Cruz Pedregon Tests For NHRA

November 5, 2009 1:31 p.m. EST

Las Vegas (AHN) - Driver Cruz Pedregon teamed with the NHRA for a series of test runs at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this week. The NHRA's Competition and Technical Departments were looking for new combinations designed to reduce power in the NHRA's nitromethane categories.

The NHRA and Pedregon's team tried a single magneto, one less clutch disc and a smaller fuel pump. Currently, nitromethane vehicles have two magnetos in their engine set-ups. NHRA's Dan Olson, Pedregon and crew chief Rahn Tobler worked together on tune-up changes and strategies between each run, but further testing will continue in the weeks and months ahead. "I was very encouraged by the test," Pedregon said. "We obtained some good data that will give us a great starting point for further tests. We were pleased that NHRA allowed us to participate and Dan Olson, Rahn and the entire team worked hard to yield some great results." It was solely a testing and research project. There are also places for the NHRA to work with driver Tim Wilkerson and his team on combinations tested earlier in this season, which included decreasing displacement, use of a smaller capacity fuel pump, decrease in percentage overdrive in the blower, a change on the rear-end gear ratios, and the use of 90 percent nitromethane.