CRUZ PEDREGON AND THE ADVANCE AUTO PARTS TEAM QUALIFY IN TOP HALF OF FIELD, RACE TO QUARTERFINAL ROUND IN DALLAS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2006
Contact: 
     Allison Holt, JRL Group, (847) 291-7080 x201,
 allison@jrlgroup.com 
     Janie Vogel, JRL Group, (440) 915-7627,  
janievogel@yahoo.com 
Hi- and low-resolution photos available upon request


CRUZ PEDREGON AND THE ADVANCE AUTO PARTS TEAM QUALIFY IN TOP HALF OF FIELD,
RACE TO QUARTERFINAL ROUND IN DALLAS



2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 
Round 20 of 23 
NHRA Fall Nationals, Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Tex. (near Dallas) 
Race Date: September 22-24, 2006
 
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (September 25, 2006) - Cruz Pedregon and his Advance Auto
Parts Race Team fought hard through two rounds and changing weather
conditions at the NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Tex.
(near Dallas), in the Nitro Funny Car division, but suffered a loss in the
quarters after aggressive runs.  Pedregon retained ninth place in the 2006
point standings after the Advance Auto Parts team's consistent showing in
Dallas.
 
"We went to the second round for the second race in a row," an upbeat
Pedregon said after Sunday's racing activities.  "It wasn't a win, but any
time you get by that first round these days with the competition the way it
is, it's like a mini-win - it's a step in the right direction.

 

"It was a good weekend for our Advance Auto Parts Team.  We qualified eighth
and in the top half of the field, so we felt good.  Second round we had a
pretty close race with eventual winner Robert Hight, but fell a little
short.  

 

"There were some really extreme conditions throughout the weekend, with it
being very, very hot on Friday, not so hot but miserable on Saturday, then
cool on Sunday, which caused us to fall behind a bit on our setups.  It was
challenging for the crew chiefs, to say the least, but we'll keep working
and make the car better in all types of weather conditions.  

 

"With the momentum we built up from quarterfinal round appearance this
weekend, we're hoping to move up in the points for the end of the year.  The
good news is that there's a whole new race in few days, and we are looking
forward to having a better effort after what we learned in Dallas."


NEXT RACE: September 29-October 1, 2006 - NHRA Nationals, Maple Grove
Raceway, Reading, Penn. (make-up date from rained out Sept. 15-17 weekend). 
 
DALLAS RACE RESULTS: 
 
QUALIFIED:
8th - 4.850 / 313.37 

 

FIRST ROUND:
(W) Cruz Pedregon - 5.258 / 243.94
(L) Jim Head - 5.406 / 286.50

 

SECOND ROUND:
(W) Robert Hight - 4.837 / 318.02 
(L) Cruz Pedregon - 5.074 / 250.69 
 

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Ron Capps, 1352
2. John Force, 1315
3. Robert Hight, 1259
4. Tony Pedregon, 1187
5. Eric Medlen, 1103
6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1085
7. Gary Scelzi, 1053
8. Whit Bazemore, 956
9. Cruz Pedregon, 812
10. Phil Burkart Jr., 787


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