TONY PEDREGON / Q POWER NITRO FUNNY CAR TEAM INDIANAPOLIS ADVANCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 25, 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

INDIANAPOLIS ADVANCE

52nd Annual NHRA U.S. Nationals

 

EVENT:

52nd Annual NHRA U.S. Nationals

 

TRACK NAME / LOCATION:

O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, Clermont, Ind. (formerly Indianapolis
Raceway Park)

 <http://www.oreillyracewaypark.com/> www.OReillyRacewayPark.com

 

DATE:

September 1-4, 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 25, 2006) - 2003 NHRA World Champion Tony
Pedregon and his Q Power Nitro Funny Car Team head to O'Reilly Raceway Park
at Indianapolis and the historic 52nd Annual NHRA U.S. Nationals, the 18th
of 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events in 2006.  Pedregon, a
championship contender, retained third place in the point standings after
his final round appearance in last weekend's race in Memphis. 

 

The adjectives come easy for this motorsports tradition. Each Labor Day
weekend, NHRA racers and fans descend on O'Reilly Raceway Park at
Indianapolis for the biggest, oldest, richest, and most prestigious drag
race in the world. The fabled quarter-mile, site of many of drag racing’s
greatest moments, is regarded by many as one of the smoothest on the
circuit, an appropriate staging ground for some of the season’s most eagerly
sought championships. The marathon also hosts a high-dollar bonus event for
Funny Cars, the $100,000-to-win 25th Annual Skoal Showdown, held on Sept.
3rd.  This special event pits the eight Funny Car drivers who have earned
the most points in a 23-race span (from the 2005 U.S. Nationals to this
year's event) against each other.  Pedregon won this shootout in 2003 and is
once again qualified for the event next weekend.

 

"It's a big weekend for all of us, to begin with, but it's especially
important for Q Power Team as we'll be unveiling a brand new paint scheme to
reflect the retail introduction of  Quaker State's TorquePower Full
Synthetic oil that will coincide with the U.S. Nationals.  The new oil is
designed to help maximize torque in trucks and SUV's and is the most
effective oil specifically made for that purpose on the market.  The car
will be stunning and quite sexy with the new blue and gold paint job,"
Pedregon explained.  "Heading into the marquee event on our schedule, our
goal - as always - will be to overdeliver for all of our sponsors.  There's
always a lot of focus that goes into preparing the track surface for this
event by the NHRA staff, which all of the teams appreciate.   We're all
looking forward to the Friday night qualifying session because we know we're
going to have good conditions in the cooler evening air, and the fans just
love the visible flames coming out of our headers during each run - it's a
great show for everyone.  Just like any other race, running well during
Friday's initial qualifying session can set the tone for the entire weekend.
We realize every run is important and want to be prepared to capitalize on
those good conditions.  We tested at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis
this week and ran a 4.74, so I think we are lined up for a good weekend for
our fans and sponsors."

 

How to get to O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis:  The track is one mile
west of Clermont on Highway 136. From Indianapolis, take Interstate 465 to
Highway 136 (Crawfordsville Road). Go west toward and through Clermont. The
main entrance is on the south side of the road, one mile past Clermont.

 

After conquering the quarter-mile O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, the
NHRA warriors head to the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in Reading, Penn., held
on September 14-17.  

 

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 and his Q Power Team will be running a totally different special
paint scheme for the historic NHRA U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend at
O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.  The Q TorquePower Full Synthetic
stunning blue and gold paint job will be celebrating Quaker State's
introduction of this product on retail shelves, coinciding with the massive
U.S. Nationals event.  The new advanced motor oil formulation is engineered
to help maximize torque in the engines of hard-working trucks and SUV's to
help give drivers the power they want for towing, hauling and off-roading.
Pedregon's car will also sport this new paint scheme for the upcoming races
in Reading and Dallas;

* 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 Tony and Cruz'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 O'REILLY RACEWAY PARK AT INDIANAPOLIS:

Pedregon has never won this event, but was number one qualifier in
Indianapolis in 2002.  Pedregon won the $100,000 Skoal Showdown in 2003.

 

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

August 18-21 - Memphis:

Qualified:  5th - 4.899 / 304.80; 1st Round:  Pedregon 5.247 vs. Bartone
5.361; 2nd Round:  Pedregon 4.892 vs. Capps 4.941; Semi-Final Round:
Pedregon 4.895 vs. Hight 4.958; Final Round:  Force 4.786 vs. Pedregon 5.048

 

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:

1. John Force, 1243 

2. Ron Capps, 1226

3. Tony Pedregon, 1079 

4. Eric Medlen, 1050

5. Robert Hight, 1024

6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 972

7. Gary Scelzi, 968

8. Whit Bazemore, 861

9. Del Worsham, 717

10. Cruz Pedregon, 707

 

INDIANAPOLIS WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, September 1

Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel) – 7:30 pm ET

SATURDAY, September 2

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) – 2:45 pm ET

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) – 7:30 pm ET

SUNDAY, September 3

Skoal Funny Car Showdown-Round 1 - 12:30 pm ET

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) – 12:45 pm ET

Skoal Funny Car Showdown-Round 2 - 2:15 pm ET

Skoal Funny Car Showdown-Final - 4:00 pm ET

Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel / Funny Car) – 4:10 pm ET

MONDAY, September 4

Final Eliminations – 11:00 am ET

 

INDIANAPOLIS ESPN2 TELEVISION COVERAGE:

September 2 – Qualifying:  11:00 pm-12:00 am ET

September 3 – Qualifying:  12:00-1:30 pm ET

September 3 - Qualifying:  11:00 pm-1:00 am ET

September 4 - Eliminations:  12:00-2:30 pm ET

September 4 - Eliminations:  4:00-7:00 pm ET

September 7 - Repeat Eliminations:  3:00-5:00 am ET

 

INDIANAPOLIS LIVE AUDIO BROADCAST: 

The public-address commentary from the 52nd annual U.S. Nationals will be
broadcast live over the Internet from
<http://www.nhra.com/2006/events/race18/broadcast.html>
http://www.nhra.com/2006/events/race18/broadcast.html.  Follow the
wire-to-wire, play-by-play coverage from the 18th race of the 2006 NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series season.  NHRA members get exclusive access to
listen live to Friday's, Saturday's, and Sunday's qualifying shows, which
will include all of the special bonus events such as the Mopar Hemi
Challenge, Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, and Skoal Showdown; check in each
day at 10:30 a.m. Eastern.  The all-access final eliminations show – open,
as always, to all NHRA.com visitors – begins Monday at 10:30 a.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

57

FC - 57

 

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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