BYE-BYE, FORCE. BYE-BYE HAPPINESS?

By Susan Wade
Photos by Ron Lewis
11/12/03

Tony Pedregon is out of Force Racing

OMONA, Calif. -- Several years ago, Tony Pedregon rented a tuxedo for the NHRA awards ceremony but didn't take a good look at it until he was getting dressed for the formal affair. The shirt had quite a few miles on its collar, but Pedregon wasn't able to return it to the inexcusably inefficient rental shop for a fresh one.

He isn't exactly off eight-year boss and mentor John Force like a dirty shirt. However, when he walked away from his Castrol Syntec Ford Mustang Funny Car deal Monday night (Nov. 10) at the height of his championship reign, he was trading in an ideal situation for the pleasure of free agency or freedom to run his own show. And it will be without John Medlen, his longtime crew chief, who tuned him to 27 victories, including a career-best eight this season.

So Pedregon was all dressed up at the Hollywood soiree the night after the final race of the year with someplace to go. It appears that will be with brother Cruz, who owns the Advance Auto Parts/Pedregon Racing team. And word is that Tony Pedregon's new sponsor will be Castrol competitor Quaker State.

Cruz Pedregon has said he'll announce the expansion of his two-car team at the Dec. 4-6 Performance Racing Industry Show in Indianapolis but has been mum about the driver and sponsor. However, Quaker State has scheduled a press conference at the event for Dec. 4.

Tony defeated Cruz in the first round of competition at the World Finals. Next year the two may be sporting the same sponsor on their cars.

Whatever Force might think privately, he has been extremely gracious to Pedregon publicly. He said during eliminations, "I saw Tony Pedregon in his NHRA POWERade championship jacket, and he looked beautiful. I'm proud of that kid."

Added Force, who released Pedregon at midnight Nov. 10 from his contract that was to have run through Dec. 31, "Tony's been a great teammate. We wish him the best except, of course, when he pulls alongside one of our Fords. I don't know exactly what he's 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."

This time Force, the 12-time champion who had won the last 10 titles, reacted differently to the interruption in his streak than he did when Cruz Pedregon won it in 1992. After all, Force shares POWERade's $400,000 championship payout with Pedregon, and he has invested money, energy, knowledge and faith in the 1996 winner of the first Auto Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award.

He said Tony Pedregon would be welcome back at Force Racing.