Kaz Grala and the Ruedebusch.com Chevrolet Team Back Up Last Night’s Strong Performance with Second Straight Top-10 Finish of the Weekend at Richmond Raceway
Finish: 9th
Start: 7th
Points: 10th
“We had another really solid day at Richmond Raceway in our No. 21 ruedebusch.com Chevrolet, bringing home another top-10 finish for our Richard Childress Racing team. It seemed like we were just destined to finish in ninth this weekend, but I’m still very proud of my team. I wish we could have gotten a little more out of today. I think we were just a couple small adjustments away from being a top-five car again. We definitely learned what we need to be good here at Richmond, so hopefully next year the team will have a great direction on what the car needs to compete again. Overall, it was a clean weekend. We didn’t have any damage and didn’t make any mistakes in either race, so I’m really happy we could gain some valuable points towards the owner’s championship for the 21 team this weekend. Thank you to everyone at RCR and ECR, Andy Street, and my partner ruedebusch.com for being on board. I had a lot of fun this weekend and loved running double duty. We’ll go get us a win at the Roval in a couple of weeks.” -Kaz Grala
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
CHEVROLET NTT INDYCAR SERIES HONDA INDY 200 DOUBLE HEADER MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE LEXINGTON, OHIO TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING RECAP – RACE 1 SEPTEMBER 12-13, 2020
WILL POWER PUTS CHEVY ON POLE FOR RACE ONE
For the 60th time in his NTT INDYCAR Series career, Will Power will lead the field to the green flag with his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Power’s winning lap was one minute, 06.3343 seconds.
WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET POLE WINNER: THIS IS YOUR 59TH CAREER POLE. WHAT A GREAT RUN AT THE END OF THE SESSION. WHAT’S IT GOING TO TAKE TO KEEP THE NO. 12 CAR UP FRONT IN THE RACE? “Man, I did not expect that because the track keeps getting better; but it was a pretty good lap we did, and it stuck. I’m really happy to have the Verizon Chevy in P1. It makes a big difference here. So, we’ll see if we can finally convert a pole into a win. Man, that’s what we’ve been trying hard to do.”
COULD THE TRACK REALLY CHANGE THAT MUCH THAT YOU WER IT WOULD BE THAT DIFFERENT FOR GROUP 2? “Usually it’s way better because it just takes rubber. But it was difficult honestly. Like, it never came in for us. So, I’m guessing it just stayed the same for the other guys.”
Team Chevy’s Josef Newgarden, Conor Daly, Rinus VeeKay and Simon Pagenaud will
Today’s race will start at 4:30 pm ET on NBCSN and IndyCar Radio Network.
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
About Chevrolet Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
Click HERE to view the official qualifying results of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Race 1
LEXINGTON, Ohio – Qualifying Saturday for the Honda Indy 200 Race 1 at Mid-Ohio NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 2.258-mile Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with starting position, car number in parentheses, driver, engine, time and speed in parentheses:
(12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 01:06.3343 (122.543 mph)
(28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 01:06.7287 (121.819)
(1) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 01:06.5508 (122.144)
(20) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 01:06.8761 (121.550)
(60) Jack Harvey, Honda, 01:06.7690 (121.745)
(27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 01:07.1856 (120.990)
(10) Felix Rosenqvist, Honda, 01:06.7841 (121.718)
KYLE BUSCH ENDS HIS XFINITY SEASON WITH TOP-THREE FINISH
Rookie of the Year contender Riley Herbst earns his 15th top-10 finish of the season.
RICHMOND, Virginia (September 11, 2020) – Kyle Busch (third) led Toyota in the Go Bowling 250 at Richmond Raceway on Friday evening. He was joined in the top-10 by his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Riley Herbst (10th).
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Richmond Raceway
Race 24 of 33 – 187.5 miles, 250 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Justin Allgaier*
2nd, Justin Haley*
3rd, KYLE BUSCH
4th, Austin Cindric*
5th, Ross Chastain*
10th, RILEY HERBST
14th, BRANDON JONES
16th, HARRISON BURTON
27th, CHAD FINCHUM
28th, MASON MASSEY
31st, VINNIE MILLER
35th, STEPHEN LEICHT
37th, TIMMY HILL
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
KYLE BUSCH, No. 54 Starburst Duos Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
What was your car missing tonight?
“We just got too tight on the long runs in the center of the corner. The Supra was pretty good for about 30 laps and then it would just start dying off on tires and I couldn’t wrap the bottom anymore, I would have to slow down too much to keep it low and was just losing pace in the middle of the corner. Losing pace in the middle of the corner means you have to have more use of the rear tires to get off the corner and then everything just goes bad. I knew I couldn’t run any harder to go run with the 7 (Justin Allgaier) and the 11 (Justin Haley) there in order to keep up with those guys because if I did, I would smoke the tires earlier. I just did all I could to kind of ride it out and see what we could do and if they would race each other hard enough to fall back and they never did. Just missing a little car mechanic stuff and hopefully we can fix it.”
What kind of feedback can you give Joe Gibbs Racing after tonight’s race?
“I don’t know, maybe the tire has just been throwing us off all year long and throwing me off a little all year long. It’s a different feel, that’s for sure. Trying to wrap my head around it anyways. Can’t say enough about Starburst Duos, this is a M&M’s/Mars Wrigley confectionary product so it’s pretty cool to have their name on this Supra for the first time. It’s a bright, cool, beautiful paint scheme. Wish we could have got up there closer to the front and battled those guys for a win. We were close, but I knew if I pushed any harder there in the runs in order to get there that I would just have nothing at the end. Tried to go with about 18 (laps) to go there and get a little bit closer and was able to knock off a half-a-second at least, but that was it and she was smoked after that. Nothing left.”
Was it good to add this race to the schedule considering you could work with Jacob Canter tonight ahead of tomorrow night’s Cup race?
“All things considered I guess it worked out as good as it could possibly work out. Overall, just worked with Jacob (Canter, NXS crew chief) now for a few races this year and we’ve done alright and have had some decent cars. Not ones that were contending for wins with. Phoenix was kind of close, today was kind of close, but just getting beat. Overall, we’re missing a little something there. I’m not sure what it is, but if we can continue to improve and work on that. I tried to talk to many of those guys after the race and give them some help on what things to look at in simulation and get ready for tomorrow. Good day to try to work with him here in order to setup for tomorrow.”
Did Jacob focus on the Xfinity car this week or the Cup car?
“He’s (Jacob Canter) solely focused on Xfinity car. He probably doesn’t know anything about what’s in the Cup car. There will be enough communication available to us with Adam (Stevens, Cup crew chief) that Adam will be making the calls, don’t worry.”
Does your lack of dominance tonight say something about the competition level in the Xfinity Series?
“We were decent, but we certainly weren’t great. If we had a great car then I would say, ‘damn, we just got beat.’ Our handling and our balance was off that we didn’t have a good enough shot to be able to go up there and run with those guys. I just had to mire myself with as fast as I felt l could push the car and just ride and that was all I had. To answer your question, I do feel like the competition certainly stepped up over the years and has gotten stronger. I think the cars have gotten closer. It’s definitely harder to make your way through the traffic. You don’t see those dominant cars that maybe have an issue on pit road or a pit road speeding penalty or whatever that are able to drive up through the field with all the rules and everything just being so tight and the competition being so close. You really have to be on top of your ‘A’ game the whole time and don’t make any mistakes all day long.”
How will running tonight’s race help you with setups or notes for the Cup race?
“If there is any sort of setup things that we had on today’s car that is similar or consistent with some of the setup things that we will have for our Cup car tomorrow, we’re going to want to look at some of those things. I’m not sure about that, I doubt it because of ride-height rules and everything that’s all about Xfinity. I think the cars will be enough different that setup-wise, we probably didn’t learn a whole lot. But tires, we definitely were able to learn about and kind of figure out and get a feel for how hard you could push and what you can do throughout a run with that.”
How could long green flag runs impact the Cup race?
“I don’t even know what tire allotment we have or what the competition caution or anything that we have for tomorrow is. It would be interesting to see what those crew chiefs feel like and think if splitting a stage is actually faster than running one out or how that looks. Certainly, I would assume that those guys are trying to simulate that out knowing that it’s been pretty much some green flag runs here at Richmond for a long time. Not just this year and not just these last two nights, but at Richmond for a good bit.”
RILEY HERBST, No. 18 Monster Energy Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 10th
Challenging night for you and your teammates, but you battled back for your sixth straight top-10 finish.
“Yeah, I think all of us kind of struggled a little bit. There is no hiding that. We will get to work and try to make this Monster Energy Supra better tomorrow and be more competitive up towards the front.”
Riley, you should clinch your Playoff berth tomorrow. Does that put your mind at ease, and you can go attack these next two events?
“Yeah, we are not too concerned. It’s just kind of in the back of our mind. We are trying to make our Supra better tomorrow and put on a better showing for everyone.”
HARRISON BURTON, No. 20 Morton Buildings/DEX Imaging Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 16th
It looked like a rough night tonight, Harrison. How was your race?
“To be honest with you, I expected to come here with the chance to win, and in the first stage, I thought we had a winning car. We were running the 10 (Ross Chastain) down, not really pushing all that hard. Then all of a sudden it fell off a cliff. I don’t know what to do, because our balance to fire off a run isn’t that bad and then we just lose overall grip and don’t have a chance really. I don’t know. I have all the faith in the world in my guys and my team and I know we will get better but that is not what we want and what we expect. That’s pretty embarrassing. We will go back to the drawing board and I’m going to see what I can do different as a driver and we will see what we can do differently as a team, and we will see if we can come out of here tomorrow with a big improvement. That was embarrassing, and I apologize to our partners. That’s not what they deserve, and we will go get them tomorrow.’
You had a chance to debrief with your crew chief, Ben Beshore. Did he give you a sense of something he may be able to fix?
“Yeah, I think we will always have hope. We have the best guys in the garage – the smartest people in the garage on our race team. That to me always gives you hope. You always come to the race track with a chance to win with my team, and I love that about us. We are going to have to have a short memory, because tonight was pretty awful. Gosh, that was frustrating. We will back, and we will be better from it. Hopefully, we can get one trophy. We were trying for two this weekend, but we weren’t even close the first day, so we have got a lot of work to get there, but hopefully we can do it.”
# # #
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.
Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Report
Track: Richmond Raceway: Race 1
Race: Go Bowling 250
Date: September 11, 2020
___________________________________________________
No. 22 Snap-on Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 7th
Stage 1: 1st (10th Stage win of 2020)
Stage 2: 6th
Finish: 4th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 250/250
Laps Led: 64
Point Standings (ahead of second): 1st (+67)
Notes:
Austin Cindric and the No. 22 PPG Ford Mustang team led 64 laps and captured the Stage 1 victory to finish the Go Bowling 250 at Richmond Raceway in the fourth position Friday night. The finish was Cindric’s fourth top-five in five starts at the Virginia short track and his 16th top-five finish of the 2020 season. Cindric continues to lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver standings, 67 markers ahead of second place, Chase Briscoe.
Cindric started the 250-lap, 187-mile event from seventh position after the field was set per the NASCAR rule book. The first 75-lap stage saw four cautions, including the competition caution on lap 40 where Cindric was scored in third position. Crew chief Brian Wilson called the driver of the No. 22 Snap-on Ford to pit road for four tires and fuel under the caution and Cindric restarted 13th with 30 laps remaining in the first stage. As Stage 1 progressed, Cindric showed the dominance of his PPG Mustang, capturing the race lead on lap 60 to secure his 10th stage win of the 2020 season.
The Mooresville, N.C. native started Stage 2 from the lead on lap 83. The second 75-lap stage ran caution free, and as the race developed the handling of Cindric’s Ford’s began to tighten. The handing issues meant that the 22-year-old would slip to the sixth position by the completion of the stage on lap 150. Once again, Wilson called his driver down pit road during the caution for four fresh tires, fuel, and adjustments to aid Cindric’s Ford.
Cindric restarted the final stage from the third position, but quickly moved into the second spot. As the laps ticked off during the second, long green-flag run, Cindric’s Ford steadily became tighter. Despite the handling conditions of Cindric’s PPG Ford, he was able to hold on to the fourth position at the checkered flag.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series is back in action with the second race from Richmond Raceway tomorrow afternoon. Live coverage will begin Saturday, September 12 at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
Quote: “If we had a caution we had an amazing short run car tonight, so I’m really proud of that effort to bring a fast PPG Ford Mustang in race one here. Obviously, it will be hotter conditions tomorrow, so we definitely have to work on that side of things, but to be able to hold on to fourth like we did I was max tire-save most of the stint until about 40 to go and I’m lucky I held on to what I had, but, overall, like I said, we had speed we just have to maximize where we need it most.”
Kaz Grala and the Ruedebusch.com Chevrolet Team Score Stage Points En Route to Strong Top-10 Finish in Race One of Double-Header Weekend at Richmond Raceway
Finish: 9th
Start: 24th
Points: 10th
“It was a solid night for our No. 21 ruedebusch.com Chevrolet team in race one at Richmond Raceway. We had a lot of speed tonight and I was excited to add some stage points toward our point total for the No. 21 team owner’s championship standings. I thought we were definitely a top-five car tonight. I was concentrating really hard on saving the tires during that last run and thought we would drive back up inside the top-five but, unfortunately, we really lost the tires as we got deeper into the run. A couple of guys slipped by us in the closing laps, but it was still a great night scoring a top-10 finish for our Richard Childress Racing team. I feel like I learned a lot and I think we have a really good piece to work with tomorrow. We’ll go back to work tomorrow and see if we can grab that top-five finish that I know we are capable of.” -Kaz Grala
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 PPG Ford Mustang — WHAT MORE DID YOU NEED? “If we had a caution we had an amazing short run car tonight, so I’m really proud of that effort to bring a fast PPG Ford Mustang in race one here. Obviously, it will be hotter conditions tomorrow, so we definitely have to work on that side of things, but to be able to hold on to fourth like we did I was max tire-save most of the stint until about 40 to go and I’m lucky I held on to what I had, but, overall, like I said, we had speed we just have to maximize where we need it most.”
WAS IT JUST A MATTER OF THIS CAR BEING GOOD ON THE SHORT RUN? “Yeah, no doubt. I think that’s a lot of positives there because I think we helped the car from last year, which is hard to do at this racetrack. We kind of strayed away from the notebook, but I’m proud of that effort. With tomorrow being a day race we definitely have to fine-tune some things for the longer run there. Honestly, I’m proud with coming home fourth. I thought we could maybe get third, but, overall, not a bad night for the PPG Ford Mustang. Obviously, it was a good points night and hopefully we can keep it moving forward in tomorrow’s day race.”
WHAT CAN BRIAN AND THE TEAM DO FOR YOU TOMORROW WITH A SHORT TURNAROUND? “I hear Superman never sleeps and these guys are superheroes with the schedule they have this weekend, so I’m really proud of those guys and that effort. Hopefully, we can piece together a race-winner tomorrow.”
Justin Allgaier celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Go Bowling 250 at Richmond Raceway on September 11, 2020. Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.
Justin Allgaier captured his second win of the season Friday night in the Go Bowling 250 at Richmond Raceway. It was his 13th Xfinity Series career win and the 50th win for JR Motorsports.
Justin Haley finished second in his No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet followed by Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric and Ross Chastain to complete the top five finishers.
Brett Moffitt, Michael Annett, Noah Gragson, Kaz Grala and Riley Herbst (the highest finishing rookie) placed sixth through 10th, respectively. Annett’s finish earned him enough points to advance to the playoffs.
Allgaier described the race as being one where everything came together after a frustrating season of ups and downs.
“It feels great,” he said. “You know, we’ve had fast Camaros all year long and everybody at JR Motorsports has worked their butts off and put us in position many times. You know, the definition of luck is when opportunity meets preparation and when we’ve been prepared, the opportunity hasn’t come and when we’ve had the opportunity we just haven’t been prepared. And the team today did a fantastic job of executing, just from beginning to end.
“You know, we knew we were a little behind the eight ball when the green flag dropped, just starting as far back as we were. That first cycle on tires was really rough on us. We lost some spots, got a little bit of damage, unfortunately. Just really felt like we were not where we wanted to be at. And the guys rallied, we had unbelievable pit stops tonight. We made great adjustments and you know just ultimately put ourselves in good position at the end.”
Haley was disappointed with his second-place finish but proud of his efforts. He was as far back as 25th after two consecutive pit stops during the Stage 1 caution to repair damage to his car. Haley was able to get back to the front, lead 51 laps and contend for the win in the final laps but fell short.
“Allgaier was just a little bit better. I’m about tired of everyone on social media saying I can’t show up anywhere but superspeedways,” Haley said, smiling. “So I finally showed up somewhere where talent matters.”
Brett Moffitt, Michael Annett, Noah Gragson, Kaz Grala and Riley Herbst (the highest finishing rookie) placed sixth through 10th, respectively. Annett’s finish earned him enough points to advance to the playoffs.
The playoffs will begin in two weeks at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with only one spot left to be filled. Brandon Brown currently has the advantage with 43 points over Jeremy Clements for the final transfer position.
The Xfinity Series will race again Saturday at 2 p.m. ET at Richmond Raceway in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 250 which was realigned from Michigan International Speedway.
Post Inspection Report:
The No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet of Ross Chastain had one loose lug nut.
The No. 61 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota driven by Chad Finchum was disqualified for failing rear heights and was scored in last place.
Car Chief, Zach Gobble, for the No. 13 Motorsports Business Management Toyota driven by Stephen Leicht, ejected and will miss Saturday’s race for a safety violation: 12.5.2.7.4.e – Any loss or separation of an improperly installed rear axle from the vehicle will result in a one Race suspension of a crew member(s).
In this week’s interview of “First Seasons,” where a driver discusses their first-season of racing professionally, we catch up with Funny Car Snap-On driver Cruz Pedregon who talks about his 1991 Top Fuel season, his rookie season on a part-time basis.
During this interview, the California native talks about what he remembers of the ’91 season, how he managed expectations despite being on a part-time basis, his first start, what he thinks helped him from ’91 to learn for ’92, his first victory in ’92, and anything Pedregon wishes he could do differently looking back.
SM: You started out racing in NHRA in the Top Fuel category 29 years ago at the age of 28. Briefly discuss what it was like making your debut at that age, knowing it was considered a young age during that time period. Also, how did you make the connection and get to drive for Larry Minor?
CP: “It was surreal at first,” Pedregon said about making his debut. “I remember doing my first burnout in the car out in California, it was very surreal. It was a dream come true for me because I had dreamt of that opportunity. I remember the first one like it was yesterday.”
“One of my father’s good friends owned a Funny Car team and he also owned a piston manufacturing business. So, he sold to Larry Minor (Cruz’s first Team Owner), and he was a big Team Owner. He introduced me to him, two years prior to that. I never thought the meeting would make anything, but that was a good introduction there.”
“I also had a good amateur career in the Alcohol cars by winning races. I thought, if there ever was an opportunity, maybe I’m on the radar because I was winning races. So, that was my opportunity.”
SM: In the ‘91 season, you ran 12 races in the Top Fuel category. Before the season got underway, do you remember setting a certain goal for that specific year despite being a rookie? What were your expectations and did those ever change when you got further into the season?
CP: “Honestly, I’ll tell you the truth,” he said. “The car that I was driving was a part-time hobby-like car to the owner (Larry Minor), who had three full-fledged full-time operations. Larry wanted his own personal car that he could tune. So, I knew I had limitations as far as crew chief and a limited schedule. My expectations were not to go out to win races and be competitive. I thought the experience would be good and perhaps winning a round or two.” SM: Was it hard to manage expectations, knowing you were a part-time driver that season?
CP: “It was (hard),” Pedregon said about managing expectations. “In fact, I went from a winning situation in the Alcohol cars in a top car. I had to think twice and be like, ‘do I keep winning in Alcohol or do I take a Top Fuel team, which is the top of the line.’ Eventually, I took the Top Fuel ride.”
“It was a beautiful car, but I just didn’t have the equipment to race with. It (racing part-time) was a good experience for me.”
Photo Courtesy of Cruz Pedregon Racing, Pedregon’s Top Fuel Car in 1991.
SM: Your first professional NHRA Top Fuel start was the famous Pomona Nationals. Can you describe what it was like in the weeks leading up to your first professional race? Were you starting to feel anxious or nervous, or were you more, let’s get this thing going? What helped you in advance of the race?
CP: “I was working on the car at the time, so I didn’t think about being nervous or anxious,” he said. “The cars that I drove previously I wasn’t as hands on that much. But, when I was hired, I was hired to drive but the team was also not shy of me to empty out the trash cans, and pretty much do the heavy lifting. I was full on crew guy.”
“I was never nervous or anxious. I just remember, it was a lot of work and a lot of late nights, but to me, it was worth it.”
SM: Unfortunately, you would miss the show for that race. Is there anything in your mind that you could’ve done differently to perhaps move further in the rounds?
CP: “Larry (Minor) was very knowledgeable with cars, but it was basically all of his friends who were on the crew and they were all business owners,” Pedregon said. “All of these guys were like older (people), who pretty much were ready to have a cocktail after my last run. I was pretty much minding my own business and not getting into all the politics of it.”
“But, I knew my time would come, just let me do my job to the best of my ability.”
SM: Despite that, you had some success that season, where you achieved your first-round victory against the legendary Don Prudhomme to advance to the semi-finals at Seattle. Do any of those victories stand out to you?
CP: “Oh yeah,” he said about beating Prudhomme. “We raced the “Snake” (Prudhomme’s earned nickname) and I remember Tom McEwen (former NHRA driver) coming up to me, and he said ‘Hey, just go in there and do your thing. This guy is quick. Just be on your game and you should be okay.’ I remember thinking to myself, ‘I didn’t think he was going to be quick. I knew he was an older superstar, no doubt, but I didn’t think (McEwen) would tell me he (Prudhomme) was going to be fast.”
“We did win though and I remember it was the Skoal car at the time. And then, we lost a close race to Tom McEwen of all people in the next round. So, I raced the “Snake” and the “Mongoose” in the next round. But, I will always remember that as they were milestones in my career because they meant so much and they were big names in the sport.”
SM: When you look back on the ‘91 Top Fuel season, are there any races in your mind that you felt like you could’ve won? Do you think Seattle was potentially the one race where you should have gotten the victory?
CP: “Not the victory, but a couple of more rounds,” Pedregon said about the Seattle race. “I would say, Seattle was our best performance because we were at least in the zone so to speak. Our times were also very competitive.”
“It seems as though Seattle, throughout my career, is one of my races that I never won there and could never get past the second round for some reason. That was the start of it I guess.”
SM: Jumping ahead a little bit, you would move up to the Funny Car class in ‘92 and achieved your first victory in NHRA at the Houston Nationals. Couple of questions. What, in your mind, did you learn from the ‘91 season to help better you for your ‘92 Funny Car rookie season? What does that first victory still mean to you and have you ever had a chance to go back and rewatch that race?
CP: “Just the fact I was racing a Nitro car and the de-accleration,” he said. “The de-acceleration of the car didn’t affect me like it would, had I gone straight from Alcohol to Funny Car. I was already seasoned as far as speed and got used to the way you would drive with the clutch pedal out, as opposed to revving the engine up. I was able to get into the Funny Car, due to being in an Alcohol car in ‘90, Top Fuel in ‘91, and then I went back to a Funny Car in ‘92. It was sort of going back home again.”
“I have rewatched that race (Houston Nationals) a few times, more mentally than physically. I remember the unusual circumstances leading up to that Sunday. I was a little taken back of my then crew chief and the owner, because they had been together for so many years. I was a little shocked about the politics behind the scenes of people not getting along.”
“I think there was uneasiness with the team due to engine problems. So, the incoming teammate, Cory Mac’s (McClenathan) crew chief put the motor out of that car and per the owner’s request, lend these guys a motor as they were out of them. They didn’t want to blow this kid up, which was me. That crew chief and my crew chief didn’t like each other so much, and I was kind of in the middle of all that.”
“So then race day comes and we go out to set the nationals record by lowering it to 400ths, which is crazy in today’s numbers.”
SM: When you entered the sport in ‘91 as a rookie, did you ever think that you would win the championship the next season and have two championships plus 36 victories during your career?
CP: “Well, let me tell you this,” Pedregon said. “After that race, we thought we were going to have a great summer, but we were lackluster for about eight to 10 races. We were hit or miss, and had fallen on our face in qualifying.”
“In that season, were we thinking of a championship? We were after Houston, but prior to Seattle of ‘92, we wanted to finish in the top five. Then, we went on a roll, and de-throned (John) Force. Houston was the beginning, but we had to wait six months or so until August where we found the magic again. We got hot in August and didn’t look back, and to top it off, we went through three different crew chiefs that year. That was bizarre to say the least.”
SM: I asked Ron Capps this question and he says, his last victory is his favorite one. For you, what would you say is your favorite Wally out of your collection?
CP: “My favorite Wally (NHRA winner trophy) out of my collection is the ‘92 U.S. Nationals (NHRA’s biggest race of the year),” he said. “The US Nationals is the biggest race of drag racing, it’s our Super Bowl. If you win that race, your name goes down as a legend, so to do it in my rookie year is a moment that I’ll never forget. I had an off weekend with my reaction times, but I had a great crew around me that helped us pull both cars my funny car and the topsail drag stream to the winner circle. If you look at the people that were on my crew back then, almost all of them are current or former crew chiefs on different Top Fuel or Funny Cars throughout the years.”
SM: Some racers have a memorabilia collection and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, what in your collection reminds you about your rookie season(s)?
CP: “I have a collection of helmets, fire suits, all the Wally’s,” Pedregon said. “Not all of them are original (Wally’s), because I had given them away. But, I would say helmets are near and dear to me. I sold about 25 to 30 through the years, I wish I had them back. In the ‘90s, I was getting good money for them because I thought wow, people want to buy my helmets.”
SM: I’m sure being in this sport for a long time, most seasons are a blur to you. Are there any fond memories to this day about your rookie season that you will always remember? If so, what sticks out the most?
CP: “They were all good memories,” he said. “However, I remember thinking during the five wins in a row, I was like, ‘Man, it would be a nice story if we could come back from seventh or eighth in the points during that year and finish second.’ In other words, I was not thinking about the championship until the second to last race, as I was not going to let myself get that far ahead.”
“And then, I was bummed out because we didn’t make it to the final round to get six (wins) in a row. We went to the semis against Tom Hoover (former NHRA driver) and I was so bummed out, since I wanted to win six in a row. I guess we got a little greedy.”
“There isn’t really one memory that really sticks out more than the other, I just remember ‘92 was a crazy year, but we had a good car and (we) were on the roll. I guess I would say, there were some odd and scary moments that were trying times. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, since it made that much more memorable.”
SM: Wrapping it up – It’s been 29-years since you made your first start in the NHRA Professional Division. What would a 56-year-old Cruz Pedregon tell a 28-year-old Cruz Pedregon, if you had the ability to time travel? Is there anything you would do differently?
CP: “I was pretty high strung in those days,” Pedregon said. “I would say, slow things down a little and take them as they come. Enjoy the moments (a lot more often) and don’t try too hard. I was always pressing, pressing, and always thought the sky was falling when we got beat. Wisdom and that things happen for a reason, good or bad.”
In Pedregon’s career, the Gardena, California native has a total of 36 career wins, two Funny Car Championship (1992, 2008), 40 runner up finishes, 75 semi-final appearances, 61 No. 1 qualifiers, and he has made the Countdown to the Championship (NHRA’s version of the Playoffs) seven times. As of this writing, Pedregon’s last victory came in 2018 at the Charlotte Nationals against John Force.
Fans of Cruz Pedregon wanting to find out more information or keep up to date can follow him on Twitter, “like” him on Facebook, and Instagram.
Special thanks to General/Team Manager of Cruz Pedregon Racing Caleb Cox for coordinating the interview and many thanks to Cruz Pedregon for taking time out of his busy schedule to do the interview.
Eleven Races Set Throughout ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards East, and ARCA Menards West
Toledo, Ohio (September 11, 2020) – ARCA has finalized the remainder of the 2020 schedule, with 11 events spread out over the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East, and ARCA Menards Series West over the next seven weeks. There are six events on the ARCA Menards Series calendar, two of which are combination races with the ARCA Menards Series East, four ARCA Menards Series West races, and a single stand-alone race for the ARCA Menards East.
The highlights include:
The ARCA Menards Series will visit Toledo Speedway for the third time in 2020 for a 200-lapper on September 12, followed by the first series race at Bristol Motor Speedway since 1969 on Thursday, September 17. The races will both pay points for the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East.
Winchester Speedway returns to the ARCA Menards Series schedule for the first time since 2017 on Saturday, September 19.
The ARCA Menards Series and ARCA Menards Series West will both be in action on Saturday, September 26. The ARCA Menards Series West opens the day with the General Tire 150 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200, the finale for the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown, at Memphis International Raceway, takes place later in the evening.
The traditional August date at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield has been rescheduled to October 4.
Another weekend doubleheader for the ARCA Menards Series West has been added in California, with All-American Speedway in Roseville set for Friday, October 23 followed by Kern County Speedway in Bakersfield on Sunday, October 25.
The ARCA Menards Series East will end its season on Saturday, October 10 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. The ARCA Menards Series finale follows on Friday, October 16 at Kansas Speedway and the ARCA Menards Series West will close Saturday, November 7 at Phoenix Raceway.
The updated, revised 2020 ARCA Menards Series schedule:
9/12 AMS/AMSE Toledo Speedway (5 pm ET, MAVTV)
9/17 AMS/AMSE/SCS Bristol Motor Speedway (9:30 pm ET, FS1)
9/19 AMS Winchester Speedway (3 pm ET, live, TrackPass, 6 pm same day delay, MAVTV)
9/26 AMSW The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (3 pm ET, TrackPass)
9/26 AMS/SCS Memphis International Raceway (6 pm ET, MAVTV)
10/4 AMS Illinois State Fairgrounds (3 pm ET, MAVTV)
10/10 AMSE Five Flags Speedway (8 pm, TrackPass)
10/16 AMS Kansas Speedway (8:30 pm ET, FS2)
10/23 AMSW All-American Speedway (10 pm ET, TrackPass)
10/25 AMSW Kern County Speedway (6 pm ET, TrackPass)
