Cruz Pedregon Chasing First Sonoma Funny car Win Nearly 30 Years to get 2026 Season on Track

SONOMA, CA – July 16, 2026 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Two-time Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon has spent more than three decades competing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and will look for his first Sonoma Raceway victory in nearly 30 years at this weekend’s 38th annual DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge.

Pedregon, a Southern California native, pilots the 12,000-horsepower Snap-on Tools Dodge Hellcat SRT and the Funny Car veteran has many memories from the Northern California facility, including his two wins in 1996 and 1998.

“Sonoma is a home race for us, even though we’re from SoCal, we get great fan support up there and we’re definitely up for a win in front of the home crowd,” Pedregon said. “Like they say in real estate: location, location, location. I feel like Sonoma and all of Northern California has a great racing history going way back of not only racers but a lot of great race fans throughout that area. I’m in the twilight of my career, so it would mean a lot to punch it in again for a win.”

The DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge will feature a full weekend of action at the 11th of 20 events in 2026, as well as NHRA 75th anniversary items like:

• An appearance from legendary NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car world champion Gary Scelzi. Scelzi is one of only three drivers in NHRA history to claim world titles in both Top Fuel (1997, 1998, 2000) and Funny Car (2005). NHRA will honor Scelzi’s accomplishments at his home track in Sonoma.
• Brittany Force appears on the special commemorative ticket for the event following her incredible 343.16-mph run from a season ago.
• A new-look Nitro Mall, special displays and more.

The 2025 DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge featured wins by Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock). This year’s race will once again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 19.

As part of NHRA’s 75th anniversary season, Pedregon was added to the Top 75 Driver List, joining other active NHRA greats including Tony Schumacher, Ron Capps and Greg Anderson. Also added to the list was his brother, two-time Funny Car world champion and Fox lead analyst Tony Pedregon. The prestigious list recognizes drivers for their accomplishments on and off the track, as well as their impact on the NHRA throughout their careers.

“I’ve never really reflected much on my career, but being a part of the Top 75 Driver List definitely brought that to light and was really a great honor to be among that group without a doubt,” Pedregon said.

Pedregon is looking to this weekend’s event to rejuvenate his 2026 season as the series heads into the second half of the season.

If Pedregon wants to earn the win at the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge, he’ll need to get by all the big hitters in the Funny Car class. Three-time champ Ron Capps currently leads the points after picking up three wins so far in 2026, including most recently in Norwalk. Others to watch will be former champs Matt Hagan, J.R. Todd and Jack Beckman, as well as Funny Car newcomer Jordan Vandergriff and reigning champ Austin Prock, who won last year in Sonoma.

“Our plan is to reap the rewards from all the hard work we’ve put in so far this season,” Pedregon said. “All the runs that could have and should have been good runs. We feel we can show what we really have the second half (of the season).”

In the Top Fuel ranks, Shawn Langdon has dominated the season with four wins on the year. His teammate and reigning world champ Doug Kalitta won the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge last season over Antron Brown.

Last year’s Pro Stock final was a family affair, as Greg Stanfield defeated his son, Aaron, in the final round. A. Stanfield has two wins on the year in 2026, while reigning world champion Dallas Glenn currently leads the points with his KB Titan Racing teammate and six-time world champion Greg Anderson in second.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, a $25,000 prize on the line for the winner of the one-day GETTRX All-Star Callout on Saturday. Matt Smith is the defending Callout winner, while the eight-bike field this year includes Gaige Herrera, Richard Gadson, Smith, Angie Smith, John Hall, Jianna Evaristo, Chase Van Sant and Steve Johnson.

The event also features thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the popular Top the Cops exhibition race.

Sonoma race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and the SealMaster Track Walk. After racing finishes on Sunday, fans are invited to congratulate and celebrate with event winners. Fans always get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet and can visit Manufacturers Midway, featuring displays, merchandise, food and fun.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:55 and 6:55 p.m. PT on Friday, July 17, and the final two rounds on Saturday, July 18 at 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 19.

The first round of the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout takes place at 11:15 a.m. PT on Saturday, with the semifinals at 1:30 p.m. and the finals at 3:40 p.m. Television coverage of the Callout begins at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.

Television coverage includes the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FS1. Elimination coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET on FS1 on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, fans can visit www.sonomaraceway.com or call 800-870-7223. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.

About DENSO and PowerEdge

Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a $47.9 billion leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 180 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company’s 158,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 8.6 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. For more information about DENSO’s operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en/.

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ team members across nearly 50 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, DENSO in North America generated $12.5 billion in consolidated sales. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region and explore career opportunities, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/.

PowerEdge® is a value-driven line of high quality and durable aftermarket products, designed to deliver performance, and reliability. Backed by the sales, service, and logistics support of DENSO Products and Services Americas, Inc.—DENSO’s North American aftermarket headquarters in Long Beach, California—PowerEdge brings trusted quality at a competitive price. For more information, visit https://www.poweredgeproducts.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by Elite Motorsports and NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™ at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: National Hot Rod Association 

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