Obstacles block Pedregon’s quest for NHRA title

The championship battle for the Funny Car championship is the closest in many years, and the only independent racer in the top five is worried.

Cruz Pedregon is ranked fourth entering today's championship eliminations in the NHRA Big O Tires Nationals, which begin at 11 a.m. at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and he knows others in the top five are teammates.

He's not just concerned about Don Schumacher Racing's Jack Beckman and Matt Hagan, who entered this weekend's event first and second in points with 2,362 and 2,357, respectively, or John Force Racing's Mike Neff (third, 2,340) and Robert Hight (fifth, 2,304) doing anything other than try to win.

A lot will be at stake today and in two weeks at the season finale in Pomona, Calif. The Funny Car champion earns a $500,000 bonus and a prestigious title.

The driver Pedregon was worried about before today is John Force, the winningest driver in Funny Car history, who won his 15th championship a year ago.

Pedregon remembers 2009 in the final race that determined which 10 drivers made it into the six-event NHRA Countdown for the Championship playoff. He said he thinks Force, who was locked into the field, intentionally lost to teammate Hight to put Hight in the playoffs and knock Pedregon out of them.

Pedregon's brother Tony, who won a championship driving for Force in 2003, went toe-to-toe with Force in a heated exchange that day. The NHRA later fined Force for pushing an official trying to separate the two.

Cruz Pedregon's concern this weekend was that Force, ninth in points, would be tempted to intentionally lose should he face Neff or Hight.

"As time has gone on, teams have been criticized for possibly doing that, and it's nothing they're proud of," Pedregon said. "I just hope people behave themselves."

He won't have to worry much about any funny business today. When the 16-car elimination ladder was set from qualifying results, the earliest Force could face Hight or Neff would be in the championship round.

It would seem Pedregon, who entered the weekend with 2,314 points, should have other things to worry about, but he faces somewhat of an uphill battle when he arrives at the track.

He's outgunned in money and manpower when he goes against Schumacher's four-car Funny Car organization that includes three Top Fuel dragsters and Force's Funny Car triumvirate that has won 17 of the past 21 championships.

"The multicar teams look good from the outside," said Pedregon, who owns 29 Funny Car titles, including one this year, and championships in 1992 and 2008. "We don't have as many personalities to bridge together as the big teams do. But don't get me wrong, we'd love to have their budgets, trust me."

In the past two years, Pedregon has taken a much more hands-on role with the team, from sponsorship marketing to tuning the racecar.

"I have made all the final decisions for two years," he said.

Moments after a qualifying run Saturday, he reviewed computer information for the pass, discussed plans with the crew, spent time with guests in his hospitality tent and signed autographs while being interviewed.

His only quiet time, it seems, is when he's belted in the cockpit before his 8,000-horsepower engine is brought to life.

Pedregon against Force is one of the most anticipated matchups, and it can happen again today if each wins his first two races.

If Pedregon needs any added motivation should he face his nemesis, his mind might briefly flash back to 2009.

Jeff Wolf is a freelance reporter. He can be reached at (702) 406-8165 or nitrorodeo.com.