CRUZ PEDREGON AND THE ADVANCE AUTO PARTS RACE TEAM FINISH THE SEASON IN THE TOP 10 DESPITE A DNQ IN POMONA

POMONA, Calif. (November 13, 2006) - Cruz Pedregon and his Advance Auto Parts Race Team came to the NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the last race of the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season, with high hopes of ending their 2006 campaign on a positive note, but left that California facility with a DNQ. Pedregon finishes the year tied for 9th place in the 2006 Nitro Funny Car division point standings.

"We stayed and tested well after Las Vegas and did everything we could to qualify in Pomona, but, the car was running lean all weekend and believe there was a problem with the fuel system," stated Pedregon. "However, this has really been a good season for us, though. For the third year in a row, we finished in the top 10 in points, we won a race, and we made it to three finals. Our team is going to work extremely hard in the off season, testing in January, and we'll come back swinging for a championship run in 2007."

NEXT RACE: This was the last race of the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season. The 2007 NHRA season opens with the NHRA Winternationals on February 9-11, 2007, at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.).

POMONA RACE RESULTS: 

 

QUALIFIED:

17th - 4.860 / 287.84 

 

FINAL 2006 NHRA FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:

1. John Force, 1636 

2. Robert Hight, 1524

3. Ron Capps, 1503

4. Eric Medlen, 1407

5. Tony Pedregon, 1370

6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1322

7. Gary Scelzi, 1204

8. Phil Burkart Jr., 1034

9. Cruz Pedregon, 956

9. Whit Bazemore, 956