Stage Set to Crown Champions at 59th Annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona
With one race complete in the 2024 NHRA Countdown to the Champions playoffs, drivers are one step closer to the incredible championship setting at the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at famed In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip on Nov. 14-17.
The In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals marks the final event of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and will see champions crowned on drag racing’s biggest stage.
Will a new driver claim the title for the first time, or will a seasoned veteran take home another NHRA championship? One thing is for certain: It all comes down to Pomona.
Intensity will be at a fever pitch with a can’t-miss atmosphere leading up to the joys of championship glory at one of the most historic venues on the NHRA tour. Action at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip will include a pair of qualifying runs on both Friday and Saturday, leading into eliminations, where history will be made and champions will be crowned. Fans will get unparalleled access to the action as it all goes down to close out an incredible 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Chad Green (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won last year’s event, while Kalitta (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all clinched world titles in Pomona. The race will again be broadcast on FS1 to close the season in style, including eliminations at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 17.
The Top Fuel ranks is the tightest category amongst the professional divisions with only six points separating the top three. Justin Ashley leads the way, after collecting wins at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals as well as Charlotte and Brainerd. But just a point behind is three-time champion and Reading winner Antron Brown, who also earned wins in Chicago, Norwalk and Sonoma. Shawn Langdon, who is a mere six points back, earned early wins this year at the season opener in Gainesville and Phoenix and will be looking for his second Top Fuel world championship. Last year’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals saw a spectacular, winner-take-all final round between Kalitta and Leah Pruett, with Kalitta earning the win and his first world championship. The veteran is currently fourth in the standings after collecting wins in Las Vegas, Epping and Richmond.
Funny Car has seen six different winners this season but has been dominated by class newcomer Austin Prock. He has earned six wins this season, including the prestigious Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals and the first race of the playoffs in Reading. Bob Tasca III sits second and has three wins to his credit this year from Las Vegas, Norwalk and Sonoma. Third place is held by Jack Beckman, who has stepped in for sixteen-time champion John Force, while other championship hopefuls in the loaded category include former champion J.R. Todd, who won the season opener in Gainesville, defending world champ Hagan and three-time world champ Ron Capps.
Competition in Pro Stock continues to be a battle of the powerhouse teams of Elite Motorsports and KB Titan Racing. Leading the points is standout Stanfield, who is on the hunt for his first professional championship for Elite Motorsports. He has five wins this season, including Reading to kick off the playoffs. Just nine points back is Dallas Glenn from the KB Titan camp. Glenn has three wins this year and has been in the top three all season. Reigning and six-time champion Enders is third, while five-time champion and the flagship driver for KB Titan, Greg Anderson, is fourth thanks to his wins at Phoenix and Charlotte.
The Pro Stock Motorcycle field has continued to be dominated by reigning champion Herrera. Herrera has seven wins on the season, including most recently in Indy. Only three other drivers have claimed wins this season: 2023 Rookie of the Year Chase Van Sant, who won in Seattle, six-time champion Matt Smith, who picked up a win in Sonoma, and Hector Arana Jr., who has the most recent winner on tour in Reading. Herrera current leads Smith by 17 points, with Gadson and Arana Jr. close behind.
This year’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals also features a can’t-miss experience for racing and car enthusiasts alike. The Top Eliminator Club offers the best seats in the house, a premium experience and a number of exclusive benefits at one of the biggest races of the season.
In Pomona, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will feature two qualifying rounds at 1 and 3:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 15, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, Nov. 17. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday and then eliminations on FS1 at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday.
To purchase tickets to the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. Included in the premium experience by purchasing Top Eliminator Club tickets is a members-only hospitality center, complimentary food and beverages, members-only souvenir store, exclusive drivers appearances, a gift bag, a premium view of the staging lanes and much more.
For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
This story was originally published on September 18, 2024.
The post Stage Set to Crown Champions at 59th Annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
