The CANIDAE Extended Racing Family

Fitzpatrick Racing | Steve Millard | Mike & Opee | Fischle Racing | Brian Collins | Cruz Pedregon

Cruz Pedregon

Driver Profile

Age: 47
Hometown: Brownsburg, Indiana
Job Title/Description: Owner/Driver
Marital Status: Single
Nickname: The Cruzer
Hobbies: Dirt Track Racing & NFL Football
Little Known Fact: Heavy Equipment Operator & Animal Lover
Childhood Hero: Muhammad Ali & Richard Pryor
Ideal Vacation: The Amazon
Favorites
Music: Classic Rock & 70's Music
Movie: Goodfella's, Jaws & Escape from Alcatraz
Food: Cheese Enchiladas
Quote: "Live right, Fear not"

Career Highlights

2010: Raced to wins at Charlotte 2 and Reading; Posted a No. 1 qualifier in Charlotte 2

2009: Post semifinal appearances at Las Vegas 1, St. Louis, Chicago and Charlotte, Earned two No. 1 qualifiers (Houston, Charlotte)

2008: Earned his second career NHRA Full Throttle Series world championship title (1992) when his brother Tony Pedregon defeated the only other driver left in contention at the year's final race; Mounted an incredible charge in the playoffs, winning three of four final-round appearances, including the final three events of the season; Won $100,000 NHRA Showdown in Indianapolis

2007: Had a better than .500 record on Sunday with 18 wins, 16 losses; Earned No. 1 qualifier at Houston; his first No. 1 since 2005; Advanced to three final rounds for second straight season; Advanced to quarters, semis and final round at three of the last four races

2006: Earned his first win in six years dating back to Englishtown 2000;Qualified for 21 of 23 events; Advanced to three final rounds, most since 2004 season. Career Wins: 27 Career Best Elapsed Time: 4.680 seconds Career Best Speed: 330.80 mph

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

1991: Raced part-time in Top Fuel competition

1990: Moved to Alcohol Funny Car competition; Won a career-best six races

1987: Started his NHRA career in Alcohol Dragster

Notable: Won first drag race in 1980 behind wheel of a 1953 Kenworth truck; Raced go-karts in 1986 and was track champion at Ventura (Calif.) Raceway; Brothers Tony and Frank also compete in NHRA Funny Car category Father, Frank, raced Top Fuel dragsters in 1960s Fluent in Spanish, Cruz enjoys working with Hispanic media Enjoys doing charitable work with children Avid NFL fan, especially of Oakland Raiders. Also enjoys listening to sports talk radio.