A.K.A.
"THE CRUZER"
CAR NAME
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS
BIRTH DATE
SEPTEMBER 19, 1963
RESIDENCE
SANTA ROSA VALLEY, CA
CAREER BEST ELAPSED
4.680 sec.
CAREER BEST SPEED
330.80 mph

Cruz's Biography

  • 2006: Won at Las Vegas 1; Finished 10th in points
  • 2005: Earned a pair of No. 1 qualifiers (Englishtown and Chicago 2); Set the low E.T. at two events (Englishtown and Chicago 2); Set career bests for both time and speed; Won at least two rounds at five consecutive events and six of the first eight events to open the 2005 season; Won $25,000 bonus for having closest margin of victory in Motel 6 Who Got the Light award
  • 2004: Earned first No. 1 qualifying position ( Columbus ) since 1998; Was the runner-up at consecutive events twice (Denver & Seattle; Indianapolis & Dallas ); Established career-best performance numbers; Qualified No. 11 in the quickest Funny Car field in NHRA history (Pomona 2)
  • 2003: Highest finish in the Funny Car standings since 1998; was the runner-up at Denver and Reading; established career-best time and speed
  • 2002: After taking a year off from racing, Pedregon assembled a team that qualified for 18 national events; Advanced to the semifinals at Indianapolis
  • 2001: Served as color analyst for ESPN’s drag racing coverage
  • 2000: Raced part-time as an owner/driver, collecting one win (Englishtown)
  • 1999: Raced part-time as an owner/driver in the Funny Car category
  • 1998: Earned the No. 1 qualifying spot a career-best 12 times; Won NHRA all-star race; Set national elapsed-time record three times; Runner-up in Funny Car bonus race
  • 1997: The first motorsports athlete to received the "Premio De Oro," the only national award for Hispanic athletes
  • 1996: Competing in a limited amount of races, Pedregon won one race en route to a third-place finish in the NHRA championship point standings; Finished in the top three for the fifth consecutive season
  • 1995: Won at Indianapolis for the third time in four years (1992, ’94-95); Recorded first career four-second run, a 4.991 at Dallas; Broke the 300-mph mark for the first time with a 300.90-mph pass at Indianapolis
  • 1994: 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
  • 1992: Won the NHRA Funny Car Championship - the only Funny Car driver other than John Force to win a title in the 1990s
  • 1990: Won a career-best six races
  • 1991: Raced part-time in Top Fuel competition

 

CRUZ PEDREGON NHRA CAREER

TRACK-BY-TRACK RESULTS

Track
 Wins No. 1Qualifier

Atlanta                        1998                                                   1998, 1992

Brainerd                     1992                                          1998, 1993, 1992

Bristol

Chicago                                                                                  2005, 1998

Columbus                                                                               2004, 1998

Dallas                         1994, 1992                                        1998, 1995

Denver                       1993

Englishtown                2000, 1995                              2005, 1998, 1992

Gainesville                 1998                                                   1998, 1997

Houston                     1998, 1992                    1998 (1 & 2), 1997, 1994

Indianapolis               1995, 1994, 1992

Las Vegas                  2006 (1)

Memphis                                                                      1998, 1995, 1992

Norwalk

Phoenix                      1993                                                   1993

Pomona                      1995                                1998, 1996, 1994, 1993

Reading                     1992                                                   1995

Richmond

Seattle                                                                                    1995, 1993

Sonoma                     1998, 1996

St. Louis

Topeka                     1995 (1 & 2), 1994 (2), 1992 (2)     1998

 

CRUZ PEDREGON CAREER STATISTICS

(prior to Feb. 1, 2007)

Championships: 1992 NHRA Nitro Funny Car Champion

Total Races
285

Wins
TOTAL:  27
FC - 23
TAD - 3
TAFC - 1

Final Rounds

TOTAL:  57
FC - 52
TAD - 3
TAFC – 2
 

No. 1 Qualifier

32

Round Win-Loss Record

327-236

Best Elapsed Time

4.680 sec. (Chicago 2, 2005)

Best Speed

330.80 mph (Chicago 2, 2005)

Top 5 In NHRA Professional Career Victories

1 - John Force, Yorba Linda, Calif                  122
2 - Don Prudhomme, R. Santa Fe, Calif.       35
3 - Tony Pedregon, Detroit, Michigan             32
4 - Kenny Bernstein, Lake Forest, Calif.         30
5 - Cruz Pedregon, Brownsburg, Ind.        23
 

NHRA National Event Win Streaks, Single Season

Cruz Pedregon is tied for 4th with 5 in the Nitro Funny Car division (1992)

First NHRA Start

Pomona 1, 1991 (Top Fuel)

First NHRA Victory

Houston, 1992

First No. 1 Qualifying Position

Atlanta, 1992

Career No. 1 Qualifying Awards

32