As the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd approach, two-time Funny Car World Champion Cruz Pedregon is ready. With only two races remaining before the Countdown to the Championship, Pedregon and his team are focused on securing a strong performance.
“What’s unique about this time of the season for us is really making that charge for the end of the year with the Countdown to the Championship coming up in two races,” said Pedregon. “So, it’s important for us to get off to a good start in Brainerd, make some great runs, and win the race. That’s our goal, to get the first win of the year.”
“We match raced last week at Night Under Fire in Norwalk, where we ran our backup car to make sure it’s working properly. We made some strong runs and liked it so much we’re going to run it in Brainerd.”
Pedregon is very much focused on the Countdown to the Championship.
“There are just eight races left on the circuit, including the two left to lock into the Countdown,” he added. “We feel good about that, but we need to get it going in Brainerd, so this race is going to be an important one for our team. I remember back in the early ‘90s, we went on a run that started at Brainerd. We wound up winning five in a row from that point on and ended up winning the Championship.”
Lastly, the drag racing veteran has many found memories of Brainerd International Raceway.
“The personal memories there of winning Brainerd and propelling us to the championship remind me of the tough task ahead of us,” said Pedregon. “There are a lot of great cars right now, and everybody’s starting to get their performance together, just as we are. We’re really trying to get that first win of the year.”
“Brainerd is a unique track in a beautiful area. There’s a lot of camping there, and I think it probably has the most camping by fans of any track on the circuit. There are several acres where there’s nothing but campgrounds, and they call it ‘the zoo.’ The fans and campers have a good time at Brainerd and come from Canada and all different parts of the U.S. We’re really looking forward to it.”
Cruz’s primary sponsor, Snap-on, proudly showcases its tribute paint scheme on his Funny Car, recognizing the skilled men and women known as Makers and Fixers. These professionals, who work with their hands in essential industries, keep everything moving, from tuning up classic cars to handling any other hands-on jobs. Snap-on encourages these professionals to follow Makers and Fixers on Instagram and share their inspiring stories at makersandfixers.com.
To see the latest Cruz news, like his Facebook page, on X, and Instagram.
This story was originally published on August 13, 2024. 
