Pomona – Syndication Server

NHRA Finals temporarily halted due to plane crash in Pomona

A single-engine plane crash in a motorhome lot near the top end of the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip halted Sunday’s championship finale for almost two hours. A call came in at approximately 11:11 a.m. local time by responders who were on the …

A single-engine plane crash in a motorhome lot near the top end of the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip halted Sunday’s championship finale for almost two hours.

A call came in at approximately 11:11 a.m. local time by responders who were on the scene for the NHRA Finals. The plane made contact with multiple vehicles in the lot before hitting the ground. There were three visibly damaged vehicles at the crash scene — two pickup trucks and an SUV.

The plane ended up nose-first into an RV, which was moved out of place by the incident. The cause of the crash is unknown and the investigation continues. The NTSB and the FAA have been notified.

“From what we know, the units rendered life-saving emergency medical services as well as mitigating any fire potential from the surrounding vehicles, generators, and things of that sort,” engineer Jonathan Torres, the public information officer for L.A. County Fire, told media at the scene. “From what we know, we have two critical patients and two moderate that have been transported to local emergency rooms.”

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There were no known injuries to individuals on the ground. Local law enforcement, fire, and medical crews were on the scene. NHRA safety teams also responded.

Motorhomes are located past the grandstand on the left side of the dragstrip toward the top end of the facility. Both motorhomes and private vehicles were parked in the area. Brackett Field Airport sits to the right of the dragstrip.

“Today, a small single-engine airplane crashed at the Pomona Fairplex,” a statement from NHRA read. “The pilot and three occupants of the aircraft all suffered minor to moderate non-life-threatening injuries and are being treated at a nearby hospital. The NHRA has been working closely with the Pomona Police Department and L.A. County Fire Department and has been guided to continue racing.”

NHRA began its Sunday event at 11 a.m. local time. The action resumed at approximately 12:50 p.m. local.

Force makes quickest No. 1 run of 2024 at NHRA Finals in Pomona

Brittany Force made the quickest Top Fuel run of the 2024 season on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, qualifying No. 1 for the fourth time in the past five races at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson …

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the last of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the sixth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Force, who won the most recent race in Las Vegas, went an impressive 3.643s at 336.65mph in her Monster Energy/Chevrolet dragster, collecting her sixth No. 1 of the season. After enduring her share of struggles this season, Force and her team have come on strong to close out the season as she looks to end the year with a second straight win. She’s 108 points out of first, giving her an outside shot at a championship as well, but Force is thrilled with how her team has persevered to get back on track.

Steve Torrence went 3.644s just moments earlier on Saturday, but Force and her team laid down an incredible run to close out qualifying.

“We ran a 3.64s and that’s huge. I’m very proud of [crew chief] David Grubnic and John Collins, and the whole Monster Energy team. I wanted as many bonus points as we could get,” Force said. “[The number of cars in the 3.6s] says the competition is fierce. It’s killer out there. I didn’t know how quick I ran but when I pulled off the track there were cameras in my face so I thought it might be better than it felt.

“I’m not disappointed [in being a championship longshot]. Everything happens for a reason and it all helps pull our team together. We win as a team and we lose as a team.”

Torrence’s 3.644s at 334.90mph puts him second, while defending world champion Doug Kalitta is third after a 3.650s at 334.98mph. Shawn Langdon took fourth with a 3.653s at 331.45mph, jumping into second in points.

He’s currently 43 behind points leader Justin Ashley, who is looking for his first world championship. Ashley will open eliminations in an epic first-round matchup against Antron Brown, who is only 46 points behind the young standout. Kalitta and Torrence are 78 and 79 points behind, respectively, while Clay Millican also remains in contention at 95 points out of first heading into the opening round of eliminations.

In Funny Car, Austin Prock closed out qualifying with an incredible track-record run of 3.804s at 334.57mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. Prock clinched his first career world championship in qualifying, making the quickest Funny Car run in seven years and the fourth-quickest in Funny Car history. It is his 15th No. 1 qualifier in 2024, the most in Funny Car history.

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Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson stayed alive in the championship chase, making two strong runs of 6.50s on Saturday, including a category-best 6.505s at 211.20mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It is the eighth No. 1 qualifier of the season for the five-time world champion, who also remained in contention for the world title. He’s currently 48 points behind leader Aaron Stanfield, with a potential semifinal matchup looming between the contenders.

He could also meet KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn in the championship round in what would be a winner-take-all final round. It’s a scenario that has the veteran and the all-time wins leader in the category excited for Sunday, as an epic championship finale could be in store at Pomona.

“Qualifying means everything. To be able to control our own destiny on Sunday is all you can ask for,” Anderson said. “The way the ladder is set up is a prayer answered. I can’t remember a time when we had three cars within two rounds of the championship going into Sunday.

“Win the race and win the championship. If I can pull that off, it might be the biggest thing I’ve done in this sport. We’ve got it all set up. I just hope I wake up on the right side of the bed. For the last dozen races I’ve had the strongest horse out here but I just haven’t closed the deal. Tomorrow, I hope the sun shines on me and if it doesn’t, I hope it shines on my teammate, Dallas Glenn.”

Glenn is 29 points behind Stanfield, qualifying second with a run of 6.512s at 209.82mph, pulling to within a round of Stanfield heading into eliminations. He could potentially meet Stanfield in a winner-take-all final round as well, while Stanfield qualified fourth with a 6.517s at 209.98mph.

Matt Smith kept Gaige Herrera from his second straight championship on Saturday, securing enough qualifying bonus – as well as the No. 1 spot – to extend the championship race into Sunday. He qualified in the top spot for the sixth time this year, going 6.721s at 202.64mph on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell. With that, he closed the gap to 119 points against Herrera, though Smith will need plenty of help to secure a seventh world championship on Sunday.

If Herrera knocks off Clayton Howey in the opening round of eliminations, Herrera will claim his second straight world title. Smith’s only path to a championship is if Herrera loses in the first round and Smith wins the race. If that doesn’t happen, Smith would at least like to end the year with a victory.

“We came here to try and get the win and we’re in a spot to do that,” Smith said. “We’re still alive [for the championship] but we made too many mistakes during the Countdown to battle Gaige [Herrera] for the championship.

“Funny, but I’m going to finish No. 2 in the championship and I’ve never been No. 2 in my career. I’ve either won the championship or been third or fourth or lower. It would be huge for us to win the race tomorrow or for Angie [Smith], John Hall or Jianna [Evaristo] to win it. I’d love to see one of them win it. It would be a great way to end the season.”

A. Smith qualified second with a 6.758s at 201.43mph and Herrera is third after going 6.765s at 201.22mph.

Eliminations for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals begin at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Prock clinches dominant first Funny Car title in Pomona qualifying

Funny Car’s Austin Prock clinched his first career NHRA world championship on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, securing the world title for John Force Racing during qualifying at the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Prock …

Prock finished as the No. 1 qualifier with a track-record run of 3.804s at 334.57mph to close out the day in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS, making the quickest run in Funny Car since 2017 and the fourth quickest in class history. It’s another magical moment in what has been an incredible and dominant first year in Funny Car for the young standout.

He has put together one of the most impressive Funny Car seasons in history, winning eight races thus far and clinching his 15th No. 1 qualifier, the most in a single season in Funny Car history. Prock has been just as terrific in the Countdown to the Championship, culminating in his first world title and a magical moment in his young career.

“I’ve been working towards this for 19 years,” Prock said. “I started driving race cars when I was 10 years old and all I could think of was being a professional race car driver in any manner and winning the world championship, and we got it done this year. The main job is finished, finally, but we want nine wins before we end this 2024 season, and we definitely have the hot rod to do it right now.

“This thing’s been on kill this weekend, and in the last few years, this race car hasn’t performed all that well here in Pomona, but all the stars are aligning right now. We made three really, really quick runs and I’m doing a good job keeping it in the middle of the groove here.”

Prock, who had previously raced in Top Fuel, winning four times and being named Rookie of the Year in 2019, got the opportunity to join his father, multi-time championship crew chief Jimmy Prock, and his brother, Thomas, on the John Force Racing Cornwell Tools Funny Car team after its normal driver, thee-time world champ Robert Hight, was sidelined for medical reasons before the season started.

A. Prock made his presence known almost immediately, scoring a runner-up in Gainesville and collecting his first Funny Car victory in Phoenix.

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He held the points lead for the bulk of the season, taking the lead for good after finishing as runner-up to Force in Epping. Prock was the near-perfect driver to match a fast hot rod, ranking second in class average for reaction times while completing nearly 80 percent of all runs under power.

Prock enjoyed success in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge and ran well in almost any weather conditions, picking up victories in Bristol, Richmond and Seattle in the regular season. He also won the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals for the first time in his career this year, rolling to playoff wins in Reading and Charlotte following that.

He enjoyed 14 straight round wins at that point in the season, taking a commanding lead down the stretch of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Prock followed with a victory in Las Vegas – part of a JFR double-up with Brittany Force – and finished the job in qualifying in Pomona.

Now, Prock has a chance to cement his year as arguably the best in recent history. Only five drivers in NHRA history have won eight or more events before this season and Prock still has the opportunity to win a ninth national event, a feat that hasn’t been done since Force did it in 2000 with 11.

“I was nervous coming into this weekend, but everything’s just working right, just like it has all year,” Prock said. “We’re looking forward to tomorrow. We’re going to do a little bit of celebrating tonight, but we’ll all be ready to go in the morning and try and go for that ninth Wally.”

Eliminations for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals begin at 11am PT on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Pro Stock’s Glenn distanced himself from racing before NHRA Finals in Pomona

Dallas Glenn competes for his first NHRA Pro Stock championship Sunday in Pomona, but he hasn’t spent time thinking about it. Glenn, in fact, has tried to do anything but think about racing. “I’ve been more on [the] not trying to overthink anything …

Dallas Glenn competes for his first NHRA Pro Stock championship Sunday in Pomona, but he hasn’t spent time thinking about it.

Glenn, in fact, has tried to do anything but think about racing.

“I’ve been more on [the] not trying to overthink anything [agenda],” Glenn said this week. “I know what I need to do when we get there, and all I can hope for is the car makes eight solid good runs or at least as many as we can. I think I’ve gone golfing three times this week and tried to relax and hang out in Las Vegas with my parents. I’m just trying not to overthink anything.”

The previous NHRA event took place in Las Vegas two weeks ago. Glenn and his KB Titan Racing team experienced a first-round loss that allowed Aaron Stanfield to take the points lead, as he won the event for Elite Motorsports. Stanfield leads Glenn by 32 points entering the finale at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Pomona is a points-and-a-half race. There will be 30 points awarded for each round instead of the traditional 20.

“I think in my mind it’s pretty simple: if I just go out there and try to make eight good quality runs and try to win the race, wherever it falls, it’ll fall, and I can’t be mad at what kind of season I’ve had,” Glenn said. “No matter what happens in Pomona, I’ve got to leave there with my head high, and I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job all season long. If it comes to Aaron or Greg [Anderson] just did a little better job than me in the last six races, then so be it.

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“But if I go there and give it everything I got, then I can’t complain about anything.”

Anderson is third in the championship hunt, sitting 56 points behind. Glenn and Anderson, the latter of whom is going for his sixth championship, are teammates at KB Titan.

Glenn has already put together a career year. He has five victories through 19 races with a win/loss record of 46-14 and twice was the No. 1 qualifier.

A four-win season in 2023 had been his previous single-season high. Glenn went from long-time crew member to driver in 2021, quickly winning three races and finishing third in points. He’s won 13 races since his debut.

It might need to be more of the same Sunday for the championship.

“In all honesty, I’m just going to roll in there and just try to be as aggressive as I can,” Glenn said. “I feel like I’m in a good place in the race car; I can hit the tree decently and hit shift points. As long as I do my job, hopefully, all the dominoes fall, and the planets are aligned correctly. Anyone who says they can win one of these without luck, I think, is lying to themselves. Hopefully the luck is on our side.

“I know Aaron is going to be very tough. This absolutely could come down to the very last round, so I’m just going to go up there and try to do what I’ve done all season and just be aggressive.”

Beckman fastest as rain shortens Friday qualifying at NHRA Finals

Racing was called on Friday due to weather during the first qualifying session at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. The opening session of Funny Car was completed and a portion of Top Fuel took place before rain …

Racing was called on Friday due to weather during the first qualifying session at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

The opening session of Funny Car was completed and a portion of Top Fuel took place before rain ended racing action. No runs were made in Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle on Friday. Qualifying will resume at 11:30am PT on Saturday, with two qualifying sessions set for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Funny Car’s Jack Beckman took the provisional No. 1 spot on Friday in the category, while Shawn Reed took the provisional top qualifier among the nine cars that ran at the last of 20 races in the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the sixth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Beckman went 3.828s at 334.82mph in his PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS. His John Force Racing teammate, Austin Prock, will officially clinch the world championship on Saturday.

Shawn Reed posted a run of 3.712s at 320.36mph in his GESi dragster as he seeks his first career No. 1 qualifier.

Friday ticket holders can use their ticket credit toward the purchase of a Saturday or Sunday ticket, or the purchase of a 2025 In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals ticket.

Wet NHRA Winternationals finals postponed to Phoenix

Inclement weather forced the postponement of the final round of the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. The final rounds in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will now be completed at the upcoming …

Inclement weather forced the postponement of the final round of the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

The final rounds in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will now be completed at the upcoming NHRA Arizona Nationals, which is the next event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series circuit and takes place April 5-7 at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix.

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher and defending event winner Justin Ashley both advanced to the final round on Sunday. Schumacher reached his first final round this season after defeating Terry Totten, Gainesville winner Shawn Langdon and Billy Torrence. Ashley, meanwhile, is after his third straight win at the Winternationals and reached the finals thanks to victories against Shawn Reed, Steve Torrence and No. 1 qualifier Brittany Force. Ashley has reached the final round at the Winternationals for four straight years.

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Funny Car’s John Force and reigning world champion Matt Hagan powered to the championship round at the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Force will try to pick up his first victory in two years in Phoenix, taking down Jim Campbell, Bobby Bode and Ron Capps. Hagan is after back-to-back Winternationals victories and his 50th career Funny Car win, reaching the finals on Sunday in Pomona with round victories against Buddy Hull, Jeff Diehl and Gainesville winner J.R. Todd.

Defending world champion Erica Enders and No. 1 qualifier Dallas Glenn will meet up in the finals in Pro Stock in Phoenix. Enders, who won the season-opener in Gainesville, took down Fernando Cuadra Jr., Brandon Foster and Greg Anderson to reach the championship round. She will attempt to pick up her 50th career national event win in two weeks at Firebird Motorsports Park. Glenn, the defending Winternationals winner, got by Sienna Wildgust, David Cuadra and Mason McGaha to reach his first final round of the season.

Wilkerson grabs first career provisional No. 1 at NHRA Winternationals

Funny Car rookie Daniel Wilkerson put himself in position for his first career No. 1 qualifier on Friday, racing to the provisional top spot at the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Billy Torrence (Top …

Billy Torrence (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

In a full-time ride for the first time in his career, Daniel Wilkerson made the most of his opportunity on Friday, taking the top spot with a 4.014s at 314.31mph in his Scag Power Equipment Ford Mustang. That puts Wilkerson in line for his first career top qualifier, which would be a huge moment in his career. He stepped into the driver role this year, with his father, Funny Car veteran Tim Wilkerson, calling the shots as crew chief. On Friday, it worked out wonderfully for the father-son duo.

“It was a little squirrely but I got it to the end,” said Wilkerson, who will be competing for NHRA Rookie of the Year honors this year. “It got a little loose coming out of the middle of the track and I was almost yelling at myself steering the car. But it worked out and I was happy with it. All of this, it almost hasn’t set in yet, but it’s been a lot of fun so far.”

Jeff Diehl took the second spot on Friday after going 4.050s at 306.81mph and Chad Green, who won in Pomona last year to end the season, is third with a 4.110s at 302.96mph.

In Top Fuel, Billy Torrence powered to the top on Friday, going 3.745s at 330.47mph in his Capco Contractors dragster. If that holds, Torrence would earn his sixth career No. 1 qualifier, as both Torrence cars made strong runs during the lone qualifying session of the day. His son, Steve, is currently second after the four-time world champ went 3.750s at 328.30mph, giving the team plenty of momentum for the weekend. They also meet tomorrow in the opening round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.

“I was very impressed with that run,” Torrence said. “I thought we could make a good run on the track. The guys have worked really hard on that setup and I really thought Steve would sneak around us and pick our pocket, but he just missed us. Performance-wise, I think the cars are really close. I think we’ve got a good set-up for a solid year.”

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Former world champ Brittany Force is in the third spot thanks to a run of 3.783s at 330.30mph and Gainesville winner Shawn Langdon is right behind with a 3.788s at 318.24mph.

A strong start continued for reigning Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders on Friday in Pomona, as she went 6.556s at 211.69mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. If it holds, it would give Enders her second straight No. 1 qualifier to start the season. Enders, who also won in Gainesville, is after her 50th career national event victory this weekend, which would add another incredible milestone in her stellar career. Two years ago, Enders won at the Winternationals in what was the 900th race in Pro Stock history.

“It was a little bit of a hairy ride. It made some big moves, but I’m thankful for all the runs I have in these cars,” Enders said. “We’re big on numbers and going after that 50th win is very important to us. Winning my first Winternationals two years ago for the 900th Pro Stock race was pretty spectacular and we’re glad to be back here. Coming off a win at the Gatornationals, we’re just going to try to carry that momentum, but we definitely have a good race car right now.”

Matt Hartford is currently second with a 6.568s at 210.31mph and Jeg Coughlin Jr. is third with a 6.573s at 211.20mph.

Qualifying continues at 11:30 a.m. ET on Saturday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip

Kalitta, Hagan, Enders race to titles at NHRA finals in Pomona

Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta claimed his first career NHRA world championship on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, knocking off Leah Pruett in a winner-take-all final round, while Funny Car’s Matt Hagan gave Tony Stewart Racing its first …

Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also secured the championship on Sunday at the 21st race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the last of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Gaige Herrera earned the Pro Stock Motorcycle world title on Saturday.

Kalitta powered to a Sunday-best run of 3.673s at 334.98mph in his Mac Tools/Toyota dragster in the final round, driving past Pruett’s run of 3.720s at 326.16mph to pick up his third win of the season. After six runner-up finishes in his 26-year career, Kalitta finished the job on Sunday to win a world title for the first time.

On a pressure-packed Sunday, Kalitta knocked off Dan Mercier, Josh Hart and Justin Ashley to set up an incredible final round with Pruett. Kalitta led wire-to-wire, setting off a raucous celebration on the starting line as the veteran had finally achieved the ultimate goal in the sport.

“It’s incredible the way the points thing worked out to come down to that last run,” said Kalitta, who won for the third time this season and 52nd time in his career. “I just stay focused. It was obviously a big round for us and it played out just perfectly. It’s just one of those deals get to the end of the track and I cannot believe these guys are cheering and high-fiving as I get around the corner because I missed seeing the win light.

“When we got to semis with the cars still in, you’re just wishing and hoping for the best really. This is one of the coolest places to run, with the museum and just the history of the NHRA, and I’ve heard all the stories back in the day with Connie (Kalitta), and this is just like the pinnacle for me. It’s hard to believe. I’ve always dreamed about this opportunity over the years and thanks to my guys for making it happen. I appreciate all the support I’ve gotten from the fans and we’re taking this trophy back home.”

Hagan clinched his fourth world championship in his Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat during a wild second round on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. With Hagan, Robert Hight and Bob Tasca III separated by just 17 points entering race day, all three won the opening round, but each lost during the quarterfinals. Tasca fell first, then Hagan and it came down to Hight’s matchup with Chad Green. But Hight also smoked the tires, handing the championship to Hagan.

It’s the fourth world title for Hagan, joining John Force, Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme as the only drivers to win four or more Funny Car world championships in NHRA history. To get there, Hagan was consistent throughout, picking up six victories and advancing to eight final rounds. He held the points lead for the bulk of the regular season and then got hot at a key time in the Countdown to the Championship, winning back-to-back races in St. Louis and Dallas to take the points lead for good. That proved critical during the wild turn of events on Sunday, one that gave Hagan his place in history.

“It’s just one of those things, you hate to have to stand there and watch someone go out to win a championship,” Hagan said. “That’s just not my style of racing and not how I want to win one. But it’s really about the body of work we did all year and coming in here and being ahead in points and being able to have that opportunity. I just can’t say enough about every single one of my guys that wrench on the car. They’re all coming back next year and everyone’s excited about that. Tony Stewart, to get his first championship out here in second year in NHRA, it’s unbelievable.

“I think it speaks volumes to the group he’s assembled and the people we put around and the leader he is as a team owner and just as a guy. It’s unbelievable we were able to do that this year. It’s super special for me, and it puts you in a caliber of drivers, you look up and you go, ‘How is it possible, I’m not that good.’ I know I’m not that good because I’ve surrounded myself with people who are better than me. That’s the only reason I’m in this position. It’s pretty incredible.”

Erica Enders’ path to a sixth world championship in Pro Stock was simple on Sunday: simply win the opening round of eliminations. After qualifying third, the winningest female in NHRA history took care of business, knocking off Fernando Cuadra with a run of 6.502s at 210.80mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. It gave Enders her sixth world championship, much to the delight of the crowd, tying her with Warren Johnson for the second-most in Pro Stock history.

It was also a resounding bounce back for Enders, who struggled mightily to open the 2023 campaign. But Enders and her Elite Motorsports team turned things around at the perfect time, as she moved into the points lead at the halfway mark in the Countdown to the Championship and then added to her lead with victories in Dallas and Las Vegas. That put her in command and Enders finished with her fourth world title in the past five years and four victories this season. Her victory in Dallas also gave her the most wins by any female in NHRA history and a sixth championship will only add to her legacy.

“On the heels of a career-best season last year, anything is going to be challenging,” Enders said. “It took us seven races to figure out our issue and I owe my guys all my credit in the world. The message this year is tenacity and consistency, and digging through all of it prevailing when it matters. I have to thank my guys for that.

“It was a dogfight and I’m really thankful for the position we were in. When my guys’ back are against the wall, they perform and we execute and makes me so proud to be their driver. I think word that describes this year is tenacity. Every championship has its story and this season is another reminder of why you don’t give up. You doubt yourself and it’s digging yourself out that ditch and that’s what this season is about.”

The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 7-10 with the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Herrera clinches NHRA PSM title during qualifying at Pomona

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera clinched his first career NHRA world championship on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, wrapping up his dominant title run to close out qualifying at the 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Austin …

Austin Prock (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also qualified No. 1 at the 21st race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the last of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Herrera extended his single-season class record by earning his 14th No. 1 qualifier thanks to a track-record run of 6.661s at 203.80mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. He will try to pick up his 11th win of the season on Sunday, which would also set a single-season record in the class, but earned the bigger prize on Saturday by picking up a world championship for the first time.

It is the finishing touch on one of the most incredible seasons in Pro Stock Motorcycle history, as Herrera dominated from start to finish. He won the first three races of the season, added another three-race winning streak during the year and then has won the last four races during the Countdown to the Championship. Add in a multitude of track records, the quickest run in class history and a sweep of the Western Swing and Herrera enjoyed a simply spectacular season.

“This is very special, it doesn’t feel real to be honest,” Herrera said. “The amount of stuff we’ve accomplished this year and then wrapping it up getting the championship and then making a run like that the last qualifier, it’s been an incredible season. I’m living the dream. Last year I was just out here trying to have a little fun and to get the opportunity to ride for the legends that I grew up watching race and looked up to, to be able to race with them and accomplish what we have, it’s very surreal.

“Wrapping up the championship here in my hometown, this is something I’ll never forget, winning the championship in my first full season. There is a lot that has been accomplished this year, but this definitely tops it all. This is something I’ll always cherish and remember. You never can take anything for granted. The bike has been flawless all year. We set a lot of records and it just goes on and on. It’s crazy.”

Funny Car title contender Robert Hight powered to a massive run to close out qualifying under the lights in Pomona, going 3.844s at 331.61mph in his Automobile Club of Southern California/Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. It’s the seventh No. 1 of the season for the three-time world champ and the 84th in his career, and he also moved past Bob Tasca III into second place in the process. He’s just 12 points behind leader Matt Hagan – with Tasca only 17 points out of first – heading into what will be one of the most thrilling finishes in class history on Sunday.

For Hight, he’s eager for the opportunity to compete for a world championship, knowing full well it’s going to be a monumental battle against Hagan and Tasca – one that could come down to the final run of the year in a winner-take-all scenario. Hight and Hagan, who is the No. 5 qualifier could meet in the semifinals, while Tasca, who qualified sixth, is on the other side of the bracket.

“That’s big [going around Tasca],” Hight said. “Let’s say it comes down to Tasca and I, and we lose the same round, you want to go ahead of him in qualifying, so this was big for us today. I was a little nervous yesterday after screwing up the first run and then we had to make a safe run last night. We knew what we had to do but you have to execute, too. This is a tricky place, no matter what anybody tells you, this place is tricky. Two separately different lanes and when it’s good, it’s really good and you have to be aggressive and get after it. I’m really proud of the whole Auto Club team.

“It’s exactly what we needed to do and it might have a little effect going into Sunday. We’ve got a little momentum and we’re running well but we have to race smart tomorrow. Probably not going to sleep tonight, but at least we’re qualified.”

John Force qualified second with a 3.862s at 328.14mph and defending event winner Cruz Pedregon took third after a run of 3.865s at 330.15mph.

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In Top Fuel, Austin Prock made a huge move to close out qualifying as he looks to close out the season with a win for a second straight year, taking the No. 1 spot with a run of 3.636s at 332.92mph in his Montana Brands/Rocky Mountain Twist dragster. It’s the second top qualifier this season for Prock and the third in his career as he made a career-best pass to close out the session. The run also gives him a strong opportunity to end his year on a high note – much like he did in 2022.

“I love it anytime I come here,” Prock said. “As a kid growing up, ditching school and flying out here to come watch my dad race and race for championships and Wallys, it was always a treat to me. It’s got a special place in my heart and it just seems like we’ve a little mojo going here. If we go to the final round tomorrow that’s five consecutive final rounds for me here in Pomona, so I hope I can make that a fact.

“Our focus every weekend is ‘Go for a Wally,’ and I feel like we finally have a race car that can do it. We’ve been picking at it slowly throughout the year and the last two or three races, the thing has really come around. The first run today, that was the first time we’ve smoked the tires in like eight runs. We just lowered the boom a little bit there and hopefully we can keep that up tomorrow. It would be huge to win the last race of the year here and get to enjoy it for a few months.”

Prock’s run bumped Torrence and his 3.641s at 335.65mph to second, with Antron Brown taking third with a 3.663s at 335.82mph. Torrence takes the points lead into Sunday, holding a 12-point advantage over Doug Kalitta, 39 points over Leah Pruett, 76 points over Mike Salinas and 88 points over Justin Ashley. Torrence and Pruett could potentially meet in the semifinals, while Kalitta, Ashley and Salinas are all on the other side of the bracket.

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson couldn’t have asked for a better performance in qualifying as he looks to make a last-ditch attempt for a world championship, making the quickest run in all four sessions, including a 6.492s at 211.69mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to close out the day. It’s his third No. 1 spot this season and the 124th in his standout career.

But he’ll need a near-miracle to get past Erica Enders on championship Sunday in Pomona. He trails by 104 points and Enders simply needs to win in the opening round against Fernando Cuadra to clinch her sixth world championship. Cuadra would have to knock off Enders and Anderson would have to win the race to clinch a sixth title, but he was thrilled with how his team performed during qualifying. He also has a chance to pick up his 15th career win at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip on Sunday.

“Super pumped with the job these guys have done this weekend,” Anderson said. “I love this racetrack, I love racing here. Just the atmosphere, it’s the perfect time to go down that racetrack and it’s a great feeling. The cars just love it and the drivers love it. You saw it today, a lot of great runs in the class and I had two of them. I’m extremely pleased with my race car this weekend. It’s made four as-close-to-perfect runs you can make and you don’t get that very often. It set the table to do the best job we can do tomorrow.

“We don’t have any clue how it’ll turn out, but I’ve got a great horse, I’ve got a great race car and if nothing else, I have a great chance to win. We’ll give it all we’ve got tomorrow and let the cards fall where they may.”

Kyle Koretsky qualified second with a 6.497s at 211.00mph and Enders’ 6.500s at 210.31mph puts her third heading into raceday.

Eliminations for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals begin at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Hagan rockets to top on fast Friday at NHRA Finals at Pomona

Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan made a pair of strong qualifying runs to open the final race weekend of the 2023 NHRA season, powering to the provisional No. 1 position for Tony Stewart Racing on Friday at the 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA …

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 21st race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the sixth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Hagan put together a run of 3.869s at 328.46mph in his Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat, moving into the No. 1 spot and putting him in line for his second top qualifier of the season and 51st in his career. Hagan, Bob Tasca III and Robert Hight entered the weekend separated by just 17 points as Hagan seeks his fourth career world title and the first for Tony Stewart Racing.

“This is what I worked for all year long – to be able to do this, go down that racetrack, and have a fast racecar underneath me,” Hagan said. “That’s what excites me and keeps me coming back every year. I keep crawling back in this racecar because I get to create these moments. I truly wake up every morning going damn this is my job and I get to do this, and I’m right here in this fight.

“I truly love pulling the helmet on and having an opponent that makes me rise to the occasion. I don’t care if it’s on me. For me, it’s turning it into something that’s exciting energy instead of nervous energy. It’s taken me a long time to learn how to do that as a competitor.”

Paul Lee took the second spot with a run of 3.875s at 322.58mph and Tasca is currently third thanks to his run of 3.880s at 336.99mph. Hight is fourth with a 3.898s.

In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence opened up what he hopes is a championship-winning weekend with a spectacular start, going 3.641s at 335.65mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. Should that hold, the four-time world champion would earn his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 38th in his career. More importantly, it’s a great way to kick off the weekend in what could be an incredible finish in the category. Torrence, Doug Kalitta and Leah Pruett are all within striking distance of each other heading into the weekend and each delivered standout runs during the second qualifying session under the lights. But it was Torrence who delivered the biggest, something he hopes is the sign for the rest of the weekend.

“That’s a huge boost for us,” Torrence said. “The last four, five, six races, the car has been really good and getting better. We took a year and developed what we’re doing, maybe a year and a half. We were always the car that ran well in mediocre, hot conditions and tricky racetracks but not powerful or strong enough to go 0.64s, 0.65s, 0.63s. It took a lot of time and effort to get there and I feel very confident that when conditions are like they are now, we’ve got one of the strongest cars if not the strongest.

“That’s big for me. Not that it boosts your head up, but it definitely gives you a mental confidence and somewhat of an advantage going into a round where, hey we’ve got to throw down and we can throw down more than they can. I would dare to say that I have the best racecar I’ve had in a long time, probably the quickest and fastest I’ve ever had. If not the best at the racetrack, one of the best.”

Kalitta is currently in second with a 3.671s at 336.99mph and Pruett’s 3.676s at 332.84mph puts her third.

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Looking to stay alive in the championship hunt, Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson made a stellar run to close out Friday, going 6.495s at 211.69mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. He entered the weekend trailing Erica Enders by 114 points, but closed the gap a little with two strong runs to open qualifying. Enders can still clinch the title on Saturday if she gains seven or more qualifying points than Anderson. If not, the championship would be decided the next day and Anderson hopes he can stay in the mix for at least a couple more days as both standouts race for their sixth world championship.

“The points deal is not exactly playing in my favor right now, but it’s like the old line from ‘Dumb and Dumber, ‘So you’re saying there’s a chance,’” Anderson said. “Until they tell me there’s not a chance, I’m not leaving. I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. I need to find a way to have a great run in qualifying and score bonus points and not lose bonus points to Erica. That would put her another round ahead and make it to where it’s locked up.

“That’s No. 1 goal, qualify ahead of her and not lose bonus points. Day one in the books, mission accomplished. We did great today, we did all we could do today. I’ve got all the confidence in the world that this team will do all we can possibly do. You just never know what’s going to happen. It’s not over until it’s over. We’re going to keep swinging until they tell us it’s over.”

Troy Coughlin’s 6.500s at 210.01mph puts him in the second spot, while Enders moved to third in the final session after going 6.500s at 210.31mph.

Gaige Herrera will clinch his first Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship on Saturday and enjoyed a strong Friday as well in Pomona, going to the provisional No. 1 spot on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with a run of 6.721s at 200.59mph. Should that hold, Herrera would extend his PSM single-season record with his 14th top spot in 15 races, one of the many examples of his dominance in 2023. Herrera will wrap up his world title at the conclusion of qualifying on Saturday on the strength of 10 wins during his record-setting season.

“It’s really starting to set in, what all has been accomplished,” Herrera said. “We’re basically wrapping up the championship tomorrow, and it’s a lot to take in. I was talking to a good friend of mine and he was like a year ago at this time, did you think you’d be in the position you’re in? That’s a definite no. Even though I joined one of the best teams out here, you can’t expect to have a season like this. It’s just, it’s remarkable. It’s incredible. I’m literally living the dream I had as a little kid and I’m just having fun with it. I don’t think it can get any better than this.

“I’m definitely thinking about the championship, but I’m not even nervous about this, I’m more worried about the banquet on Monday.”

Hector Arana Jr. is currently in the second spot after going 6.729s at 201.28mph and Eddie Krawiec, who is seeking his 50th career win, is third thanks to a 6.742s at 201.52mph.

Qualifying continues at 12:00 p.m. PT on Saturday at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.