Snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains greeted NHRA drag racing fans to In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals; but this year as the third race in the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.
Featured as part of Saturday’s qualifying rounds at two-wide tracks, the Mission #2Fast2Tasty hosts redemption rounds for the previous weekend's semifinalists. At Pomona, Justin Ashley claimed the overall victory along with the Number One Qualifier in Top Fuel by posting a 3.707-second elapsed time.
There was also plenty of excitement in Funny Car qualifying as the winningest driver (155 wins) in NHRA history John Force tangled with J.R. Todd in a strange crash coming between the DHL Funny Car and the outside wall. Both drivers walked away and Cruz Pedregon’s Friday-run held up for his 63rd Number One Qualifier hat.
Matt Hartford had a great day on Saturday after finishing second in qualifying. The GETTRX driver earned three bonus points for the Countdown to Championship by beating Phoenix Pro Stock winner Camrie Caruso. Caruso was the 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year and garnered his second career Number One Qualifier.
Justin Ashley Makes It Two in a Row in NHRA Top Fuel
Justin Ashley is having a stellar 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing season. After being eliminated by Mike Salinas in Round One at Gainesville Raceway, the driver of the Phillips Connect Top Fuel dragster is on roll. Ashley got revenge with a first round victory over Salinas enroute to winning the Arizona Nationals. After eliminating Krista Baldwin and a second-round bye, Ashley posted a 3.743 ET to beat Antron Brown’s 3.749 elapsed time and advance to the Pomona final.
Austin Prock was the Number Twelve qualifier but put his nose to the grindstone with victories over a trio of top drivers including Leah Pruett, Steve Torrence and Brittany Force. When the green light flashed, Ashley left no room for doubt and proved the Phillips Connect team is a force in 2023. He nailed the holeshot and proved his team had all of the 11,000 horsepower hooked up to a tricky Pomona track with a quick 3.713-second elapsed time.
Matt Hagan Claims Second Win at Pomona Dragstrip
After posting the fastest time in qualifying and putting John Force on the trailer in Round One, Cruz Pedregon butted heads with defending NHRA Camping World 2022 world champion Ron Capps. Capps claimed victories over Paul Lee, Pedregon and Bob Tasca III enroute to a final matchup with Gatornationals winner Matt Hagan.
Hagan barely managed a top 10 spot in qualifying at the stubborn Pomona dragstrip but caught fire during eliminations and posted wins over Blake Alexander, Alexis Dejoria and Terry Haddock. In the Top Fuel final, the driver of the Tony Stewart Racing Funny Car proved he meant business with a .032 reaction time followed by a 3.967 elapsed time at 328.06 mph. It was Hagan’s second Wally of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.
Dallas Green Tops Pro Stock at 63rd Winternationals
With everyone’s eyes on Camrie Caruso and Matt Hartford battling for Countdown to the Championship bonus points during Saturday’s final qualifying round at the second Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Dallas Green and his RAD Torque Systems Funny Car team were going about business by qualifying fourth behind Number One qualifier Camrie Caruso and Number Two qualifier (and Pomona redemption race winner) Matt Hartford.
Glenn eliminated Chris McGaha in a close Round One matchup before posting victories over Bo Butner III and Winternationals Pro Stock winner Camrie Caruso. The final would prove worthy of side-by-side racing at the legendary In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Hartford nailed the tree with a .016 RT but just a tick ahead of Glenn’s .025 RT. However, on Sunday at the Winternationals, Glenn wouldn’t be denied. He might have been slower off the line and at the finish, but his quicker 6.546 ET earned him his first Wally of the season.
UP COMING:
NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 14th through 16th at The Strip for the first of two 4-wide drag racing events. Odds are good that fans will see thrilling side-by-side-by-side-by-side racing for the Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock categories.
