NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals Saturday preview

Two qualifying sessions are scheduled for Saturday to set the fields for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, and Pomona race fans will get to enjoy the 2024 debut of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty program in those sessions.
22 Mar 2024
Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
Race coverage
Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals

Weather permitting,, two qualifying sessions are scheduled for Saturday to set the fields for Sunday’s final eliminations at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, and Pomona race fans will get to enjoy the 2024 debut of the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty program in those sessions.

The special program, which debuted last season, puts the semifinalists from the previous event in a series of rematches for points and cash. Contestants at Pomona each reached the final four at the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

Top Fuel winner Shawn Langdon will face off again against Antron Brown while runner-up Billy Torrence will rematch with his son, Steve. The Torrenes sit in the Nos. 1 and 2 spots in the Top Fuel field heading into Saturday,

In Funny Car, Gators champ J.R. Todd will line up against Bob Tasca III while event runner-up Austin Prock will face off wit Chad Green, who won the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals here to end last season.

Pro Stock winner Erica Enders will take on arch-rival Greg Anderson in a rematch of their Gainesville semifinal while runner-up Cristian Cuadra goes against defending Winternationals champ Dallas Glenn. Enders ended Friday as the No. 1 qualifier in the class.

2023 WINTERNATIONALS WINNERS
Justin Ashley, Top Fuel; Matt Hagan, Funny Car; Dallas Glenn, Pro Stock

MOST EVENT VICTORIES
Don Garlits, 6, TF; Doug Kalitta, 4, TF (active driver); John Force, 7, FC; Bob Glidden, 7, PS; Greg Anderson, 6, PS (active driver).

TRACK RECORDS
Top Fuel - 3.628 seconds by Clay Millican, Feb. '18; 338.94 mph by Brittany Force, Nov., ‘22.
Funny Car - 3.822 seconds by Matt Hagan, Feb. '17; 337.33 mph by Ron Capps, Nov. '22
Pro Stock - 6.480 seconds by Erica Enders, Nov. '14; 213.84 mph by Drew Skillman, Nov. '15.

NATIONAL RECORDS
Top Fuel - 3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sept. ‘19, Reading, Pa.; 338.94 mph by Brittany Force, Nov. ‘22, Pomona, Calif.
Funny Car - 3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. '17, Brainerd, Minn.; 339.87 mph by Robert Hight, July ’17, Sonoma, Calif.
Pro Stock - 6.450 sec. by Erica Enders, Mar. ’22, Gainesville, Fla.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ’14, Englishtown N.J.

SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 23
Lucas Oil Series eliminations at 8:30 a.m.
Top Alcohol qualifying at 10:15 a.m. and eliminations TAD at 1:30 p.m. and TAFC at 4 p.m.
Factory Stock Showdown qualifying at 11 a.m. and eliminations 4:30 p.m.
Pro Stock qualifying at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying at noon and 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 24
Pre-race ceremonies, 9:45 a.m.
Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION
Saturday, March 23: FS1 will televise one and half hour of qualifying highlights at 9:30 p.m. (ET)
Sunday, March 24: FS1 will televise one and half hour of qualifying highlights at 12:30 p.m. (ET)
Sunday, March 24: FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage at 7 p.m. (ET)