NHRA: Under pressure, Pedregon earns his money

Cruz Pedregon had prepared himself for this moment. Had told himself everything would be all right, that he would be relaxed, that the first round of the 44th Auto Club Finals in Pomona would be just another race.

That’s what he kept telling himself, lying with every word.

Money time.

He was going up against journeyman Jerry Toliver. It would be OK.

Keep calm and stay focused. It was no different from 500 other runs in his career.

Then he tried to strap himself into his 8,000 horsepower Toyota Funny Car and it took hold.

The pressure that he said he would avoid? His body was imploding.

Money time.

Pedregon had crossed over into Ron Capps’ world, had discovered what it was like to be stuffed into a fishbowl and squeezed with a million dreams.

NHRA: Hight looks like a championship force

Robert Hight looks like he should be wearing a brown shirt and shorts and delivering my  packages from HSN. Parcel delivery. Short. Solid. Fit. And maybe that’s appropriate because in Hight’s day job, he delivers the mail for John Force Racing.

He drives a Funny Car 330 mph. For the last couple of years, he has just missed winning an NHRA Powerade Drag Racing championship.

“He’s got everything that it takes, not just to win a championship, but to win 10,” said Force, who has won 14 and knows a little something about what it takes. “I see so much of him in me. Ashley (Force) is still learning the ropes, but Robert is ready right now.”

Though nitro racing may be a crew chief’s sport — and Jimmy Prock is no lightweight — Hight has all the tools to saddle the horsepower and ride the lead car in Force’s Pony Express.

NHRA: With moment gone, is success Capped?

You never know when your moment has passed forever. There’s always tomorrow. At least, that’s the hope.

For Ron Capps, tomorrow has not yet come.

The best NHRA funny car driver to not win a championship suffered through a Powerade Drag Racing season that was about as successful as John Edwards’ campaign, but without the revelations of adultery.

So, at least he has that going for him.

NHRA: Pedregon on fire and in Cruz control

Back in Feburary when the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing season began, Tony Pedregon made like illusionist David Copperfield and turned himself into a spectacular ball of fire.

Burned hands, burned eyebrows, burned up. But the most surprising thing about the defining image of the season-opening Winternationals was that the fireball was Tony and not his older brother, Cruz.

For the sons of Flamin’ Frank Pedregon, maybe such images are hereditary.

A full season later, it’s Cruz who is smokin’.

NHRA: For Schumacher & Army, the title fits

Tony Schumacher led the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series Top Fuel championship from wire-to- wire, an impeachable season of excellence that nearly defies description or explanation.

In a race series in which the sanctioning body created a “playoff” to ensure no one ran away with the championship, Schumacher ran away with the championship.

Clinching the title for the U.S. Army Racing team after qualifying of the penultimate race in Las Vegas, Schumacher has been a great champion.

One of racing’s greatest champions.

Has the Army ever had a more representative marketing agent this side of G.I. Joe?

NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek didn’t exactly inspire the image of General Patton. Mark Martin fits the mold, if not the height requirement. Aric Almirola looks good, but doesn’t have five consecutive world championships.

Going into final eliminations at Las Vegas, Schumacher had won 14 of 22 events. His final qualifying lap at The Strip was the fastest all-time to 1,000 feet. That’s called an exclamation point.

NHRA: Capps a force as drag racing ambassador

He has the looks of a movie star from the 1940s, when a charming smile and an imperfect hairline were acceptable to the masses.

Ron Capps would be at home in the Golden Age of Television or the Golden Globes of 2008.

See, Ron Capps gets it. With his easygoing, affable manner he is usually the most likable person in the room, unless the room is Whit Bazemore’s den.

The best compliment Capps can be paid is that he would be at home with the legends of racing.

A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Dan Gurney, they were willing to drive anything anywhere. They weren’t specialists, like so many drivers today. They were racecar drivers. Strap ’em in and get outta their way.

Capps is not of that caliber. Those guys are legends. But Capps comes from the same mold, different material. So do guys like Robby Gordon and Max Papis.

In the straight line world of the Powerade NHRA Drag Racing Series, Capps is the sport’s greatest ambassador not named John Force, which is to say that Capps is willing to turn left on purpose.

NASCAR: Papis wears his heart on his sleeve

You always know where Max Papis’ heart is.

In the cockpit.

He may not be well-known even in motorsports circles — especially those that emanate from Charlotte — but he is a racer’s racer.

Sports cars, Indycars and now stock cars. There’s no doubt that Mad Max — the nickname he earned for his mad finish in the 24 Hours of Daytona in his American debut — would jump in a Funny Car if John Force gave him the chance. But “Pappeeee,” as Force called Papis from an awards podium a few years ago, is as much about racing as Force is about horsepower.

NASCAR: Where is Carl Edwards’ head?

He is affable and handsome, although some might argue his teeth are too big and his smile Osmondesque.

He has a physique made for a fitness magazine, although that ESPN cover photo was kind of creepy.

He also has a lead foot that could give him a NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

But this dark side of Carl Edwards seems to be emerging.

Enormously talented and a man who appeared to be a PR flak’s dream, Edwards has found himself in the midst of controversy recently, and it’s largely his own doing. Like Danica Patrick in the Indy Racing League, Edwards seems to feel — or is at least acting — like the world owes him something.

Some might ask who made him king. Worse, they might ask who made him a prima donna.

NHRA: No need to fear, Wilkerson is here

Tim Wilkerson has a gentle voice, a happy face and drag racing by the throat.

For years, he has raced with bandaids and bubble gum on a shoestring budget.

For years, he has been consigned to the second tier.

For years, he has been in the shadow of John Force, Tony Pedregon and Gary Scelzi.

Not this year.

He is the best story in motorsports, the second coming of Alan Kulwicki, who stunned NASCAR when his single car team won the Winston Cup championship in 1992.

In a sport with four Force entries, three Don Schumacher entries and two from the Pedregon brothers, Wilkerson is leading the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing championship. He has fewer resources than Kenny Bernstein and Del Worsham, yet six times this season he has held Sweet Wally Purebred over his head, the trophy that goes to every winner who is a real life Underdog.

NASCAR: Time Busch puts pedal to the mettle

Now we find out what Kyle Busch is made of.

Hero, or zero.

One of only three men who, until this point in the season actually deserved to win the  NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, Busch now finds himself in unfamiliar territory.

Last place.

With eight victories on the season and a lead going into the Chase for the Championship, Busch has gone from first to worst among the 12 qualified drivers for stock car’s title run.

If he were a continent, Busch would be Antarctica.

NASCAR: Hamlin’s success anything but normal

Wasn’t sure about Denny Hamlin. Seemed to drive like some rich kid who’s been given a Porsche for his graduation. His eighth-grade graduation. Can’t tell if he’s cocky, arrogant, aloof or shy. How do you break through that veil of entitlement?

Or do you?

Or is he just … quiet? Maybe I’ve got him all wrong.

Maybe that’s what makes him good at what he does. He’s able to fly under the radar until he drops the bomb.

NASCAR: Burton’s agenda is to lead by example

The Democratic National Convention sizzled last week as the party made Barack Obama an historic entry onto the presidential ticket.

The Republicans kicked off their festival on Monday which will eventually result in John McCain being named their candidate for the general election in November.

Between those national gatherings, Jeff Burton was climbing into his Chevrolet at Auto Club Speedway.

The connection?

Burton isn’t concerned about turning left the rest of his years. When he reaches that pivotal decision and leaves NASCAR, he is very likely to throw his helmet into the political arena. Senator Burton, the gentleman racer from Virginia, has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

Since the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001, Burton has emerged as the statesman of the garage, the representative of the drivers.

But he wants to emerge as a representative of the people.

Bully for him.

NHRA: Pedregon’s bold talk sounds convincing

The comment might have seemed brash, maybe even conceited, certainly bold in a world in which John Force still exists. But Tony Pedregon said it before the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio  five events ago.

“The road to the championship,” he said, “still goes through the Pedregons.”

Believe him.

Media: Racescribe is geared up, thanks to a legend

Shav Glick, the photo that looks over the media center at Pomona Raceway

Being mentored by Shav Glick is more than I ever could have asked for when I began working for the Los Angeles Times in 1990. But 18 years on, the opportunity to work alongside Shav — no one referred to him as Glick — was the highlight of my career in journalism.When he started covering racing in 1969, one of the first drivers Shav interviewed was Don Prudhomme, and one of the first reporters The Snake encountered was Shav Glick. Both were inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in Novi, Mich. Shav was the first — and to date, only — print journalist from a daily newspaper so honored.

He was eventually forced to choose between golf and auto racing. An avid golfer, most thought his choice was a no-brainer. Instead, he chose race drivers over wooden drivers because “racers are more interesting, all of them have a different story.” Among them was Junior Johnson, who received the Shav treatment in 1978.

My own professional introduction to the sport came at the Camel Grand Prix of San Diego in 1991. Working for the San Diego County Edition of The Times, the gig was mine mostly because I was not intimidated by it and Shav was not available.

Everywhere I went that first weekend, my introduction — “I’m Martin Henderson with the Los Angeles Times” — was followed by an immediate and predictable reaction.

“Where’s Shav?”