Every team that heads to Phoenix for pre season NHRA testing does it because they want to come out of the gate swinging in Pomona. Perhaps no one at the session was more motivated to perform well and build momentum than Cruz Pedregon. His Snap-On racing Camry did not have the season he would have liked last year. Yes, he made the all-time drag racing highlight reel with the most epic wheel stand in history at Las Vegas but he was not in contention for a championship at the end of the season. This is not where he wanted to be or where he plans to be in 2017.
During the off season Pedregon added Aaron Brooks to his team as the Crew Chief and by doing this took some of the crushing load off of his shoulder. Remember, Pedregon is a one man team and he runs an efficient operation so adding Brooks is a way for him to really dial in as a team owner. He’ll still be working closely with Brooks and will remain very much involved in the operation of the car.
We’re expecting big things from Cruz and the crew this year. The amount of commitment involved with being a crew member and racer on one of these cars is insane when times are going good. When times are not going so great the mettle of everyone is tested from the top down. Those are the times that galvanize team and give them the strength to really succeed when the performance of the car evolves and turns the corner. These guys are due!
