Father Against Daughter, Brother Against Brother Made The U.S. Smokeless Showdown Even Better

Cruz Pedregon’s Toyota proved to be the class of what appears to be the last U.S. Smokeless Showdown field. (All Photos by Jon Asher)

The winner’s trophy for the Showdown was exceptionally nice.  That champagne looks good, too!

Why is it that
some races are harder to win than others? There doesn’t seem to be
any logical explanation, but it’s nevertheless fact. Winning Indy,
the U.S. Nationals, may be the toughest one of all, however the Skoal
Showdown is a close second. It’s just doesn’t seem reasonable,
yet winning reduces drivers to tears and that’s certainly not the
result of winning $100,000, although that’s definitely a hefty pay
day.

Cruz Pedregon made
it to the finals of what used to be the Big Bud Shootout and now,
for the last time, the Skoal Showdown, four times in the past and
lost every time.

When he triumphed
at O’Reilly Raceway Park on Sunday afternoon he appeared to be
pretty much in control of his emotions, but as he spoke to ESPN
commentator Garry Gerould his voice cracked and tears appeared in his
eyes.

CRUZ PEDREGON WINS U.S. SMOKELESS SHOWDOWN, TOP FUEL FIELD SET

Larry Dixon, Tony Pedregon, Allen Johnson, Matt Smith qualify No. 1

Cruz
Pedregon capped a momentous Sunday at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals by
defeating Tim Wilkerson to win the U.S. Smokeless Showdown, the annual
bonus race for Funny Cars, and the $100,000 first prize that comes with
the title.

“I tried not to think about the money,” said Pedregon, a former
POWERade Series and three-time Mac Tools U.S. Nationals champion who
won the bonus race for the first time in his career, powering the
Advance Auto Parts Toyota Solara past Wilkerson's Levi, Ray & Shoup
Chevy Impala, 4.184 to 4.280. “I’m still kind of in shock (but) I’m
going to enjoy this one.”

Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion gunning for Top Fuel ride ...

Matt Smith learned a valuable lesson from former Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Antron Brown.

He learned a bike rider can become a Top Fuel contender and the second-generation drag racer from King, N.C. wants some of that action.

Smith hopes to join the freshman Top Fuel driver as another two-wheeled
rider making the jump to a 300-mile per hour Top Fuel dragster.

The defending NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion is the first of
the names bantered around as a possible Top Fuel driver on Alan
Johnson’s Al-Anabi Motorsports operation.

Will the Breakup Of The Strongest Team In Top Fuel Mean The End Of The Army’s Dominance?

Not all of the action here at the NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals has
taken place on the track.  Far from it, in fact.  Back in the

Don Schumacher may be smiling on the outside, but he can’t be happy on
the inside, knowing the key to four championships is leaving his employ.

pits
there was chaos as the rumor mill went into overdrive with talk of Alan
Johnson’s departure from Don Schumacher Racing.  When the rumors became
fact, and both Schumacher and Johnson confirmed that he would indeed be
leaving at the end of the season for what appears to be an amazing
personal opportunity, drag racing’s “silly season” officially began.
 
Johnson’s departure from DSR will have wide-ranging implications for a
broad spectrum of fuel racers, because he’s leaving to put together his
own two-car team with a Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car.  Considering that this
is going to be an extremely well-funded operation, Johnson is going to
need drivers, mechanics, helpers and who knows what else.  The pits are
already abuzz with talk of who might end up where next year, and while
we won’t be able to provide solid answers to a lot of those questions,
the whole scenario is extremely interesting.

Pro Modified driver Steve Engel, of Shandon, Ohio, entered surgery
Sunday morning for injuries he sustained after his car went out of
control and crashed Saturday at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in
Indianapolis.
   
According to his family, Engel has fractures in six cervical vertebrae and damage to his spinal cord.

Rickie Jones might be a rookie Pro Stock driver but he’s already to express the appreciation generally

Rickie Jones knows early in his career that the fans are the most important asset of the sport.

reserved for a veteran in the twilight of their career.

All the Quartermax-sponsored driver has to do is qualify for the NHRA
U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis and he’s going to give a prime example.

“If we qualify,” Jones said. “If we happen to stay in after Q5, I am
going to get out of the car and on the way back on the return road,
stop and I am going to shake everybody's hand along the fence from the
finish line to the starting line.”

Pat Dakin will tell you that a lot may change in Top Fuel technology, but a driver doesn’t forget how to

Pat Dakin hasn't raced Indy since 1998. His first Top Fuel experience was in 1971.

drive.

“You certainly don’t forget what you’re doing because it all comes back to you quickly,” Dakin said.

Dakin made his Indy Top Fuel driving debut back in 1971 and last appeared at this event in 1998. He's a particpant in the NHRA U.S. Nationals this season.

“Racing quit me I didn’t it,” Dakin admitted.

Larry Dixon breathed a sigh of relief as he took over the top
qualifying position in Top Fuel at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in
Indianapolis.

Larry Dixon's top run in Saturday's Indy qualifying was the end-result of perserverence from his tuners.

Dixon’s 3.841 elapsed time at 307.23 pushed down Friday’s top effort turned in by Cory McClenathan.

Ever since the NHRA shortened the length of the drag strip for nitro
cars, Dixon and the United States Smokeless team have struggled to
regain their consistency. The change in distance coupled with the new
Goodyear D2550 tire did not work into their favor.

COUNTDOWN SPOTLIGHT SHINES BRIGHTEST ON STANFIELD, STOFFER

Larry Dixon, Tony Pedregon, Allen Johnson, Hector Arana qualify No. 1

Heading
into Sunday’s final day of qualifying at the 54th annual Mac Tools U.S.
Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, the hottest seats
in the house will be under Greg Stanfield and Karen Stoffer.

Larry Dixon (Top Fuel), Tony Pedregon (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro
Stock) and Hector Arana (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed the provisional
No. 1 qualifying positions at the 18th and final regular season race of
the NHRA POWERade Series season, but the focus on Sunday’s final two
rounds of qualifying will be on the drivers hanging on to the final
playoff berths in Pro Stock (Stanfield) and Pro Stock Motorcycle
(Stoffer).

For the fifth straight year, a
Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod claimed the $25,000 top prize in
the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle as Eddie Krawiec earned his first
victory in NHRA competition with a final-round victory against his
Vance & Hines teammate Andrew Hines, who fouled.

"Two years ago, I was an unknown and [team owners] Terry Vance
and Byron Hines took a chance on me," said Krawiec. "They've made me
feel like family, and I'm so glad that I was finally able to pay them
back with a victory. This is huge for our team. Harley-Davidson is
celebrating its 105th anniversary this weekend, so this couldn't have
come at a better time.

"I know that I still haven't won a national event, but I'm not
disappointed," Krawiec continued. "I'm good friends with [fellow rider]
Reggie Showers, and he's been a big inspiration to me. He had never won
a race, and then a few years ago, he came here to Indy and won this
[Ringers Battle] and then won the U.S. Nationals on Monday. If I can do
that, I'll be really happy. I'm getting married at the end of November,
and my fiancée really likes to shop, so this money will really come in
handy."