Tue, 25 Jul 2000, 09:30 AM Del Worsham and Frank Pedregon

By Mickey Schultz Double Trouble in Red (White) and Blue

Frank Pedregon

Let's now turn our attention to the Blue Team and the Pontiac Firebird driven by Frank Pedregon. Along with brothers Tony and Cruz, Frank is one-third of probably the most visible brother act in all of drag racing. All three siblings have NHRA national event winner's trophies to their credit. Frank Pedregon, like Del Worsham, grew up in a motorsports environment. The family patriarch, Frank Pedregon, Sr., drove a Top Fuel dragster in the late 60s and early 70s. Frank Sr.'s trademark fire-induced burnouts landed him the nickname: Flamin’ Frank Pedregon. Although his life was cut short, when he was killed in a private plane crash at the age of 40, Frank Sr.'s prowess at the wheel of a dragster landed him a spot in the Drag Racing Hall of Fame. His ability, love and commitment to be the best in drag racing, must have been passed along to his sons.

Frank in a midget.

Frank, Jr., began his motorsports career in go-karts at the age of 14. By 21, he had moved to three-quarter midgets, running on both dirt and asphalt. Frank gained national recognition when he finished third in the 1989 USAC midget point standings. Next came sprint cars. But, in 1990, after only one year on the sprint car circuit, Frank traded circle track racing and followed the family path into drag racing.

Starting in a new direction, meant that Frank had to begin a new learning curve. Knowing all the while that he wanted to join his brothers in the Nitro Funny Cars, Frank's move to the fuel class was preceded by a successful career in both Federal-Mogul Dragster (FMD) and Federal-Mogul Funny Car (FMFC).

He reached four semi-finals in 1993 behind the wheel of Al Reed's FMD. He then reached the finals in ’94 at a divisional points meet driving the FMD of Jerry Maddern. Frank advanced to four more semi-final rounds in FMD in 1995, before moving to FMFC in 1996.

Taking charge of the driving duties for Tom Lemons in his Federal-Mogul Funny Car, Frank ran a limited schedule in 1996, but learned to love the feeling of the man-handling, short wheel-based floppers.

Pedregon does burnout.

“I knew that Funny Cars was where it was at for me. Both my brothers were in that division in the Nitro ranks and I made that my goal as soon as I could get the right opportunity,” said Frank. But Nitro Funny Cars would have to wait. But not for long. 1997 marked Frank's last year in the alcohol classes. He returned to FMD behind the wheel of Jerry Darien’s dragster, a seat formerly occupied by Gary Scelzi, who had moved on to pilot the Top Fuel dragster owned by Alan Johnson. Frank won divisional meets in Boise, Idaho, and Sacramento and Bakersfield, Calif. On the national event trail, he drove the In-N-Out Burger Dragster to two runner-up finishes at Englishtown, N.J., and Topeka, Kan. Team owners in the Nitro ranks were starting to take notice of the oldest brother of the Pedregon clan.

Veteran car owner Jim Dunn, a developer of young talent, recognized that Frank could be that proverbial “diamond in the rough. “ So in 1998, Frank's opportunity to move to the Nitro Funny Car ranks became a reality. He entered the “98 season-opening Winternationals with just his Nitro Funny Car licensing runs for professional experience.

Frank drove for Jim Dunn Racing for the first 11 races of the ’98 season before financial considerations forced Dunn to park the car. For those 11 races, Frank's learning curve was accelerated by the tutelage of the experienced Dunn.

The Phillips Ranch, Calif., driver advanced to the quarter-finals twice, the semi-finals once and won back-to back national events - - the Pontiac Excitement Nationals presented by Summit Racing at Columbus, Ohio, and the Sears Craftsman Nationals at Madison, Ill. - - to cap an outstanding rookie season for Jim Dunn Racing.

After missing three national events, Frank found a late season ride in Bill Blomgren’s Geronimo Funny Car. This ride enabled Frank to finish 13th in the Winston Funny Car point standings for ‘98.

With new found sponsorship, Jim Dunn Racing picked up in 1999 where they had left off the preceding year. Frank once again was behind the wheel. His stats continued to mount. He went to the semi-finals three times, advancing to the finals twice, winning once. But what a win it was. Every driver will tell you, "the one race I want to win is the 'granddaddy' of them all - - the U.S. Nationals," held each Labor Day in Indianapolis. Frank no longer has to want to win the U.S. Nationals. He did just that on the last Labor Day of the century; he won the U.S. Nationals! The win, plus a runner up position at the Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, Calif., propelled Frank to a fourth place finish in the 1999 Winston Funny Car point standings.

Frank learned well under the guidance of Jim Dunn. Enough so, that when the opportunity with the Blue Team became available, Frank was the man for the job. Worsham & Fink and Checker-Schuck’s-Kragen Auto Parts now had a two-car team.

Dave (“Fletch”) Fletcher was tapped for the crew chief of the Blue Team. Born and raised in London, England, Fletch has spent 22 of his 41 years on this earth learning from the best drag racing has to offer. His work experience reads like a “Who's Who” of drag racing and includes stints with Austin Coil's legendary “Chi-Town Hustler,” John Force, Roland Leong, Billy Meyer, Connie Kalitta, and Kenny Bernstein. Just prior to join Worsham & Fink, Fletch had spent the last four years as assistant crew chief on the Joe Gibbs-owned Funny Car team, where he learned first-hand from one of the best, renowned tuner Wes Cerny.

“Dave Fletcher was coming to work for us this year, whether we had a one-car team or a two-car team. I had looked through the ranks, looked at all the people available and when the second car became available, to me, he was the guy for the job. He was a good “hand-ons” working guy, great organizational skills and the one I felt could tune a race car,” said Del Worsham on how and why he hired Fletch.

Another new addition to the Worsham & Fink/Checker-Schuck’s-Kragen Auto Parts family is Rob Flynn. Flynn joined the team at the national event in Denver. He too feels that the two-car concept and the hiring of Dave Fletcher was a positive step for the team and a key to future success.

“Adding the second Checker-Schuck’s-Kragen Funny Car, and hiring Dave Fletcher to tune it, was the best thing this team has ever done. Dave is doing a fantastic job, and I look forward to sharing information with him and hearing how he has made Frank Pedregon’s car so consistent all year. With all these minds and two great drivers in our camp, I'm really excited,” said Flynn.

Flynn will directly assist Del and Chuck Worsham on the Red Team side of the Worsham & Fink operation. In his capacity as a tuning consultant, he will provide tuning and mechanical assistance, relieving Del of many of the duties that have kept him so busy. This will afford Del more time to concentrate on his driving duties at races and allow him to spend additional time with sponsor responsibilities, both on the track and off.

In working with his new team, Flynn had this to say, “I've had just the utmost respect for Del and Chuck Worsham for the past decade. They work so well together and they both have a terrific amount of knowledge. Add to that the fact I think Del is one of the best drivers in the sport, and I see a program here that is destined for more wins.”

Del echoed his praises for the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada native. “We are really very happy to have the chance to bring Rob (Flynn) to work for us. Rob has a world of knowledge, he's a proven winner on the tour, and he can really take the load off us so that everyone on our two-car team can focus more on specific duties and get our cars into the winner's circle.”

Flynn gained that “world of knowledge,” which Del noted, as a winning crew chief. Flynn came to prominence tuning the Whit Bazemore Funny Car from 1994 to 1998. In 1999, he was the crew chief for Jerry Toliver and his WWF-backed program. Most recently he was crew chief for the Bruce Sarver-driven, Alan Johnson-owned Funny Car. He has tuned his drivers to seven career national event wins and 10 final round appearances.

With the hiring of Frank Pedregon and Dave Fletcher for the Blue Team and the recent addition of Rob Flynn for the Red Team, Del and Chuck Worsham have positioned both of the Worsham & Fink/Checker-Schuck’s-Kragen Auto Parts Pontiac Firebirds as a force to reckoned with during the last half of the season and a team with the potential to give the customary leaders in Funny Car a run for the championship in 2001.