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FOURTH FUNNY CAR INSTEAD OF DRAGSTER
FOR FORCE?
He didn't say when, but John Force said at Tucson the
idea of a dragster for his team is out of the picture and a fourth Funny
Car is back in the foreground of talks.
And two names he mentioned were of those who maybe have
aggravated him more than any other competitors: Whit Bazemore and Cruz
Pedregon.
He admitted talking some business with Bazemore, who had
a phenomenal 2001 season that included setting the national Funny Car
speed record (325.45), winning the U.S. Nationals and two other races
and finishing second in NHRA Winston points. As for Pedregon, who interrupted
his string of titles in 1992, Force said, "Cruz can drive a race car.
There's a guy I would consider bringing over here. I'm going to build
me a fleet."
It helps to include the keenest competition. "Whit will
be the toughest," he predicted. "(The class) is going to be a tough
son-of-a-bitch this year."
He said Ford's focus drew him back to the notion of a
fourth Funny Car. "Ford says we've got to put all the cars out there.
It ain't about winning. It's about exposure, about keeping the name
out there."
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