At the Nhra Winternationals, the first day in Pomona felt like a test of speed and patience at the same time. Jordan Vandergriff and Alexis DeJoria set the pace in Funny Car, Josh Hart climbed to second in Top Fuel, and the crowd waited through delays, cleanup, and changing conditions that stretched the day deep into the evening.
What made the first day at Nhra Winternationals stand out?
The first day of qualifying showed how quickly the weekend could shift. In the opening round, much of the Funny Car and Top Fuel field smoked the tires, making the second chance on track even more important. Vandergriff responded with a 3. 951-second run at 327. 90 mph in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car, while DeJoria followed close behind with a 3. 989-second pass at 328. 30 mph in the Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car.
Hart took advantage of his second shot in the Speedmaster Top Fuel dragster, posting a 3. 733-second run at 336. 15 mph and holding the provisional top spot until Leah Pruett edged him by nine-thousandths of a second. For teams trying to recover from early trouble, the day was a reminder that one clean run could change everything.
How did the weather and delays shape the mood in Pomona?
The weekend carried the feel of a marathon. Rain on Sunday morning pushed the schedule back, and the day did not begin until 12: 30. Another delay followed after Tony Schumacher suffered a rear-end failure for the second straight day, leading to more than an hour of cleanup. The final round of the day did not end until 8 p. m. ET, just as the curfew arrived.
That long wait changed the rhythm in the pits and in the stands, but the fans stayed with it. The event also offered plenty to hold attention during the slow stretches: legends from the sport’s history were present, racers spent time with fans, interviews took place on the Nitro Stage, and Nitro Alley kept people moving among interactive displays and games. The presence of In-N-Out Burger added a familiar practical comfort to a long day at the track.
Why did Pomona matter so much to the drivers?
Vandergriff described the moment as new and meaningful. He said he had never been in that position before, but believed the team would perform well. He also called Pomona his home track and said it was where drag racing was introduced to him, adding that racing there with his family nearby felt surreal.
DeJoria focused on recovery after a rough first session. She said the opening round did not go well for the Funny Car class, but the second pass felt much better for her team, noting that the car ran straight down the strip. Hart, too, emphasized the value of a clean run and said the second spot put him in a strong position heading into the next day.
Beckman’s day carried a different kind of tension. In his second run, Todd Lesenko crossed the center line and pulled the parachutes directly in front of Beckman’s car. Beckman had already backed out after smoking the tires at 300 feet, which helped him avoid contact. The result left both runs disqualified and Beckman standing on his first qualifying effort for the 16th position.
What does the weekend show about the larger race?
The broader picture is one of close competition under changing conditions. The Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals have carried Southern California drama since 1961, and this weekend fit that pattern with tight racing, shifting weather, and long pauses that tested everyone’s patience. The event also marked another chapter in NHRA’s 75th anniversary celebration, with drag racing legends present throughout the grounds.
The schedule showed no sign of easing: Saturday’s qualifying sessions were set for 12: 30 and 3 p. m. PT, with Sunday eliminations slated for 11 a. m. PT. For teams near the top of the sheet, the challenge was to stay sharp. For fans, the challenge was simpler but no less real: wait it out and trust that the payoff would arrive on the track.
By evening, the scene in Pomona had changed from a day of uncertainty to one of settled anticipation. The crowds had stayed, the cars had delivered, and the Nhra Winternationals once again turned a long, weather-tested day into a story about resilience as much as speed.
