Pomona: Cruz Pedregon final summary

Cruz Pedregon Opens 2005 With Semifinal Appearance Advance Auto Parts Entry Begins Where It Left Off Last Season POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2005) -- Cruz Pedregon, driver of the Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo Nitro Funny Car, made his way to ...

Cruz Pedregon Opens 2005 With Semifinal Appearance
Advance Auto Parts Entry Begins Where It Left Off Last Season

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2005) -- Cruz Pedregon, driver of the Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo Nitro Funny Car, made his way to the semifinals during today's season-opening NHRA Winternationals at Pomona Raceway.

Unfortunately for Pedregon, the red light flickered and Phil Burkart moved on to the final. Despite the disappointment, the Camarillo, Calif., resident was pleased with how the season kicked off.

"To start the season off in the semifinals is great," said Pedregon, who made four final-round appearances during the 2004 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season. "We would have liked to of gone further, but I was really trying to push it on the starting line. I missed the light by a little and would have calmed down a bit if I had it to do over again.

"I was trying to get every advantage I could get for the Advance Auto Parts car," Pedregon added. "Everybody worked so hard this weekend. It's the first race, but we have started the season out strong in the point's chase."

Pedregon advanced by defeating Jeff Arend in round one and Jim Head in round two. He recorded a 4.792-second elapsed time in his second-round match, out dueling Head's slower 4.905-second lap.

"The car ran faster than it actually showed on the scoreboard, but we were losing power at the top end on every run," Pedregon noted. "It really ran pretty well, but our elapsed times might have suffered a little due to the power loss. Overall, we're encouraged. (Crew chief) Wes Cerny said the engine was in good shape. We'll move to Phoenix from here and we'll try to win that one."

Advance Auto Parts Notebook

Grand Old Pomona...

Great weather conditions and a newly resurfaced starting line created tremendous racing this weekend. Advance Auto Parts Monte Carlo Nitro Funny Car driver Cruz Pedregon spoke about his weekend on one of history's great dragstrips -- Pomona Raceway.

"The track was awesome this weekend," Pedregon commented. "The times were fast because the track was good and we had great weather conditions. NHRA did a great job because this track has teeth."