NHRA News: Monte Carlo body quickly making its presence felt (3/31/2004)

Monte Carlo body quickly making its presence felt

Contributed by Jeff Romack
3/31/2004

Cruz Pedregon

In just a short of span of time, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo Funny Car has begun to display the on-track aerodynamic features that make it a truly remarkable racecar. This weekend at the SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, three highly-skilled veteran drivers will join the red bowtie fraternity.

Current POWERade points-leader Del Worsham, who has won the last two events at Phoenix and Gainesville, will climb into a 2004 Chevy Monte Carlo for the first time in competition at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Worsham's Checker Schuck's Kragen teammate Phil Burkhart will also make his inaugural run down the racetrack in a brand-new Chevrolet, along with former Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon, who will add his name to the list of contestants looking to be the first to win a national event in the 2004 Monte Carlo.

"I know people are wondering why we'd come in here on a two-race winning streak and change bodies," Worsham said. "But we have to do it to keep up, and running the new Chevrolet is something we're looking forward to. Our goals are a lot bigger than winning Phoenix and Gainesville so we have to look ahead. And, yes, we might need a short transition period to really learn what the Monte Carlo wants and needs, but we'll be a better team with this better body on the car – That I'm sure of.

The Checker Schuck's Kragen cars of Phil Burkart and Del Worsham will debut Monte Carlo bodies in Vegas.
Racers Edge Photography

"The old Firebird has been great, and we've had a wonderful ride with it, but the truth is we're playing against stacked odds every time we race with it these days because the other guys have cars with better aerodynamics. If you don't think it's a gamble to race against guys who can be running five or eight mph faster at the finish line, then you aren't paying attention."

Pedregon, the 1992 NHRA Funny Car champion, also sees the inherent potential of the new Chevrolet and the long-term advantages of racing with the Monte Carlo.

"Like anything new that you run for the first time, there's always going to be a slight learning curve," Pedregon said. "But the craftsmanship, aerodynamics, and safety features that GM has built into the new Monte Carlo promises to make it an extraordinary Funny Car. We're excited. We feel this is the kind of racecar that will consistently keep us running at the front of the pack."

In three events, the Chevy Monte Carlo has already demonstrated its effectiveness as an NHRA Funny Car. At the series' last event in Gainesville, Tim Wilkerson captured the No. 1 qualifying spot in his first race in the new Chevrolet giving Monte Carlo its first race day pole position.

"This Monte Carlo really seems like it's going to be a good racecar," Wilkerson said. "On top of how good it performs on-track, you can easily see out of it too. I really like that. Most of the time you get a new body and they're so slick and funny looking that they're hard to drive. But this Monte Carlo is really nice. You can see the tree well, and I think it's going to be a good body for everybody."

Wilkerson advanced to the semifinals at Gainesville but had an added challenge in defeating Cruz Pedregon in round two of eliminations when his parachute deployed as he launched from the starting line.

"At least we know what this car can do when it drags a parachute for a thousand feet," Wilkerson said. "The new Monte Carlo did us pretty well though and it's going to be a great body."

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