Fireworks between drag racers is not uncommon, but last year’s confrontation between Tony Pedregon and John Force at the U.S. Nationals was plenty memorable.  The firestorm between Pedregon and Force ignited when Robert Hight, who pilots the Auto Club Ford Mustang for John Force Racing, just barely qualified for the Countdown in the No. 10 spot by capturing a controversial win over Force in the semifinals at the U.S. Nationals.

Hight’s win against his father-in-law and boss, knocked Cruz, Tony’s brother and defending NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car world champion, out of the Countdown. Force beat Cruz Pedregon in the second round.

Fireworks between drag racers is not uncommon, but last year’s confrontation between Tony Pedregon and John Force at the U.S. Nationals was plenty memorable.

The firestorm between Pedregon and Force ignited when Robert Hight, who pilots the Auto Club Ford Mustang for John Force Racing, just barely qualified for the Countdown in the No. 10 spot by capturing a controversial win over Force in the semifinals at the U.S. Nationals.

Hight’s win against his father-in-law and boss, knocked Cruz, Tony’s brother and defending NHRA Top Fuel Funny Car world champion, out of the Countdown. Force beat Cruz Pedregon in the second round.

Hight’s win over his boss vaulted him past both Matt Hagan and Cruz Pedregon, into the Countdown to 1 as the 10th place points finisher. Hight then went on to win the world championship.

Following Hight’s win, Force and Pedregon were shown getting into a verbal confrontation at the top end of the track.

“He got in my face and I think he was trying to intimidate me, but I stand by what I say,” said Pedregon moments after the confrontation. “I’m just a competitor out here and I’m trying to make a living. This is an emotional business that we’re in. There are some ups and downs and there’s some adrenaline that takes place. Now, the bottom line is if I lay down for Cruz in Brainerd, he’s in the top 10. I race. I stand behind what really this sport is about. I made a comment and John wanted to know why I didn’t say anything to him. What good is that going to do me? That’s not going to accomplish anything. John knows what he does. John knows those decisions he makes. I don’t believe that everyone is that naive. I simply call it the way that I see it. I only say this, that it’s a shame that this sport that’s built on competition, I know that it has evolved into a business, but to me it’s still about the competition.”

Tony Pedregon drove for John Force Racing from 1996-2003, winning the world championship in his final season with the team before leaving to start his own team in 2004.

Now, a year removed from the incident, Pedregon was reluctant to dig up bad feelings.

“I forgot all about that,” Pedregon said. “I think we’re way past it and I think that it is one of those things that we hope doesn’t become an issue. I’m not a whistle blower, and it was just one of those things where I got caught up in the emotion. It is a big race and I think the racers are impacted, obviously the ones that are affected by those types of decisions. Overall, as a whole, it is really not the best thing for the sport. It’s a year behind us and my daughter reminded me (of the incident) and she rolled her eyes and it is still a little embarrassing to me in one regard because we’re two grown men and we both just got caught up in a situation.”

Pedregon says he and Force have come to an understanding since the altercation in Indy last year.

“We have spoken quite a bit since then and we understand one another,” Pedregon said. “Hey that is what friends do, they work past those things.”

Pedregon admitted barely making the Countdown to 1 playoffs this year was more stressful than his spat with Force. This year Indy also is the first race in the Countdown to 1 instead of the final race of the regular season, as it was last season.

“The drama I went through hanging on to my position was probably worse than that little argument I had with John,” Pedregon said. “I think ESPN did what they’re supposed to do. They were looking for a story and that was a story. There were a lot of people who voiced their opinion and a lot stood behind John and a lot of people stood behind me. In my opinion, I probably earned a lot of new fans. In the end, it is one of those things where nobody is perfect and our system isn’t perfect.”

Force wasn’t interested in talking about last year’s Indy. His focus was on the present.

“I’m excited just to be here,” Force said. “This is the big daddy, the big race. I’m going to try to win this thing. There’s always drama. That’s what it is all about. We fight the fight and do what we do. Any man can win and I hope it is one of us.”

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