NHRA: Pedregon Fired Up as Mac Tools Gatornationals Approach
18 March 1999
Gainesville, Fla. - - Two little known facts about Frank Pedregon, 36, driver for the Jim Dunn-owned, Penthouse Magazine-sponsored Pontiac Firebird Funny Car are as follows: 1.) He has to eat something right before he gets ready to run; and 2.) His secret vice is junk food. Its now easy to put two and two together: Frank likes to eat junk food right before he runs. Well, no more!"I'm on a diet - - a healthy diet," said Pedregon. "Junk food is a thing of the past. Ill now be eating fruit right before I run. Also, I started a cardiovascular exercise program. If a diet was good for (John) Force, then it is good for me.
"Jim Dunn has this car ready for the Mac Tools Gatornationals. I can't wait to get started," added the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., driver. "I'm fired up! Gainesville Raceway has a nice wide groove. That will be good for my driving style. I look to run my first four second pass in Florida."
Jim Dunn, owner and crew chief of the Penthouse Funny Car, also thinks that Frank is ready to step up.
"Frank (Pedregon) is ready for what I can throw at him. He's ready to run with the big dogs. We think this Penthouse Magazine Funny Car is capable of winning any race we enter," says Dunn. "From here on out, we will be a factor at all races. Winning an event is only a matter of time."
Frank Pedregon expects his competition to come from two drivers with the same last name - -Pedregon.
"There are an abundance of funny cars capable of winning. My brothers, Cruz and Tony (Pedregon), to name two. I look for (Ron) Capps to rebound this race... and (John) Force can never be counted out of any event... and you can add (Whit) Bazemore and (Dean) Skuza to the list," said Frank Pedregon as he started naming those drivers he thought could have a shot at winning the Mac Tools Gatornationals which unfolds this weekend at Gainesville (FL) Raceway. "I could almost go through the entire Funny Car category entry list and find winners."
As part of its 30th anniversary, Penthouse Magazine is sponsoring the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car Team for 1999. Bob Guccione founded Penthouse Magazine in London in 1965. In 1969 he launched Penthouse in the United States. Globally, Penthouse Magazine is published in 16 foreign editions. At the beginning of its fourth decade, Penthouse is a clear market leader on newsstands as well as in the new electronic publishing fields. Penthouse Magazine's web site for motorsports can be visited via Internet at www.penthouseracing.com. General Media Communications, Inc., is headquartered in New York City.