Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Pedregon, Force opt to part ways

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2003 | 10:20 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.

It's official: Tony Pedregon, the 2003 NHRA Funny car champion, is parting ways with John Force Racing.

Force confirmed this week that he has released Pedregon from his contract, which was to have run through the end of the year, so he could "pursue other options" for the 2004 season.

It has been rumored for months that Pedregon would end his eight-year relationship with John Force Racing and join his brother and fellow Funny car competitor, Cruz Pedregon. Force confirmed as much in his comments following Monday's NHRA awards banquet in Hollywood.

"I don't know exactly what (Tony is) doing but I know it's always been his dream to race with his brother Cruz and I know better than anyone else how important it is to follow your dream." Force said.

In eight seasons with John Force Racing, Tony Pedregon won 27 national events. He won eight times this season and ended Force's 10-year run as Funny Car champion -- but gave the team its 11th consecutive NHRA championship.

"Tony's been a great teammate," Force said. "We wish him the best -- except, of course, when he pulls alongside one of our Fords.

"I feel about Tony like he was one of my kids. We've had eight years together and I've seen him grow up. I have a lot of mixed emotions about seeing him go. I would have liked for him to stay and the door's still open for him but, at the same time, I'm proud that we were able to put him in a position, in a really tough economy, where he could go out and find his own deal."

Force said he has not yet decided who will replace Pedregon in the team's third Ford Mustang Funny Car.

"We haven't made any decisions yet," Force said. "We've talked to a lot of people but we really were not in a position to do anything until Tony's situation was settled. Now we can move forward."

Bernstein missed the final 15 races of the season as the result of a crash during first-round eliminations at Englishtown, N.J., in May. Before the accident, Bernstein won three national events and was the top qualifier at two. His father, drag-racing legend Kenny Bernstein, came out of retirement and filled in for the remainder of the season.

"We are thrilled to have been chosen as Rookie of the Year," Bernstein said. "It's been a real roller-coaster ride for us this season, with the highs of the victories early on and then the accident and the recovery process."

Bernstein is scheduled to return as driver of his father's dragster next season.

Highlights of the awards ceremony will be broadcast Nov. 23 at noon on ESPN2 (Cox Ch. 31).

Racing will be contested in three classes (Super Pro, Pro/Footbrake and Street/ Sport Compact Trophy) and the three-day event will pay $5,000 to the winner of the Super Pro category and $1,000 to the Pro Bracket winner each day.

Racing will begin at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday. Final eliminations begin at noon Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.