TONY PEDREGON / Q POWER NITRO FUNNY CAR TEAM MEMPHIS
ADVANCE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 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
MEMPHIS ADVANCE
EVENT:
NHRA Nationals
TRACK NAME / LOCATION:
Memphis (TN) Motorsports Park
<http://www.memphismotorsportspark.com/> www.MemphisMotorsportsPark.com
DATE:
August 18-20, 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. (August 15, 2006) - 2003 NHRA World Champion Tony
Pedregon and his Q Power Nitro Funny Car Team head to Memphis (TN)
Motorsports Park and the NHRA Nationals for the 17th of 23 NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series events in 2006. Pedregon, a championship contender,
retained third place in the point standings after qualifying second in last
weekend's race in Brainerd.
NHRA's annual visit to "the birthplace of the Blues" is a crucial stop on
the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series because the race is the last before the
year's biggest event, the U.S. Nationals. Race teams come to Memphis
Motorsports Park to fine-tune their combinations for the Big Go and the
stretch run for NHRA POWERade world championships. It's also the final
event for Funny Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors to earn points
toward respective participation in the Skoal Showdown and Ringers Gloves Pro
Bike Battle bonus events at the U.S. Nationals.
"Memphis is always an important race," Pedregon said. "The fans are really
great in the South. The atmosphere, being in the birthplace of blues and
the hometown of Elvis, is really special - the off-site entertainment
options are amazing for people who attend the race, and we hope to be able
to add to their weekend by putting on a spectacular show on the track.
Although it's exceptionally hot and muggy, we think our Q Power Team has a
good setup for those conditions. We are solidly in third place in the 2006
point standings, and hope to increase our chances of catching second place
with a win in Memphis. That would certainly give us some championship
momentum heading into Indianapolis and the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day
weekend."
How to get to Memphis Motorsports Park: Take Interstate 240 to the Warford
Road exit (Exit 6). Go north on Warford Road 6.0 miles to Raleigh
Millington Road. Turn left onto Raleigh Millington Road and continue to
Fite Road. Turn left onto Fite Road at the Memphis Motorsports Park
billboard and continue on Fite Road for .4-mile. The track is on the right.
After conquering the quarter-mile Memphis Motorsports Park, the NHRA
warriors head to the biggest event of the year, the massive U.S. Nationals
in Indianapolis, held annually on Labor Day weekend, August 30-September 4.
For more information on Tony, please go to <http://www.pedregonracing.com/>
www.PedregonRacing.com.
TONY PEDREGON STORY ANGLES:
*With three wins in 2006, Tony is currently third in points in the NHRA
POWERade Nitro Funny Car division, and is solidly in a position to make a
run for the 2006 world championship;
*Tony, along with brother and co-team owner Cruz, has just opened up a brand
new 25,000-square-foot Pedregon Racing shop, located in the new headquarters
for NHRA teams in Brownsburg, Ind. The shop was designed specifically to
address the unique needs of Pedregon Racing by both Tony and Cruz, along
with input from Cruz's wife Sharon and all of the crew chiefs;
*The new Pedregon Racing facility will house a restored version of the
Flamin' Frank Pedregon World's Fastest Coupe (a legendary top fuel dragster
from the 60's with a chopped Fiat body, driven by Cruz and Tony's father,
Frank Sr.);
*Tony has a strong Hispanic following;
*Tony just became certified with the Indiana Business Diversity Council, a
business designed to promote minority ownership of businesses.
TONY PEDREGON HISTORY AT MEMPHIS MOTORSPORTS PARK:
Pedregon won this event and was number one qualifier in 2002, and was also
number one qualifier in 1999.
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
July 21-23 - Seattle:
Qualified: 8th - 4.929 / 310.27; 1st Round: Pedregon 5.029 vs. Johnson Jr.
5.651
2nd Round: Pedregon 5.318 vs. Hight 6.117; Semi-Final Round: Bazemore 5.029
vs. Pedregon 5.129
July 28-30 - Sonoma:
Qualified: 5th - 4.816 / 319.75; 1st Round: Pedregon 4.910 vs. Johnson Jr.
4.947; 2nd Round: Pedregon 4.909 vs. Kalitta 9.070; Semi-Final Round:
Pedregon 4.910 vs. Ashley 7.813; Final Round: Medlen 4.854 vs. Pedregon
5.021
August 11-13 - Brainerd:
Qualified: 2nd - 4.773 / 321.04; 1st Round: Wilkerson 4.805 vs. Pedregon
4.858
FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Ron Capps, 1175
2. John Force, 1127
3. Tony Pedregon, 985
4. Eric Medlen, 983
5. Robert Hight, 946
6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 938
7. Gary Scelzi, 935
8. Whit Bazemore, 819
9. Del Worsham, 707
10. Cruz Pedregon, 672
MEMPHIS WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, August 18
Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel) - 5:30 pm CDT
Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel) - 8:00 pm CDT
SATURDAY, August 19
Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) - 3:00 pm CDT
Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) - 7:00 pm CDT
SUNDAY, August 20
Final Eliminations - 3:00 pm CDT
MEMPHIS ESPN2 TELEVISION COVERAGE:
August 19 - Qualifying: 8:00-10:00 pm ET
August 20 - Eliminations: 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET
August 27 - Repeat Eliminations: 3:00-5:00 am ET
MEMPHIS LIVE AUDIO BROADCAST:
The public-address commentary from the 19th annual Mid-South Nationals will
be broadcast live over the Internet from
<http://www.nhra.com/2006/events/race17/broadcast.html>
http://www.nhra.com/2006/events/race17/broadcast.html. Follow the
wire-to-wire, play-by-play coverage from the 17th 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 10:30 a.m. Eastern Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. The all-access
final eliminations show - open, as always, to all NHRA.com visitors - begins
Sunday at noon 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
56
FC - 56
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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