PROVIDENCE — Bob Tasca III emerged from the Carquest Auto Parts Winternationals at Pomona Raceway last weekend tied for fifth place in the Full Funny Car division of the National Hot Rod Association.

It was the NHRA’s first series of the year and Tasca’s first run in the nitromethane-powered monsters.

“We’re real excited about our performance in the first race,” he said from his home in Hope where he was resting with his family before flying out to Phoenix for the Feb. 23-25 Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals, the second series of 2008.

He said he had some problems during the first series with wheel shake in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Shelby Mustang, but managed to put together two solid back-to-back practice runs — 4.84 seconds at 321 mph over the quarter-mile and 4.86 seconds at 317 mph.

Tasca made it through Round One before being defeated by Ashley Force in the Quarterfinals.

“We are elated over how the car ran,” he said, noting that a number of big-name drivers did not qualify. Tasca, 32 and a vice president with the Tasca Auto Group of Cranston and Seekonk, is vying for the Full Funny Car rookie-of-the-year award among other honors.

The Winternationals were marked by a spectacular crash when two-time and defending funny car champion Tony Pedregon’s car exploded during a run against John Force. Even though he was moving at about 290 mph, Pedregon managed to maneuver his car down the rest of the course, braking and bouncing off a far wall but avoiding Force’s car.

Tasca said Pedregon is a close friend. “I was the best man at his wedding,” he said, adding that he ran to help out but Pedregon was safely out of the car by the time he got there. Miraculously he suffered only second degree burns to his right hand.

“It was one of the worst explosions the sport has ever seen,” said Tasca, explaining that a camshaft gear broke, resulting in a buildup of fuel in the cylinders.

He said nitro methane is fairly stable in its normal state, “but when it is compressed and hot it is as volatile as dynamite.”

With the camshaft gear broken, the valves were closed and as the piston compressed the fuel in the cylinder, it exploded, setting the rest of the fuel on fire.

“It blew the top of the engine off,” said Tasca. “He’s a very, very lucky guy.”

At the same time, he said the fact that Pedregon walked away is “a tribute to how safe these cars are now.”

“Years ago, he would not have walked away, he would have ended up in a burn unit,” he said.

He said the force of the explosion would have ripped apart a normal helmet, forcing the visor open. Instead, the new impact helmet held and Pedregon suffered no burns on his face.

Tasca said he uses a fire shield when driving. “It goes up to the chest and isolates your hands, legs and body,” he said, adding that some drivers, including Pedregon, prefer not to use them because they feel “it diverts objects and fire to the face.

“Half the field uses them and half the field doesn’t,” he said.

He said he is looking forward to the next series in Phoenix. “The more seat time I get, the more comfortable I’ll be,” he said, noting he was very happy with some of the times he recorded.

He added that the team had gotten an e-mail of congratulations from Ford CEO Alan Mulally.

“It’s exciting,” he said. “To a certain degree Ford took a chance with us and in the first race we delivered.”

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pelsworth@projo.com