NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

But Pedregon and his team responded in strong fashion to qualify well and record a round win before a narrow defeat to eventual winner John Force. Pedregon hopes that perseverance continues at this weekend’s 31st annual Toyota NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, where the veteran standout looks to win for the second time during the 2018 season.

“It was very devastating and the timing was horrible, but with that being said, I was impressed with how the team recovered,” Pedregon said. “They put their heads down and got the job done. I was so proud of the team. They rallied and never looked back. (Crew chief) Aaron (Brooks) just has a positive attitude and he’s a hard worker. He doesn’t let things get to him, he shook it off and the team responds well to his leadership, and the same with (assistant crew chief) Glen (Huszar). These guys are just workers and I feel fortunate that I have those two guys leading the group.”
 
Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Tanner Gray (Pro Stock) and LE Tonglet (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of a race that will be televised on FOX, including live finals coverage starting at 4:00 p.m. (ET) on Sunday. It serves as the second of three stops on the NHRA’s famed Western Swing and is the 15th of 24 events in 2018. Sitting just six points out of 10th for the final spot in the upcoming Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, Pedregon is motivated for a big weekend at the Toyota-sponsored race.

He broke a long winless string earlier this season with a victory in Charlotte and has shown potential to grab another win. A win in Sonoma would go a long way to easing the disappointment of last weekend’s explosion, as well as solidifying his chances of advancing to the NHRA’s six-race playoffs. It’s also scenarios like this that has often brought out the best in Pedregon.

“I do feel like we’re a top five car masquerading as a 12th-place car right now,” said Pedregon, who has 36 career wins. “I’ve said this about the top 10: if we’re good enough and I think we are, we’ll get in there. But it starts with racing well this weekend. We’re slow starters, typically, and we always seem to get better as the season goes on. We’re counting on that. I always enjoy the competition and I always enjoy racing the best. I like these types of situations.”

Tim Wilkerson sits four points ahead of Pedregon, while Bob Tasca is currently 10th in the loaded Funny Car class. To have success in Sonoma, Pedregon will also have to deal with the likes of points leader Courtney Force, three-time 2018 winner Matt Hagan and defending event winner J.R. Todd, who has two wins this season. But Pedregon, a California native, has always enjoyed the annual stop in Sonoma and he believes his team is building toward a big weekend.

“This is my second home track in my book,” said Pedregon, who has two Sonoma wins. “It would mean a lot to me and the team if we could continue what we had in Denver. If we can carry it into this race, I feel good about our chances. Leading up to Denver, I felt we had turned the corner. We left Epping with a good feeling about our sea-level performance. We’ve found our groove again and I’m confident we’re on the right track, and that’s good because these are important races.” 

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:15 and 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 27 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 28 at 1:10 and 4:20 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 29.
 
To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call 800-870-RACE (7223). Tickets also are available online at www.sonomaraceway.com. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult. To honor the Salute to First Responders, military and first responders can save 20 percent on general admission tickets at the gate.