Cruz Pedregon knows drag racing can be a wild roller-coaster ride, full of sudden peaks and valleys. And he experienced that this week. The Snap-on Tools Dodge driver was walking just a little taller all week long after recording a perfect reaction time (.000 seconds) during eliminations at Charlotte. But he came back down to Earth a bit early Saturday, as he caught the guardwall just before the finish line and had his run disqualified, with impending rainstorms threatening to wipe out a second and final session.

Overall, though, he said he feels good about the car and his driving, especially after achieving the elusive perfect reaction time that's the goal of any drag racer.

“I’m very happy with where we are right now and the way the Snap-on Dodge is running. After a little bit of a slow start early in the season, I think we're now getting to where we should be. I've said it was going to be four or five races before we would really start to come together, and here we are going into the fifth race,” Pedregon said. “JC [crew chief John Collins] says he's been pecking away at the things that weren't working and finding what does. I'm feeling good about the car and driving it well, so we're ready.”

This is the site of his first Funny Car victory, in his 1992 rookie – and championship - season.

Moreover, the Snap-on team has more round-wins this year than it did in the abbreviated 2020 NHRA season. Pedregon is hoping to reach his 78th final-round appearance Sunday.