Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Pedregon in hot pursuit of his boss

Friday, Oct. 25, 2002 | 9:39 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

With two races remaining in the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series, Tony Pedregon trails his boss and teammate, John Force, by 13 points in the Funny Car standings.

Despite the fact that Force signs Pedregon's paychecks, Pedregon said he isn't concerned about the issue of Formula One-style "team orders" coming down in the final two races to assure that Force will win his 10th consecutive NHRA Funny Car championship and 12th overall.

"I'm not laying down for anybody," Pedregon said Thursday as he prepared for this weekend's ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "We're in a situation where we have great TV coverage with ESPN, you've got Powerade coming into the sport (as the series sponsor) and what we don't want to do is anything to diminish the quality of racing.

"The question becomes is that (team orders) going to be a factor? I think at this stage it is not an issue -- it can't be. Everyone is watching us."

Force has gone on record saying he would not ask Pedregon to "take a dive" in the final two races of the season and Pedregon believes him.

"John's an honest person," said Pedregon, in his seventh season driving for Force. "I've gotten to know him in all these years and he has kept his word about everything that he said he would do. I know that his biggest concern is what people think and I don't think that's the way he'd want to win a championship."

Besides, Pedregon figures, it's about time for Force to spread the wealth.

"John has won 11 championships," Pedregon said. "I know he wants ten in a row but I just want one for now. I really feel that we're going to go down to the last race and it'll be determined in Pomona, but we're going to set the pace here in Las Vegas.

"The fact of the matter is we have an opportunity coming into this weekend to leave here with the points lead. I'd much rather be ahead of (Force) going into the last race. We might not even have to race each other in these next two race (but) if we do, I hope I beat him."

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Angelle Savoie enjoys the most comfortable lead in the points with a 173-point edge over Craig Treble. Larry Dixon leads Kenny Bernstein by 108 points in Top Fuel, Jeg Coughlin Jr. holds a 108-point advantage over Jim Yates in Pro Stock and Force holds a 13-point edge over Pedregon in Funny Car.

Savoie, Dixon, Coughlin and Force could clinch their respective titles by leaving Las Vegas with at least a 139-point lead over their closest pursuer.

"Unbelievable," Capps said of his flight with Major Douglas Larson. "My Funny Car and these F-16s are a lot alike in that the safety equipment and the routine you go through are very similar. (Larson) got us up to six Gs on the runway and once we were off the ground he went ballistic and we went vertical.

"We flew out over Death Valley and did some 7.5 G turns. (Larson) and I decided we didn't want to come back in until I got my 9G pin. He took a hard left turn and talked me through it so I knew when it was coming. We pulled 9.2 Gs and I was on the verge of passing out."

Jeff Jefferson is slated to make his Winston Cup debut in the Pontiac, which will be sponsored by Xtreme Motorsports.

The team, co-owned by Rudy Rodriguez and Mike Vazquez, entered two previous Winston Cup races this season with David Green as its driver. Guerrero is the first Hispanic to drive for the team.

"I am disappointed to hear that Tomas may have signed with another IRL team," Cheever said in a prepared statement. "Tomas drove for us in 2002 on assignment from TWR Group, which currently holds his contract. TWR Group has recently exercised its option, pursuant to their agreement with Tomas, to retain his services as a driver in 2003.

"In response to this recent announcement, TWR is consulting their legal advisors and intends to pursue all remedies available to them."