NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Even for a super veteran like Cruz Pedregon, whose Pro-driving career has reached 712 events and, before that, scores of events in the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, the wonder of coming to a new dragstrip still wows him.

Maryland International Raceway is new on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour this year, but certainly not new in Pedregon’s mind, back to the days when the track was known as “Budds Creek” for the nearby town, when Funny Cars like the "Chi-Town Hustler" and "Jungle Jim" Liberman prowled the East Coast match race trail, and Pedregon was just a kid growing up in California, soaking it all in through magazines.

“I've gone to all these racetracks over the years, but when I got out here I was thinking, ‘Man, this is Budds Creek.’ “ he shared. “I watched it over the years and more recently in the alcohol cars [on the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series], and our friend John Fink, who runs with Jackie Fricke.

“For a guy like me who’s been doing it for 30-some years to come out to these new venues — down in South Georgia earlier this month, and looking forward to Michigan and Rockingham — to come to some of these new events and meet new fans, it’s just great. I walked out of the pit area, and I met some fans, and it’s refreshing to have fans come here from hours away; it means a lot to us.

“I want to thank the NHRA first of all for having the guts and the fortitude and the understanding that companies need different markets. We lost some great tracks through the years — Commerce, [Ga.], Bandimere [Speedway, Denver], [Englishtown] New Jersey, one of my favorite tracks — so, for the NHRA to fly in during the off-season and visit these facilities, meet with the owners, and put on events where fans have never seen our show, is really commendable to everyone involved. NHRA has reached out and carved out some new markets; Snap-On, my sponsor, has a good presence here in the Northeast.

“Believe it or not, I walked the track [Thursday], and I'm looking for reasons not to like this place. I'm walking, and said, ‘Oh, the transition [from concrete launch pad to asphalt] is 300 feet, and, believe me, I'm looking to be critical, but I'm going, ‘Damn, this track's pretty good to me. Other than it's a little tiny bump at the transition, they know their stuff here.’ “

Even in his 37th season in the pro ranks, Pedregon remains emotional about his career, especially his recent inclusion, alongside brother Tony, in the list of NHRA’s Top 75 Drivers during this 75th Anniversary season.

“Oh man, it means a lot to me,” he said. “I can't put it into words that we were chosen the Top 75, and I gotta be honest with you, the fact that my brother Tony was right alongside me, man, it meant a lot to me. In the [NHRA Top 75 Drivers] book, we’re right there [alphabetically in the book] next to Don Prudhomme, ‘the Snake, ‘ who was one of my heroes, and Danny Ongais. Man, you want to talk about an emotional moment? When I saw that, I thought, okay, then I guess we had a pretty good career.

“But hey, I'm not done yet, you know? I've got some fight left in me, I'm 60-something going on 40-something, and I feel good. People are trying to send me out down the pasture, but they're a little bit premature in that. I'm going to be like [boxer] ‘Sugar Ray’ Leonard: I'm retired, but not quite yet.”