Championship Drag Racing

CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
Joliet, IL
(June 9-12)

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Tony Pedregon Pedregon Racing Toyota Camry Funny Car

Chicago, Sunday: ‘Q’ Racing Nitro Funny Car driver, Tony Pedregon, would have preferred a different outcome to his second round during today’s eighth annual CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.

Pedregon took the first round from brother Cruz (Pedregon) with a 4.847-second elapsed time pass at 299.33 mph. Unknown mechanical problems during the second round, slowed the 2003 NHRA POWERade Funny Car champion to a 9.456 seconds pass at 124.5 mph. Pedregon’s contender Tommy Johnson clicked off a 6.649-second elapsed time at 207.94 mph.

Dickie Venables, Pedregon’s crew chief, talks about the crew’s strategy for the ‘Q’ Racing car.

“We’re looking into what caused the problem,” said Dickie Venables. “You have to push the car to the limit in order to have a winning chance. I know we can go down the track every time if we just want to make passes in the 4.90’s. But we want to give Tony (Pedregon) every mechanical advantage we possibly can and that has its risks.”

Tony Pedregon holds to the No. 9 spot in NHRA POWERade Funny Car points with 459.

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