Del Worsham 1998 Pontiac Funny Car

Frank and Del

The new millennium saw a change for the Funny Car operation of Worsham & Fink. Sponsor CSK Auto, the parent company for Checker Auto Parts, Schuck�s Auto Supply, and Kragen Auto Parts increased their monetary commitment to the team's program. As a result, Worsham & Fink doubled in size to a two-car team for the 2000 season.

At the track, on TV, or at a CSK promotion, you can't miss the easily identifiable pair of Pontiac Firebird Funny Cars. The �Red Team,� as the name implies, sports an all red and white color scheme; while, you guessed it, the �Blue Team� is decked out in an all blue and white design.

Del Worsham handles the driving duties for the Red Team, with his father, Chuck, turning the wrenches and handling the tuning duties. Frank Pedregon is behind the wheel of the Blue Team Funny Car tuned by 22-year drag race veteran, Dave Fletcher. Rounding out the group is newcomer - - as in new to the Worsham & Fink operation - - Rob Flynn. Flynn was recently hired as a tuning consultant. The team is headquartered in Auburn, Ind., the home of associate sponsor Auburn Foundry - - one of the largest foundries in the world. Day-to-day operations of Auburn Foundry is handled by racing partner John Fink, who also handles cylinder head work on race weekends and a sundry of other team duties.

Chuck Worsham, who oversees the 2-car Worsham & Fink team, is a hands-on owner and crew chief. He began his drag racing involvement in 1975 as a volunteer on a friend's Alcohol Funny Car. Three years later, Chuck was a team owner fielding the legendary �Screamer� Funny Car. By 1987, Chuck had joined the Nitro fuel ranks and soon teamed with partner and driver Art Hendey tuning the famed �Tinker Toy� fuel Funny Car. Soon thereafter, when Chuck and Hendey decided to head in different directions, a replacement driver was near at hand - - Chuck's son, Del.

Del Worsham

Del is one of those second generation drag racers who grew up with the sport. Del was but five-years-old when his father began his career in drag racing. By the age of 13, he could build a complete Funny Car motor by himself. During his mid-teens, Del made a career decision that, unknown to him, would move him straight to the driver's seat of his father's Funny Car.

�It all started 10 years ago September. My dad had a partner by the name of Art Hendey. At Indy of 1990, they (Chuck Worsham and Art Hendey) decided to each go in separate directions. My dad said to me, �Hendey�s not going to drive this car anymore. You've always said you wanted to drive, do you want to drive this car?� Well sure I wanted to drive it, every kid wants to drive it. Well now it's time to put or shut up. After saying sure, my dad said, �Ok in seven days be in Dallas with the rig. Go home and take care of business, then we'll get your (Funny Car competition) license,�� reflected Del on how he started driving a Funny Car.

�That's where it all started. My whole entire life I told everybody that's what I wanted to do - - race cars. I was 20-years-old and had never been on a drag strip competitively. BMX bicycles were the only competitive competition I had ever done. I bought a firesuit and showed up for my runs. I did a burnout, backed up, staged it, took the beams and went out about 200 feet and the car was doing some weird things so I shut it down. That was my first run. After 10 passes, I had a license. Seven national events later, at the Southern Nationals in Atlanta, I got my first win,� added Del.

Red Team Smokes the Goodyears

There was an interesting side note to his licensing process at the Texas Motorplex. Del explained, �I needed two pro drivers to watch me run and sign off on my license, I marched right over and asked Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme. It was actually a huge thrill for me to have those two legends at my licensing test.�

His first competitive test came at the Winston Finals, the last event on the 1990 NHRA schedule. In 1991, his first full season, he was named NHRA Rookie of the Year and finished sixth in the Winston Funny Car point standings, winning the Southern Nationals (Atlanta) and the Summernationals (Englishtown, N.J.). He jumped two spots to fourth in 1992. Then lack of sponsorship forced a decision to park the Funny Car.

Throughout his entire career, Del has only competed in the family flopper, except for a brief stint in 1993 and 1994 when he drove the Top Fuel dragster, owned by Roger Primm. The biggest highlight he had during the time with Roger Primm was becoming a member of the 300-mile-per-hour Club in 1993. The lowlight was an engine explosion the following year that sidelined Del for 12 weeks, while he recovered from burns to his hands.

�It was a new experience driving for someone else and not driving your own car,

said Del of his time with Roger Primm. �That's all I had ever done; just drive for my dad, doing my own thing. Yes, it was fun driving the dragster. There were some great people there and Roger (Primm) is a good guy. When I left, it was time to leave. Everybody left happy. It was just time to go on. �It was time to get back in my own car, my dad's car. It was time to get back in a Funny Car. I still had the love for Funny Cars. Dragsters are fun, don't get me wrong, and they're great racing cars. But they're not Funny Cars. I like Funny Cars,� smiled Del.

Late in the year in 1994, at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Chuck Worsham met John Fink. Soon thereafter, the association developed into a full racing partnership and the team became known as �Worsham & Fink.� The Worsham & Fink team ran as independents through the 1996 season and established a fan friendly team noted for running with the �big boys� on a limited budget. But to win a championship, Del and his dad knew that a major sponsor was a must. In stepped Checker-Schuck�s-Kragen Auto Parts in 1997. It started out small and escalated into the larger two-car program of today. It has been a good marriage.

Since he began flying the colors of Checker-Schuck�s-Kragen Auto Parts in 1997, Del has become a member of the Castrol 4-Second Club (Dallas-1998), won the 1999 Prolong Super Lubricants Nationals in Seattle, was runner-up at the 1998 Fram Route 66 Nationals in Chicago and finished in the top ten in both 1998 and 1999 in the Winston Funny Car point standings - - 10th in 1998 and 7th in 1999. In addition, the Worsham family was named the 1998 winners of the prestigious Blaine Johnson Award, an award created by NHRA to honor the individual, team or family who best demonstrates perseverance and dedication to NHRA Winston Drag Racing.

All of which brings us to this season and the two-car team that the Worsham & Fink operations is fielding for CSK Auto: Checker-Schuck�s-Kragen Auto Parts.

�What everyone forgets is that we had a two-car team last year with Jim Head - - a Top Fuel and a Funny Car. True, it was not a two car team owned by us, as Jim Head owned his own operation. But it was a two-car team nevertheless. It was pretty obvious after watching the success that John Force had last year with two cars, that two cars are better than one. Although, I think he would have been a success either way, one or two cars, as he was already winning championships. Jerry Toliver brings out a second car. Bang! Both cars are running good. The only way to have a successful two-car team is to have one owner,� said Del. �When CSK gave us the opportunity to form a two-car team we jumped at it.�

�In hunting for a driver for the second car, we developed a short list,� related Del. �But when we were going through negotiations with potential drivers, we couldn't find a driver who both CSK and us could agree upon.

�Frank Pedregon�s name was not on the list at the time because he had a job. It never crossed our mind that he wanted to leave the job he had or drive for us. In a chance conversation with Frankie (Pedregon) around Indy or Reading, he indicated to me that he wasn't going to be driving for his current team in 2000. I went back and told (Team Manager) Bob Wilber. Bob went and talked with Frank. Then we ran the idea by CSK. They loved Frankie and there it was.

�Frank was with a good sound team. He learned a lot under their program, winning a few races. He's another great driver that came from a drag racing family background. Just hopped in and did it. He's like myself. He knew what he wanted to do and did it. Very competitive, just wants to win races. He's great with people, something that the sponsors like. He was the guy for the job.� Del indicated that both teams share data and pull for the other team. But when it comes time to run one another, it's the team that does the best job and makes the fewest mistakes that is the winning car for that match up.

�Both cars run competitively. When I hired Frank, I told him when we run each other it will be who does the best job and has the luck on their side. We'll give the fans a full blown race, no laying down. The reason I wanted a second car was to get twice as many qualifying runs, twice the data. It's my job to beat him� it's his job to beat me. I don't want anybody to give me a race, never have,

said Del, as he discussed the two-car philosophy.

�It has taken a while to get both cars running alike. But we're starting to gel. For example, at Chicago we, the Red Team, weren't running well but the Blue Team was. We looked at their tune up. Put it in my car and, bang, the red car started to run. The information is compatible between the cars. Hopefully, our idea of having eight qualifying runs at each event is starting to pay off. I think both cars can finish in the top ten.

�Of course, I think I'm going to finish higher in the Winston point standings than Frankie. I hope he says the same thing on his side. Meaning, I hope he thinks that he will finish higher. Competition is good, even among teammates,� added Del.

�We'll probably be more aggressive the remainder of the year. You have to run on the edge, maybe even hurt some parts If you have to hurt some parts to run good that's ok. I don't mind spending five to win ten, but it does you no good to spend ten to win five. The bottom line is that both cars are running good for the remainder of the season,� Del said.

Worsham & Fink is truly one big happy family. You can trace it all back to that volunteer job that Chuck began in 1975. Today, it is a two-car team with major sponsorship from Checker-Schuck�s-Kragen Auto Parts. Del has been part of that operation since he was five and, except for the short time he spent with the Roger Primm operation, Chuck has been his only crew chief.

�My dad is still my crew chief. It started that way in 1990 and still is that way today. He is probably the hardest working man I ever met in my life. Never takes a day off. If it wasn't for him, I obliviously wouldn't be doing this today. Besides being my crew chief, he's also my best friend. We get along great,� says Del of his relationship with his father.

No story on the Worsham family would be complete without mentioning Del�s grandmother - - without a doubt the best known and most popular �Grandma� in the sport. Elaine, the matriarch of the Worsham clan, can generally be found at each and every race the team attends. Since her retirement from working for the California state government, she has traveled extensively with the team and handles records and statistics for the team.

Del lives with his wife Connie in Laguna Hills, Calif. Connie serves as business manager for the Worsham & Fink team and plays a major role in coordinating all travel, hotels and airline tickets needed to keep the team on the road throughout the season. She is also responsible for all accounting including payroll, and accounts payable and receivable. While on the road, Connie assists with sponsor hospitality and client entertainment.

Away from the track, when there is a spare minute, Del likes computer games, water skiing, bicycling and dirt biking and spending time with his wife.

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Source: https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCStory.asp?ID=64294

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