Pedregon wraps up Funny Car crown

Monday, Oct. 27, 2003 | 10:15 a.m.

For the past decade, the irrepressible John Force has proven to be an immovable object when it comes to the NHRA Funny Car championship.

Force, who won 10 consecutive NHRA championships from 1993 to 2002 as a driver, added another to his collection on Sunday -- this time, as a car owner.

Tony Pedregon outran Whit Bazemore in a classic final showdown Sunday in the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and clinched the 2003 NHRA Funny Car championship in the Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang that Force owns.

Pedregon and his older brother, Cruz, are the only drivers other than Force to hold the Funny Car crown since 1990.

"That was a Las Vegas finish right there," Pedregon said of his 5.135-second run at 273.39 mph that eliminated Bazemore (5.183 at 266.64) from the seesaw title chase. "It kind of reminded me of Cruz's race with John in '92 when it went down to the second-to-last race of the year and John was still trying to catch him ... because of all the drama, all the build-up.

"I'm just happy to get it over with, I'm happy for John -- I'm even happy for Force, that we broke his string of wins.

Based on the smile on his face when Pedregon triggered the win light at the end of his run, Force seemed content that at least the championship would remain in his racing family.

"He understands," Pedregon said of his boss. "I think he is truly, in his heart, happy and he understands that it was won by John Force Racing.

"It was because of the strength of something that he built that we were able to win this championship."

Pedregon, who has finished second to Force in the championship four times since 1996, wrapped up the championship with his eighth victory of the season and 27th of his career.

Pedregon wasn't the only winner Sunday in a race that ended under the lights at The Strip. Drag-racing legend Kenny Bernstein earned his third Top Fuel victory in the past four races after Tony Schumacher broke at half-track in the final.

Greg Anderson, who clinched the 2003 Pro Stock championship two weeks ago for team owner Ken Black of Las Vegas, tied a class record with his 11th Pro Stock victory of the season and Craig Treble picked up his first Pro Stock Bike victory of the season by edging Angelle Savoie in the final.

Pro Stock Bike points leader Geno Scali was eliminated in the second round of eliminations and lost the opportunity to clinch the season championship in Las Vegas. Scali holds a 117-point lead over Savoie going into the season finale in two weeks in Pomona, Calif.

Anderson joined Pedregon in sweeping the two nationals events this season in Las Vegas by edging Kurt Johnson in the Pro Stock final. Anderson ran a 6.837 at 201.73 to Johnson's 6.878 at 200.56 and matched Darrell Alderman's 12-year-old record for most wins in the Pro Stock category.

"We've had so many great stories to tell this year and it just seems to keep getting better and better for me," Anderson said. "Winning (the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis), setting the (Pro Stock national elapsed time and speed records) at Englishtown, eleven wins ... but to win at Las Vegas is so special.

"I owe so much to the Ken Black family ... I just can't think of a better way to repay the Black family and the Vegas General Construction employees than to sweep the doggone season at Vegas. That's absolutely the best."

Bernstein said his recent success in the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster hasn't changed his mind about going back into retirement at the end of the season. Bernstein, 59, came out of retirement in May when his son, Brandon, was injured during a race in Englishtown, N.J.

"These wins have not changed my feelings of what I felt once I got back in the seat after a few races," Bernstein said. "It wasn't quite as important (to drive again) as I thought it was when I was standing out there in February and March on the starting line.

"I'm anxious for Brandon to get back in the car. It's fun to race, I love driving the Budweiser King car and I love competing ... but I'm comfortable with (retirement)."

Treble, who was riding a Suzuki that Matt Hines rode last season, earned his first Pro Stock Bike race of the season with a 7.178-second pass at 185.33 mph against Savoie's 7.230 at 188.78.

"Those Vance and Hines (Racing) guys are awesome -- I can't say enough about them," Treble said. "Matt lends me his bike and it turns out I have to race both of their bikes (Andrew Hines and GT Tonglet on Harley-Davidsons) today.

"I was worried about those Harley's because you don't know what to expect coming to a high-elevation track -- they're strong at the high-elevation tracks. But this bike was fast."