Needing to gain valuable points to earn entry into the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Cruz Pedregon, driver of the Advance Auto Parts Nitro Funny Car, came to the historic Old Bridge Township Raceway Park for the 38th running of the ProCare Rx NHRA SuperNationals presented by R2B2 Motors looking to go rounds on Sunday.
With cool track conditions during the Friday evening qualifying session, Pedregon ran a blistering 4.811 at 318.62 MPH to place him securely in the field in the No. 11 position. Like most others in the Funny Car ranks, he was unable to improve his position in the sun-drenched, Saturday qualifying sessions.
“Wayne [Dupuy, crew chief] changed our approach for this event, ” stated Pedregon. “We are always looking for better results and a tune up that will get us down the track more consistently. ”
Pedregon faced his brother and teammate, Tony Pedregon in Sunday’s first elimination round. “We had a lead on Tony, ” said Pedregon. “We got a little before half-track when we lost a cylinder. We were still in the race when it started mixing up the cylinders, then we lost the blower belt. We made a race of it, but it just wasn’t the outcome we expected. It was good to see Tony go to the Final Round. ”
Pedregon is 12th in the hunt for the Championship. “These back-to-back races allow us just enough time to catch our breath, and then we are right back to work focusing on our next race at Norwalk. ”
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