2007 NHRA NATIONAL EVENT SCHEDULE
Listen to Trackside Interviews with Champions, Drivers and Crew Chiefs
Robert Hight
Hillary Will
Bob Vandergriff
Dave Connolly
Ed Iskenderian
Cory McClenathan
Robert Hight
Jim Yates
Tony Bartone
Hillary Will
Whit Bazemore
Byron Hines
| CRUZ PEDREGON ADVANCE AUTO PARTS
NITRO FUNNY CAR TEAM HOUSTON ADVANCE EVENT: NHRA Spring Nationals TRACK NAME / LOCATION: Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Tex. www.houstonraceway.com DATE: March 30 April 1, 2007 SERIES: NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Nitro Funny Car Division TEAM MEMBERS Driver/Owner: Cruz Pedregon Crew Chief: Wayne Dupuy Asst. Crew Chief: Kevin Butterfield INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (March 28, 2008) Cruz Pedregon and his Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car Team are headed to Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Tex., on March 30 April 1, 2007 for the next round of the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, the fourth of 23 powerhouse events this year. Pedregon finished 10th in the 2006 NHRA point standings, accumulating one win early in the year in Las Vegas. Still mourning the loss of Funny Car driver Eric Medlen, NHRA drivers will compete this weekend in Houston with heavy hearts. Eric Medlen lost his life after suffering critical injuries during an accident at last weeks test session in Gainesville, Florida. Eric was a genuine guy Pedregon said. He was very enthusiastic about everything. You couldn't help but like him. His father, John Medlen, is the nicest guy in the world, and I could see from early on that Eric inherited that gene from him. He was a great human being. For performance fans, no track is better situated. Houston Raceway Park benefits from incredible atmospheric conditions because of its proximity to the bay, which feeds the facility cool air. Pedregon won this event in 1998 and 1992 and was also No. 1 qualifier in 1998 (1 & 2), 1997, and 1994. We need to take be a little more consistent and take advantage of these good weather and track conditions, added Pedregon. I have had good success at this event and nothing would be more special than having an opportunity to raise the trophy in the winners circle and dedicate this event to Eric. During his rookie season in Funny Car in 1992, Pedregon won the NHRA world championship. With this accomplishment he became the only racer other than John Force to win the championship in the 90s. In 1997, Pedregon was also the first motorsports athlete to receive the "Premio De Oro," the only national award for Hispanic athletes. Born into a racing family, Pedregons father, Frank, raced Top Fuel dragsters in the 1960s. His brothers Tony and Frank also compete in the Nitro Funny Car ranks. In 1980, Cruz won his first official drag race at the age of 15, driving a 1953 Kenworth truck. How to Get to Houston Raceway Park: Baytown is about 30 miles east of downtown Houston, and the track is 2.5 miles south of Interstate 10. From downtown Houston, take I-10 east to Highway 146 and go south to FM 565 (the third stoplight). Take FM 565 east (left) about three miles to the track. From Highway 146 south, take Highway 99 east to FM 1405, then go north to FM 565 and east about two miles to the track. After conquering the Spring Nationals, the NHRA schedule heads to the NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas (Nev.), on April 12-15, 2007. For more information on Cruz, please go to www.PedregonRacing.com. CRUZ PEDREGON STORY ANGLES: · Cruz, along with brother and co-team owner Tony, 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 Cruz and Tony, along with input from Cruz's wife Sharon and all of the crew chiefs; · The new Pedregon Racing facility houses the 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.); · Cruz has a strong Hispanic following and is fluent in Spanish. CRUZ PEDREGON HISTORY AT HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK: Pedregon won this event in 1998 and 1992 and was also No. 1 qualifier in 1998 (1 & 2), 1997, and 1994. 2007 RESULTS: February 8-11 - Pomona (1): Qualified: 13th, 4.784; 1st Round: Pedregon 4.736 vs. Force 5.055; 2nd Round: Pedregon 5.553 vs. Ashley 5.080 February 23-25 - Phoenix: Qualified: 19th, 5.110 March 15-18 - Gainesville: Qualified: 8th, 4.792; 1st Round: Pedregon DQ-outer boundary vs. Head 4.966 HOUSTON WEEKEND SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, March 30 Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel Dragster) 4:00 PM (CT) Nitro Qualifying Session (Funny Car / Top Fuel Dragster) 7:00 PM (CT) SATURDAY, March 31 Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel Dragster / Funny Car) 12:00 PM (CT) Nitro Qualifying Session (Top Fuel Dragster / Funny Car) 3:00 PM (CT) SUNDAY, April 1 Final Eliminations 11:00 AM (CT) HOUSTON ESPN2 TELEVISION COVERAGE: March 31 Qualifying: 7:00-9:00 pm (ET) April 1 NHRA Race Day: 11:00-11:30 am (ET) April 1 Eliminations: 4:00-7:00 pm (ET) April 6 Repeat Eliminations: 4:00-6:00 am (ET) D R I V E R C R U Z P E D R E G O N The B A S I C S . . . Nickname "The Cruzer" Car Advance Auto Parts Chevy Impala 55 Birthdate September 19, 1963 Residence Brownsburg, Ind. Website www.PedregonRacing.com Career Wins TOTAL: 27 FC - 23 TAD - 3 TAFC - 1 Career Final Rounds TOTAL: 57 FC - 52 TAD - 3 TAFC - 2 Career Best Elapsed Time 4.680 sec. (Chicago 2, 2005) Career Best Speed 330.80 mph (Chicago 2, 2005) The B A C K G R O U N D . . . · 2006: Won at Las Vegas 1; Finished 10th in points · 2005: Earned a pair of No. 1 qualifiers (Englishtown and Chicago 2); Set the low E.T. at two events (Englishtown and Chicago 2); Set career bests for both time and speed; Won at least two rounds at five consecutive events and six of the first eight events to open the 2005 season; Won $25,000 bonus for having closest margin of victory in Motel 6 Who Got the Light award · 2004: Earned first No. 1 qualifying position (Columbus) since 1998; Was the runner-up at consecutive events twice (Denver & Seattle; Indianapolis & Dallas); Established career-best performance numbers; Qualified No. 11 in the quickest Funny Car field in NHRA history (Pomona 2) · 2003: Highest finish in the Funny Car standings since 1998; was the runner-up at Denver and Reading; established career-best time and speed · 2002: After taking a year off from racing, Pedregon assembled a team that qualified for 18 national events; Advanced to the semifinals at Indianapolis · 2001: Served as color analyst for ESPNs drag racing coverage · 2000: Raced part-time as an owner/driver, collecting one win (Englishtown) · 1999: Raced part-time as an owner/driver in the Funny Car category · 1998: Earned the No. 1 qualifying spot a career-best 12 times; Won NHRA all-star race; Set national elapsed-time record three times; Runner-up in Funny Car bonus race · 1997: The first motorsports athlete to received the "Premio De Oro," the only national award for Hispanic athletes · 1996: Competing in a limited amount of races, Pedregon won one race en route to a third-place finish in the NHRA championship point standings; Finished in the top three for the fifth consecutive season · 1995: Won at Indianapolis for the third time in four years (1992, 94-95); Recorded first career four-second run, a 4.991 at Dallas; Broke the 300-mph mark for the first time with a 300.90-mph pass at Indianapolis · 1994: Was the only Funny Car driver to defeat John Force in a final round the entire season; Qualified in the top half at 15 of the 18 national events · 1992: Won the NHRA Funny Car championship the only Funny Car driver other than John Force to win a title in the 1990s · 1990: Won a career-best six races · 1991: Raced part-time in Top Fuel competition · 1990: Moved to Alcohol Funny Car competition · 1987: Started his NHRA career in Alcohol Dragster The F U N S T U F F . . . · Wife: Sharon; Sons: Josh and Gabe · Height/weight: 6΄0", 180 lbs. · Notable: Won first drag race in 1980 behind wheel of a 1953 Kenworth truck; Raced go-karts in 1986 and was track champion at Ventura (Calif.) Raceway; Brothers Tony and Frank also compete in NHRA Funny Car category · Father, Frank, raced Top Fuel dragsters in 1960s · Fluent in Spanish, Cruz enjoys working with Hispanic media · Enjoys doing charitable work with children · Avid NFL fan, especially of Oakland Raiders. Also enjoys listening to sports talk radio NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 2007 Schedule February 8-11 NHRA Winternationals Pomona, CA February 23-25 NHRA Nationals Phoenix, AZ March 15-18 NHRA Gatornationals Gainesville, FL March 30-April 1 NHRA Spring Nationals Houston, TX April 12-15 NHRA Nationals Las Vegas, NV April 26-29 NHRA Southern Nationals Atlanta, GA May 4-6 NHRA Midwest Nationals Madison, IL May 18-20 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Bristol, TN June 1-3 NHRA Summer Nationals Topeka, KS June 7-10 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway Chicago, IL June 21-24 NHRA SuperNationals Englishtown, NJ June 28-July 1 NHRA Nationals Norwalk, OH July 13-15 Mile-High NHRA Nationals Denver, CO July 20-22 NHRA Nationals Seattle, WA July 27-29 NHRA Nationals Sonoma, CA August 9-12 NHRA Nationals Brainerd, MN August 16-19 NHRA Nationals Reading, PA August 29-September 3 NHRA U.S. Nationals Indianapolis, IN September 14-16 Mid-South Nationals Memphis, TN September 20-23 NHRA Fall Nationals Dallas, TX October 5-7 NHRA Nationals Richmond, VA October 25-28 Las Vegas NHRA Nationals Las Vegas, NV November 1-4 NHRA Finals Pomona, CA MANY THANKS TO THE ADVANCE AUTO PARTS TEAM 2007 SUPPORTERS ADVANCE AUTO PARTS www.advanceautoparts.com QUAKER STATE www.qpower.com SNAP-ON www.snapon.com GREAT STUFF www.greatstuff.dow.com/index.htm HERZOG www.herzogcompanies.com FETERL www.feterl.com GOODYEAR www.goodyear.com SIOUX CITY TRUCK & TRAILER www.siouxcitykenworth.com NOVCO www.novco.net WELD RACING www.weldracing.com MR. GASKET COMPANY www.mrgasket.com MOUNTAIN VIEW CHEVROLET www.mountainviewchevrolet.com THE PALMS CASINO RESORT www.palms.com ABOUT ADVANCE AUTO PARTS Advance Auto Parts, Inc. is based in Roanoke, Va., and is the second largest automotive aftermarket retailer based on sales and store count. With more than 3,000 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the company serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets. Additional information about the company, employment opportunities, services, as well as on-line purchase of parts and accessories can be found on the company's web site at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com. |
