Cruz Pedregon
Encyclopedia
Cruz Pedregon is a 2-time NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
Funny Car
Champion from Torrance, California
. He is the brother of Tony Pedregon
also a two-time Funny Car Champion.
Competition racing a partial schedule. In 1992 Pedregon won the Funny Car Championship. He would be the only driver besides fellow racer John Force
to win it in the 1990s. In 1994 Pedregon 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. In 1995 Pedregon won at Indianapolis for the third time in four years also winning in 1992 and 1994. In 1996 Pedregon competed in a limited schedule winning one race and finishing 3rd in the final points standings. In 1997 Pedregon was the only Motorsports Driver to win the "Premio De Oro" an award for outstanding Hispanic Athletes. In 1998 Pedregon Qualified first for a career best 12 races. In 1999 Pedregon formed his own team and raced a partial schedule in Funny Car. Pedregon won his first race as an owner driver at Englishtown
in 2000.
's NHRA coverage. After his year off Pedregon returned to racing qualifying for 18 races as an owner driver. In 2003 Pedregon finished the highest in the funny car standings since 1998. In 2004 he earned first No. 1 qualifying position since 1998 at Columbus. In 2005 Pedregon earned a pair of No. 1 qualifiers at Englishtown and Chicago
He set the low E.T. at two events (Englishtown and Chicago ), and won $25,000 bonus for having closest margin of victory in Motel 6 Who Got the Light award. In 2006 Pedregon won his first race in 6 years. He qualified for 21 of 23 events and advanced to 3 final rounds. Pedregon had a better than .500 record winning 16 to 18 losses in 2007. He also went to 3 finals and qualified 1st in Houston
.
In 2008 Pedregon earned his second career NHRA Full Throttle Series Championship Title (the other being in 1992), when his brother Tony Pedregon defeated the only other driver left in contention at the year’s final race He had a incredible charge in the playoffs, winning three of four final-round appearances, including the final three events of the season. He also won $100,000 NHRA Showdown in Indianapolis.
. He is Fluent in Spanish and frequently works with Hispanic media.
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series is the top competition division of the NHRA. It consist of four classes, Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.-History:...
Funny Car
Funny Car
Funny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'...
Champion from Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
. He is the brother of Tony Pedregon
Tony Pedregon
Tony Pedregon is a 2-time NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car Champion from Torrance, California. He is also the youngest of the Pedregon brothers. His brother Cruz Pedregon is the 1992 NHRA Full Throttle Series Funny Car Champion.-Early Days:In 1993 Pedregon qualified for his first...
also a two-time Funny Car Champion.
Early Days
Pedregon began his career in 1980 behind wheel of a 1953 Kenworth truck He Raced go-karts in 1986 and was track champion at Ventura California Raceway In 1987 he joined NHRA Competition racing an Alcohol Dragster. After 3 years in Alcohol Dragsters he decided to move to Alcohol Funny Cars. In 1991 Pedregon moved to Top FuelTop Fuel
Top Fuel racing is a class of drag racing in which the cars are run on a mix of approximately 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol rather than gasoline or simply methanol. The cars are purpose-built for drag racing, with an exaggerated layout that in some ways resembles open-wheel circuit racing...
Competition racing a partial schedule. In 1992 Pedregon won the Funny Car Championship. He would be the only driver besides fellow racer John Force
John Force
John Harold Force is an NHRA drag racer, a 15-time Funny Car champion driver, and a 17-time champion car owner. Force owns and drives for John Force Racing. He is one of the most dominant drag racers in the sport with 133 career victories...
to win it in the 1990s. In 1994 Pedregon 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. In 1995 Pedregon won at Indianapolis for the third time in four years also winning in 1992 and 1994. In 1996 Pedregon competed in a limited schedule winning one race and finishing 3rd in the final points standings. In 1997 Pedregon was the only Motorsports Driver to win the "Premio De Oro" an award for outstanding Hispanic Athletes. In 1998 Pedregon Qualified first for a career best 12 races. In 1999 Pedregon formed his own team and raced a partial schedule in Funny Car. Pedregon won his first race as an owner driver at Englishtown
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, originally known as Madison Township Raceway Park, is an American auto racing facility. It is located on 230 Pension Road in Old Bridge Township, near Englishtown, New Jersey, just off of County Route 527...
in 2000.
Retirement and Comeback
In 2001 Pedregon served as a color analyst for ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's NHRA coverage. After his year off Pedregon returned to racing qualifying for 18 races as an owner driver. In 2003 Pedregon finished the highest in the funny car standings since 1998. In 2004 he earned first No. 1 qualifying position since 1998 at Columbus. In 2005 Pedregon earned a pair of No. 1 qualifiers at Englishtown and Chicago
Route 66 Raceway
Route 66 Raceway is a motorsports facility located in Joliet, Illinois. The facility consists of a dragstrip and a dirt oval. The drag strip hosts several drag racing events including the NHRA. The dirt oval hosts many weekly dirt racing events...
He set the low E.T. at two events (Englishtown and Chicago ), and won $25,000 bonus for having closest margin of victory in Motel 6 Who Got the Light award. In 2006 Pedregon won his first race in 6 years. He qualified for 21 of 23 events and advanced to 3 final rounds. Pedregon had a better than .500 record winning 16 to 18 losses in 2007. He also went to 3 finals and qualified 1st in Houston
Houston Raceway Park
Royal Purple Raceway is a quarter-mile dragstrip in Baytown, Texas, just outside Houston. It opened in 1988 and hosts the NHRA's O'Reilly Spring Nationals. It has a seating capacity for nearly 50,000 spectators, with additional grandstand seating brought in during major events...
.
In 2008 Pedregon earned his second career NHRA Full Throttle Series Championship Title (the other being in 1992), when his brother Tony Pedregon defeated the only other driver left in contention at the year’s final race He had a incredible charge in the playoffs, winning three of four final-round appearances, including the final three events of the season. He also won $100,000 NHRA Showdown in Indianapolis.
Personal life
Pedregon resides in Brownsburg, IndianaBrownsburg, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,520 people, and 5,366 households residing in the town. The population density was 1,983.5 people per square mile . There were 5,574 housing units at an average density of 761.4 per square mile...
. He is Fluent in Spanish and frequently works with Hispanic media.