2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Round 14 of 23
Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals
Race Date: July 20-22, 2007
Seattle, Wash.
Tony Pedregon, pilot of the Q Horsepower Funny Car and 2003 NHRA Nitro Funny Car World Champion visited Seattle’s Pacific Raceways for the Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals, the 14th race on the 23 race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series and the 2nd stop on NHRA’s famous Western Swing. In Sunday’s final eliminations, Pedregon edged Scott Kalitta in round one, and then, in a close race he was nipped by John Force at the stripe.
Pedregon and the NHRA professionals faced a formidable foe in the Great Northwest- rain. Mother Nature came into full swing by producing enough rain to shorten the normal two day, four-run qualifying sessions to only one qualifying run, but Pedregon made the most of it by placing his Q Power Funny Car in the No. 12 qualifying spot with a 5.533 at 189.42 mph.
“There’s not much you can do about it, ” Pedregon said of the rain delay. “We were all in the same boat, so to speak. It did give us extra time to go through the Q Horsepower Funny Car and make sure it was ready to run. ”
Pedregon faced the always tough Scott Kalitta in Sunday’s first round of eliminations. He got the holeshot and never looked back crossing the stripe first with a 4.816 E. T. at 319.14 mph, the second fastest E. T. and speed of the round.
“We were in the groove, ” Pedregon said. “It was a solid, consistent run. We’ll need more runs like this as we move toward the Countdown to Eight. ”
In the second round of eliminations, Pedregon paired off against John Force. Pedregon nailed the tree with a. 047 reaction time to Force’s. 077. At mid-track, the pair was separated by a scant,. 001 when Pedregon’s Q Horsepower Funny Car slowed due to a broken lifter allowing Force to sneak past for the win.
“We broke the lifter, and then the blower belt let loose, but we’ll be ready for Sonoma, ” Pedregon explained. “We are fourth in points and move on to Sonoma for the last race in the Western Swing. ”
Pedregon remains 4th in the NHRA POWERade Countdown to the Championship points race. He’ll be looking to continue consistent performance as the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series heads to Sonoma, Calif. for the Fram/Autolite NHRA Nationals, July 27-29, 2007.
SEATTLE RACE RESULTS:
QUALIFIED: 12th, 5.533
ROUND 1: Pedregon 4.816/19.14 vs. Kalitta 5.127/211.03 ROUND 2: Pedregon 4.993/241.63 vs. J. Force 4.830/283.55
CURRENT 2007 POINT STANDINGS
| Driver | Points |
| Ron Capps | 998 |
| Robert Hight | 849 |
| Mike Ashley | 798 |
| Tony Pedregon | 772 |
| Jack Beckman | 763 |
| Gary Scelzi | 730 |
| Jim Head | 709 |
| John Force | 632 |
| Cruz Pedregon | 588 |
| Ashley Force | 572 |
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