In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip

The Pomona Raceway (currently named the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, previously named the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona),[2] is a racing facility located in Pomona, California that features a quarter-mile dragstrip. Since its opening in 1961, the dragstrip has hosted the NHRA's Winternationals event – the traditional season opener – and since 2021, the season's last race, the NHRA Finals. These two events have contributed to its becoming perhaps one of the most famous dragstrips in North America. The facility has a seating capacity of 40,000 spectators, and it is one of the few dragstrips in the USA that is operated directly by the NHRA. This dragstrip has also gone by the nickname of The Fairplex, in reference to its location at the Fairplex, formerly called the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds.

In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip
"Pomona Raceway"
Auto Club Raceway, 2008
Location2780 Fairplex Drive, Pomona, California
Time zoneUMT -0800
Coordinates34°05′42.32″N 117°46′11.15″W / 34.0950889°N 117.7697639°W / 34.0950889; -117.7697639
Capacity40,000
OperatorNHRA
Opened1951 [1]
Former names
  • Pomona Raceway
  • The Fairplex
  • Ascot at Pomona
  • Los Angeles Dragstrip
  • Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Major eventsNHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals
In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals
Websitehttp://www.autoclubracewaypomona.com
Drag Strip
SurfaceConcrete
Length0.25 miles (0.402 km)

History

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Drag Racing

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In 1952, a car club known as the "Choppers of Pomona" aided by a young police officer, Sergeant Bud Coons, advocated that a safe place should be provided for local area drag racers. Coons, along with fellow hot rod enthusiast, Pomona Police Chief Ralph Parker, and the city government of Pomona asked to lease the parking lot of the LA County Fairgrounds. Coons and Parker were instrumental in convincing the county to allow the use of the fairgrounds for the race by citing statistics that indicated deaths among kids declined sharply when given a supervised place to race. The county finally agreed, as long as the hot rodders would provide their own insurance, which they were able to do with gate receipts.[3]

At the time the county made the agreement, the parking lot was nothing but a gravel lot. The coalition of hot rodders, police and community leaders raised funds through donations and paved the lot. This was the birth of the dragstrip in Pomona.

Though it was not considered a national event by today's standards, the very first NHRA event, the Southern California Championships, was held at this dragstrip on an April weekend in 1953. On Saturday, attendance was at two or three thousand and attendance was reported to be at 15,000 on Sunday. Compared to the 3.9 second numbers (at 333 yd 1 ft (304.80 m) the pros are putting on the board presently, the best ET of that day was a respectable 10.93.[4]

In 1961, NHRA held its first ever Winternationals at the Pomona Raceway. It became NHRA's second national event. The first NHRA national event was the U.S. Nationals, which was nicknamed the "Big-Go". Thus, the Winternationals got nicknamed the "Big-Go West". It has remained at this location ever since. For many years, this event was sponsored by Chief Auto Parts and later its successor AutoZone, but later was sponsored by CSK Automotive, and now its current successor, O'Reilly Auto Parts.

2008 saw Top fuel & funny car races be reduced to the present 1000 feet.

The season closer, the NHRA Finals, was brought to the facility in 1984 from the now defunct Orange County International Raceway. When the event was first brought to Pomona, the event was sponsored by Winston (after NHRA's main title sponsor at the time, RJ Reynolds' "Winston" cigarette brand). From 2010 to 2019, and again from 2021 to 2022, the event was sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, which is affiliated with AAA. The 2020 event was sponsored by Stellantis and Royal Dutch Shell when it was held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway because Clark County, Nevada allowed spectators when California still banned mass gatherings because of the global pandemic. Beginning in 2023, In-N-Out Burger will become naming rights sponsor for both the circuit and the NHRA Finals.[5]

Other Racing

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From 1934 to 1937 a 12 mile dirt oval was located at the facility.[6] The dirt oval was once again opened in the 1950s but closed in 1959. Pomona was also home to a 1.7 mile paved road course which operated in 1998 and 1999. From 1956 to 1961, a 2-mile temporary road course was located in the parking lot.[7]

Winners

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NHRA Winternationals

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Year Top Fuel Funny Car Pro Stock
1961 Jack Chrisman
1962 Jim Nelson
1963 Don Garlits
1964 Jack Williams
1965 Don Prudhomme
1966 Mike Snively
1967 Connie Kalitta
1968 James Warren
1969 John Mulligan
1970 Larry Dixon Larry Reyes
1971 Don Garlits Butch Maas
1972 Carl Olson Ed McCulloch
1973 Don Garlits Don Schumacher
1974 Gary Beck Dale Emery
1975 Don Garlits Don Prudhomme
1976 Frank Bradley Don Prudhomme
1977 Jerry Ruth Don Prudhomme
1978 Kelly Brown Don Prudhomme
1979 Bob Noice Tom Hoover
1980 Shirley Muldowney Dale Pulde
1981 Jeb Allen Al Segrini
1982 Dick LaHaie Al Segrini Frank Iaconio
1983 Shirley Muldowney Frank Hawley Frank Iaconio
1984 Gary Ormsby Al Segrini Lee Shepherd
1985 Joe Amato Al Segrini Bob Glidden
1986 Darrell Gwynn Tim Grose Frank Iaconio
1987 Don Garlits Kenny Bernstein Warren Johnson
1988 Dick LaHaie Dale Pulde Butch Leal
1989 Gary Ormsby Bruce Larson Bob Glidden
1990 Lori Johns K.C. Spurlock Jerry Eckman
1991 Frank Bradley John Force Darrell Alderman
1992 Kenny Bernstein Jim Epler Jerry Eckman
1993 Joe Amato John Force Warren Johnson
1994 Shelly Anderson K.C. Spurlock Warren Johnson
1995 Eddie Hill Cruz Pedregon Darrell Alderman
1996 Blaine Johnson Al Hofmann Jim Yates
1997 Gary Scelzi John Force Warren Johnson
1998 Larry Dixon Ronn Capps Jim Yates
1999 Mike Dunn Tony Pedregon Jeg Coughlin
2000 Gary Scelzi Jerry Toliver Jeg Coughlin Jr.
2001 Darrell Russell Bruce Sarver Kurt Johnson
2002 Larry Dixon John Force George Marnell
2003 Larry Dixon Tony Pedregon Warren Johnson
2004 Tony Schumacher Jerry Toliver Greg Anderson
2005 Scott Kalitta Tommy Johnson Jr. Dave Connolly
2006 Melanie Troxel Robert Hight Greg Anderson
2007 J.R. Todd Gary Scelzi Greg Anderson
2008 Tony Schumacher Robert Hight Greg Anderson
2009 Doug Kalitta Ron Capps Jason Line
2010 Larry Dixon John Force Mike Edwards
2011 Morgan Lucas Robert Hight Jason Line
2012 Spencer Massey John Force Greg Anderson
2013 Shawn Langdon Courtney Force Vincent Nobile
2014 Khalid alBalooshi John Force Jason Line
2015 Shawn Langdon Matt Hagan Jason Line
2016 Steve Torrence Ron Capps Greg Anderson
2017 Leah Pritchett Matt Hagan Jason Line
2018 Doug Kalitta Matt Hagan Bo Butner
2019 Doug Kalitta Robert Hight Bo Butner
2020 Doug Kalitta Jack Beckman Jeg Coughlin Jr.
2021 Leah Pruett Ron Capps Aaron Stanfield
2022 Justin Ashley Robert Hight Erica Enders
2023 Justin Ashley Matt Hagan Dallas Glenn
2024 Abandoned after semifinals

Note: In 2021 The race was postponed due to COVID-19 until July 30 - August 1, 2021.

NHRA Finals

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Year Venue Top Fuel Funny Car Pro Stock
1965 Tulsa Maynard Rupp
1966 Tulsa Pete Robinson
1967 Tulsa Connie Kalitta Don Nicholson
1968 Tulsa Don Prudhomme Ed Schartman
1969 Lewisville L. Goldstein Dick Harrell
1970 Lewisville Ron Martin Gene Snow
1971 Amarillo Gerry Glenn P. Castronovo
1972 Amarillo Jim Walther L. Fullerton
1973 Amarillo Jerry Ruth Frank Hall
1974 Ontario Don Garlits Dave Condit
1975 Ontario Don Garlits Don Prudhomme
1976 Ontario Shirley Muldowney Don Prudhomme
1977 Ontario Dennis Baca Gordie Bonin
1978 Ontario Rob Bruins Raymond Beadle
1979 Ontario Don Garlits Gordie Bonin
1980 Ontario Shirley Muldowney Ron Colson
1981 East Irvine Gary Beck Jim Dunn
1982 East Irvine Jim Barnard Trip Shumake
1983 East Irvine Shirley Muldowney John Lombardo
1984 Pomona Don Garlits Sherm Gunn Bob Glidden
1985 Pomona Gary Beck Kenny Bernstein Joe Lepone
1986 Pomona Darrell Gwynn Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden
1987 Pomona Darrell Gwynn Billy Meyer Bob Glidden
1988 Pomona Darrell Gwynn John Force Warren Johnson
1989 Pomona Gary Ormsby Bruce Larson Bob Glidden
1990 Pomona Joe Amato Ed McCulloch Bob Glidden
1991 Pomona Pat Austin Al Hofmann Darrell Alderman
1992 Pomona Cory McClenathan Chuck Etchells Warren Johnson
1993 Pomona Rance McDaniel Jim Epler Warren Johnson
1994 Pomona Kenny Bernstein John Force Darrell Alderman
1995 Pomona Blaine Johnson Al Hofmann Warren Johnson
1996 Pomona Joe Amato John Force Mike Edwards
1997 Pomona Joe Amato Tony Pedregon Kurt Johnson
1998 Pomona Kenny Bernstein Chuck Etchells Richie Stevens
1999 Pomona Mike Dunn Jerry Toliver Jeg Coughlin Jr
2000 Pomona Gary Scelzi John Force Kurt Johnson
2001 Pomona Kenny Bernstein Del Worsham Bruce Allen
2002 Pomona Cory McClenathan John Force Kurt Johnson
2003 Pomona Kenny Bernstein Del Worsham Greg Anderson
2004 Pomona Tony Schumacher John Force Greg Anderson
2005 Pomona Tony Schumacher Tony Pedregon Jeg Coughlin Jr
2006 Pomona Tony Schumacher John Force Greg Anderson
2007 Pomona Tony Schumacher Robert Hight Jeg Coughlin Jr
2008 Pomona Larry Dixon Cruz Pedregon Greg Anderson
2009 Pomona Antron Brown Mike Neff Greg Anderson
2010 Pomona Antron Brown John Force Shane Gray
2011 Pomona Del Worsham Matt Hagan Greg Stanfield
2012 Pomona Brandon Bernstein Cruz Pedregon Allen Johnson
2013 Pomona Shawn Langdon Matt Hagan Rickie Jones
2014 Pomona Morgan Lucas Matt Hagan Erica Enders-Stevens
2015 Pomona Shawn Langdon Del Worsham Allen Johnson
2016 Pomona Doug Kalitta Tommy Johnson Jr. Greg Anderson
2017 Pomona Brittany Force Tommy Johnson Jr. Bo Butner
2018 Pomona Steve Torrence J.R. Todd Tanner Gray
2019 Pomona Doug Kalitta Jack Beckman Jeg Coughlin Jr.
2020 Las Vegas Antron Brown Matt Hagan Erica Enders
2021 Pomona Steve Torrence Bob Tasca III Greg Anderson
2022 Pomona Austin Prock Cruz Pedregon Greg Anderson
2023 Pomona Doug Kalitta Chad Green Aaron Stanfield

NOTE: The Finals has been held in the Southwest area from 1965 to 1973, the Los Angeles metropolitan area from 1974 to 2019, and again since 2021, and Las Vegas in 2020.

References

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  1. ^ "Na-Motorsports Track Entry". NA Motorsports. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  2. ^ Festival tickets for In-N-Out's 75th anniversary event sold out, 2023, retrieved 20 October 2023
  3. ^ "Need for a safe place to speed: Pomona's hot rod history began with police". Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  4. ^ *Post, Robert C. (1996). High Performance: The Culture and Technology of Drag Racing 1950-1990. Baltimore Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-4654-4.
  5. ^ "In-N-Out Burger named title sponsor of In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip and In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals". NHRA.com. NHRA. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  6. ^ "Na-Motorsports Track Entry". NA Motorsports. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  7. ^ "Na-Motorsports Track Entry". NA Motorsports. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
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