NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

John Collins is not one for large celebrations. The crew chief presiding over Cruz Pedregon's Snap-on Tools Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat admits that he isn't a guy whose feet ever really leave the ground. Collins will acknowledge, however, that his team is in good form as the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series heads to Las Vegas for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals. Part of that is, quite possibly, in direct correlation to team longevity. 

"You're only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and I've been lucky to keep this core group of guys with me," said Collins, who saw Pedregon to a No. 4 finish in last year's Funny Car standings — Pedregon's best finish since 2013. 

Collins first stepped into the role of crew chief on the Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) Dodge Charger driven by Tommy Johnson Jr. in 2014. He initially came on board at DSR in 2008 and was assistant crew chief next to Rahn Tobler on the Ron Capps-driven NAPA Dodge for five seasons before moving to Johnson's car as lead. 

When Johnson's team was dissolved at the conclusion of 2020, Collins was fortunate to find a home with Cruz Pedregon Racing, and his fortune doubled as he was able to bring his crew with him – including assistant crew chief Rip Reynolds and crewmembers Ed 'Tuna' Tyler and Ryan Elliott, a trio that had been working together for a decade and won with several different drivers. Some of the group had worked together even before that.  

"I worked with 'Tuna' clear back to the Skoal days [when Johnson drove for Don Prudhomme in the early 2000s], I worked with Rip on Jack Beckman's car, and Ryan I knew from the [DSR] shop," said Collins. "So, our working relationship seemed to fall right into place when I moved to Tommy's car.

"I think it's rare in racing to have guys together for this long. It's hard because they basically have to live together and work together, and they really have to gel. But this core group of guys has one goal, and that's to win races. That's all they want to do, and it's been a blessing working with them."

Last season, Pedregon qualified in the top half at all but three races. He claimed the 62nd No. 1 qualifier award of his career with a strong performance in Reading that was .001-second off his career best, and — after back-to-back winless seasons — he picked up two trophies in four final rounds with crew chief Collins.

So far this year, Pedregon has qualified in the top five at each of the first three events. He reached the semifinals at the season-opening Winternationals then claimed a round-win in both Phoenix and Gainesville to maintain the No. 4 he brandishes on the side of his efficient Dodge. 

The upcoming event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway marks a return to the site of Pedregon's most recent victory on the tour; he defeated then soon-to-be christened Funny Car champion Ron Capps at the NHRA Nevada Nationals last fall. Although that event was in the traditional two-wide format, Collins is good with the four-wide challenge, particularly as the team seems to have a bit of momentum building.

"At this point in the season, we're in far better shape than we have been for the last several," he said. "We're usually a slow starter, and as the year goes on, we get better and better. But we started pretty good, and if our trend continues, hopefully, we'll end up in a good position at the end.

"I like the four-wide; I like the novelty of racing three people at the same time, but this one counts like any other. We expect to win every round, every race. When you don't, it's disappointing, and when you do, it's like, 'We expected that, now let's go get the next one.' We're here because we want to win races — and that goes for every person on this team."