TOYO TIRES TO SPONSOR PEDREGON FUNNY CAR

Toyo Tires® has signed as the primary sponsor of Frank Pedregon and his Dodge Stratus Funny Car for the U.S. Nationals and the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals. Pedregon’s Funny Car features black paint with a brilliant yellow lightning bolt emblazoned with “Toyo Tires” along its side.

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According to Pedregon, “This is huge for drag racing to have a major tire company involved with the sport. This is huge for me. 2005 is my first year as a car owner, and I am excited to be involved with Toyo Tires.”

The next stop for Pedregon’s Dodge Stratus is the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals Sept. 15-18 at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading. The Maple Grove event represents the first time Toyo is title sponsor for a major NHRA race weekend. With Toyo's expansion from the Sports Compact Series into the POWERade Series, could that mean that Goodyear will no longer have exclusive rights to Top Fuelers and Funny Cars? The Agent bets there are some serious discussions going on. We sent our Indy photographer over yesterday to take a shot of the car, but it hadn't been painted yet. [9-2-2005]

WILL IT BE ANOTHER PRO MOD UPSET AT INDY?

Over the last four years of the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge during the U.S. Nationals, the favorite has been upset. Other than Shannon Jenkins' win in 2002, the winners have not been the leading contenders prior to the event. Ronnie Hood won in 2001, Rickie Smith in 2003, and Jim Halsey last year.

This year defending AMS/TLR Cup champion Mike Ashley and three-time event winner Joshua Hernandez (above) are the favorites. Between them, they have won eight of the 11 Pro Mod Challenge events this season. In addition, Ashley can clinch the Cup title. With just three events (including Indy) to go, Ashley leads Hernandez by 976 points.

The Pro Mod Challenge structure has been changed somewhat due to the extra day of racing at the U.S. Nationals. They will get a single qualifying fun on Friday, two runs on Saturday, and a final qualifying shot on Sunday afternoon. The first round of the 16-car eliminations will run Sunday evening, with the survivors coming back to race in Monday's quarterfinals. (Steve Embling photo) [9-2-2005]

POINTS NORTH

Goodguys VRA Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car owner/driver Dan Horan has had his VRA points from the August Pomona event reinstated. The Goodguys Tech Department had found the front overhang on the nose of Horan's '66 Mustang to exceed 40 inches, however, that measurement was determined after the first round of qualifying had been completed. After the event Horan's flopper front end was shortened to fit within the rules and now retains a 39-inch overhang. The team is on its way to the Northwest Nostalgia Drags in Seattle, from where we will have coverage next week. A tip of the Agent's fedora to Goodguys for doing the right thing. (Darr Hawthorne photo) [9-2-2005]