Hight –
4.738 (Pedregon’s Final Round win was by about 5 feet - .0096 sec.)

May 19-21 – Columbus – WON THIS EVENT

Qualified:  3rd, 4.728 / 323.58; 1st Round:  Pedregon – 4.870 vs. Wilkerson
– 6.029; 2nd Round:  Pedregon 4.865 vs. Scelzi – 5.053; Semi-Final Round:
Pedregon – 4.802 vs. Johnson Jr. – 4.876; Final Round:  Pedregon – 4.923 vs.
Bazemore – 6.368

May 26-28 – Topeka:

Qualified:  6th – 4.983 / 302.69; 1st Round:  Pedregon 4.985 vs. Bartone
5.253; 2nd Round:  Pedregon 5.044 vs. Medlen 5.097; Semi-Final Round:
Pedregon 5.092 vs. Force 4.968

June 9-11 – Chicago:

Qualified:  6th – 4.694 / 315.34; 1st Round:  Pedregon 5.032 vs.  Gilbertson
13.877; 2nd Round:  Medlen 4.800 vs. Pedregon 6.585

June 16-18 – Englishtown:

Qualified:  5th - 4.812 / 320.58; 1st Round:  Pedregon 4.926 vs. Kalitta
4.961; 2nd Round:  Scelzi 4.947 / 311.41 vs. Pedregon - 5.310

June 24-26 – St. Louis – WON THIS EVENT:

Qualified:  12th – 4.909 / 313.37; 1st Round:  Pedregon 5.198 vs. Worsham
6.183; 2nd Round:  Pedregon 5.061 vs. Gilbertson 5.126; Semi-Final Round:
Pedregon 4.886 vs. Scelzi 4.877; Final Round:  Pedregon 4.859 vs. Force
4.904 

July 14-16 – Denver:

Qualified:  8th - 4.956 / 309.91; 1st Round:  Pedregon 5.268 vs. Worsham
5.276; 2nd Round:  Cruz Pedregon 5.588 vs. Tony Pedregon 6.866

 

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Ron Capps, 1009

2. John Force, 983

3. Robert Hight, 797

4. Tony Pedregon, 781

5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 760

6. Gary Scelzi, 758

7. Eric Medlen, 744

8. Whit Bazemore 625

9. Cruz Pedregon, 586

10. Del Worsham, 568

 

SEATTLE WEEKEND SCHEDULE: 

FRIDAY, July 21

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) – 4:00 pm PT

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) – 6:30 pm PT

SATURDAY, July 22

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) – 12:00 pm PT

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) – 3:00 pm PT

SUNDAY, July 23

Final Eliminations – 11:00 am PT

 

SEATTLE ESPN2 TELEVISION COVERAGE:

July 22 – Qualifying:  8:00-10:00 pm ET

July 23 – Eliminations:  8:00-11:00 pm ET

July 24 – Repeat Eliminations:  2:30-4:30 am ET

 

SEATTLE LIVE AUDIO BROADCAST: 

The public-address commentary from the 19th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals
will be broadcast live over the Internet from
<http://www.nhra.com/2006/events/race14/broadcast.html>
http://www.nhra.com/2006/events/race14/broadcast.html. Follow the
wire-to-wire, play-by-play coverage from the fourteenth race of the 2006
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season.  NHRA members get exclusive access
to listen live to Friday's and Saturday's qualifying shows; check in Friday
and Saturday at 11 a.m. Eastern. The all-access final eliminations show –
open, as always, to all NHRA.com visitors – begins Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern.


 

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

 

Career NHRA Wins
TOTAL:  32
FC – 32

 

Career NHRA Final Rounds
55
FC – 55

 

Career NHRA Best Elapsed Time
4.680 sec.

 

Career NHRA 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
• 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 –NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, CA

February 24-26 – NHRA Nationals, Chandler, AZ

March 16-19 - NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville, FL

March 31-April 2 - NHRA Spring Nationals, Houston, TX

April 6-9 - NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas, NV

April 28-30 - NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol, TN

May 4-7 - NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta, GA

May 18-21 – NHRA Nationals, Columbus, OH

May 25-28 - NHRA Summer Nationals, Topeka, KS

June 8-11 – NHRA Nationals, Joliet, IL

June 15-18 - NHRA SuperNationals, Englishtown, NJ

June 23-25 - NHRA Midwest Nationals, Madison, IL

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

July 21-23 – NHRA Nationals, Seattle, WA

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

August 10-13 – NHRA Nationals, Brainerd, MN

August 18-20 - Mid-South Nationals, Memphis, TN

August 30-Sept. 4 – NHRA U.S. Nationals, Clermont, IN

September 14-17 - NHRA Nationals, Reading, PA

September 21-24 - NHRA Fall Nationals, Ennis, TX

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

October 26-29 - 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 –  <http://www.qpower.com/> www.qpower.com 
SNAP-ON –  <http://www.snapon.com/> www.snapon.com 
GREAT STUFF –  <http://www.greatstuff.dow.com/index.htm>
www.greatstuff.dow.com/index.htm 
HERZOG –  <http://www.herzogcompanies.com/> www.herzogcompanies.com 
FETERL –  <http://www.feterl.com/> www.feterl.com 
MOUNTAIN VIEW CHEVROLET –  <http://www.mountainviewchevrolet.com/>
www.mountainviewchevrolet.com

GOODYEAR –  <http://www.goodyear.com/> www.goodyear.com 
SLICK 50 –  <http://www.slick50.com/> www.slick50.com 
LARRY MINOR MOTORSPORTS –  <http://www.larryminor-motorsports.com/>
www.larryminor-motorsports.com 
SIOUX CITY TRUCK & TRAILER –  <http://www.siouxcitykenworth.com/>
www.siouxcitykenworth.com 
EARL’S PERFORMANCE PLUMBING –  <http://www.holley.com/> www.holley.com 
WELD RACING –  <http://www.weldracing.com/> www.weldracing.com 
MR. GASKET COMPANY –  <http://www.mrgasket.com/> www.mrgasket.com 
THE PALMS CASINO RESORT –  <http://www.palms.com/> www.palms.com 
FRAM –  <http://www.fram.com/> www.fram.com 

 

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