As NHRA’s Mission Foods Drag Racing Series trucks travel through a time-zone change (Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time), teams will have to consider weather once they arrive at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip outside Los Angeles. The 65th Lucas Oil Winternationals will have cooler weather next to the hills that rise from the LA valleys and some clouds to deal with, too. It’ll be a big change from the heat at the Valley of the Sun outside Phoenix.
In addition to four qualifying sessions and four rounds of eliminations in Mission Foods competition, there’s also the prospect of doing a double-up, a feat Top Fuel 2013 champion Shawn Langdon performed superbly during last weekend’s 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals. Langdon, racing with Kalitta Motorsports backing, won both the initial 2025 Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and out-performed 2023 champ – and teammate – Doug Kalitta in his class’ eliminations battle. The Mira Loma, CA native returns to his “home” track with momentum oozing. He was scheduled to join the LGPA Pro-Am tournament at Wild Horse Pass on Wednesday before coming back to California, paired for the 18 holes with two pro golfers.
There’s also the matter of the Right Trailers All-Star Top Fuel Callout, rained out in Gainesville, FL when NHRA began its 2025 campaign in early March. While the top eight combatants chose their marks in this bonus race, they never had the opportunity to battle for the bucks involved. That means the initial round takes place before the first Top Fuel time trials, with the semifinals just before Pro Stock gets their second round of qualifying. The finals of this event are scheduled during the second Top Fuel qualifying round. The Callout’s first round sees Steve Torrence racing Tony Stewart, Doug Kalitta facing Clay Millican, Shawn Langdon against Antron Brown and Justin Ashley vs Brittany Force.
The Top Fuel field is light again this week, with 15 on the entry list. We’ll see if that number is inflated or not once teams arrive in Pomona. In addition to the great eight in the Right Trailers Callout, look to see Rob Wendland-tuned Shawn Reed, Travis Shumake making his second start of the season, JCM’s Ida Zetterstrom, Josh Hart, Jasmine Salinas, Steven Chrisman and Scott Palmer. Reed, who won the pre-season PRO Superstar Shootout, has come back down to earth in the first two races, with two mid-pack qualifying results and two first-round departures. “I reminded the guys,” he said, “that this is a marathon and not a sprint.” Wise words.
All three classes will partake in the 13-race Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Pomona, with semifinalists vying for the money and points in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock. That means another race between Doug Kalitta and Jasmine Salinas in Top Fuel, along with Langdon vs Brittany Force. Funny Car’s Challenge field is Paul Lee’s Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat against Bob Tasca III’s Ford Mustang, with John Force Racing’s Austin Prock taking on his teammate Jack Beckman, both driving Chevrolet Camaros. In Pto Sock Phoenix victor Greg Anderson races Aaron Sanfield, while Dallas Glenn competes against squamate Matt Hartford.
In Funny Car, a 20-car field is ready to race for eliminations glory and bonus bucks over these upcoming three days. In addition to the Saturday bonus race combatants, look for Daniel Wilkerson’s Ford Mustang, J.R. Todd’s Toyota GR Supra, two-time class winner Chad Green’s Mustang, four-time champion Matt Hagan’s Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, three-time champ Ron Capps with a new Toyota GR Supra to replace the one destroyed in Sunday’s first Phoenix round, two-time champ Cruz Pedregon’s Dodge Charger, Terry Haddock’s and Dave Richards’ Mustangs, Blake Alexander’s and Buddy Hull’s Dodges – look for the 75th anniversary wrap on Hull’s Jim Dunn MoonEyes Dodge – Spencer Hyde in Jim Head’s Mustang, Steven Densham in a Mustang, Jeff Diehl’s Camry, Jason Rupert’s Mustang, along with Alexis DeJoria’s Charger and Bobby Bode’s Toyota GR Supra.
That’s an impressive field for this race, with plenty of local talent in the mix. One local, Ron Capps, is in the midst of recovering from a huge accident in Sunday’s first round at Phoenix, where he launched from the right lane, had an engine explosion before the final timing beams, crossed the centerline and crashed into the left retaining wall. Incredibly, Capps climbed from his Supra and, while shaken up, was able to return to the pits and eventually to his Carlsbad home. “As a single-car team, it’s not easy, but to get the amount of support we got during the week with people offering to help, you can’t explain how cool that is.” His Dean “Guido” Antonelli-led squad had a backup Toyota available should he have needed it and now they’re prepping a third car for the Winternationals and the Las Vegas 4-Wide Nationals, scheduled in two weeks.
Pro Stock seems to go in cycles. Some years it’s all Elite Motorsports; others belong to KB Titan Racing. Since last year’s NHRA Finals at the Pomona track and through the first two races of the 2025 campaign, it’s been a KB Titan rampage. Greg Anderson vs Dallas Glenn. Again and again. Over and over. This duo stands atop the points standings after meeting one another three times in succession in final rounds during this trio of points-paying races. They’ll be working to vanquish one another again this weekend, with 19 other drivers hoping to take over from this duo.
Glenn, the NHRA’s 2021 Rookie of the Year has had a hot right foot since he began racing in Pro Stock. You don’t get awards of this nature without being a badass driver. On Friday morning before racing begins in Pomona, Glenn and wife Sadie – also a racer and a public relations pro – will talk with fans about their journey to this point and their plans going forward (10:30am). Glenn was the winner of the Winternationals last March and is intent on winning again – if he can get past Anderson.
Recall that when Erica Enders won her 6th title two years ago, she was plenty slow out of the gate. Don’t sell her short as she – along with the rest of the Elite Motorsports moldering group of racers – aren’t sitting still at all! Greg Stanfield qualified well in Phoenix and son Aaron is always strong. Jeg Coughlin Jr, Cristian Cuadra (driving a Mustang-bodied car), PRO Superstar Shootout winner Troy Coughlin Jr., Cody Coughlin are hoping to stop the KB attack, or at least stop the bleeding. They’ll have a tough time, with Phoenix No. 1 qualifier Matt Hartford, Deric Kramer, Cory Reed, Eric and Matthew Latino, Chris and Mason McGaha, Camrie Caruso, Brandon Foster, Kenny Delco and Joey Grose all hopping to make the field and put some of the big-team stars on the truck before Sunday.
Justin Ashley in Top Fuel, John Force in Funny Car and Dallas Glenn were the winners of the 64th Lucas Oil Winternationals in 2024. Ashley’s had an exceptionally slow start to his season while Force has relinquished his Chevy Camaro SS seat to Jack Beckman as he recovers from his June 2024 injuries at Richmond. Glenn, of course, has been in the Winner’s Circle in one of the last three events and been runner-up in the other two.
Beyond the Mission Foods professionals, the Pomona track will be packed with Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car competitors, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman, Legends Nitro Series competitors and the always-fun Hot Rod Junction Cacklefest occurring during this race weekend. As mentioned at the start of this story, the weather will be much different from both Gainesville and Phoenix, with cool, likely partly overcast skies in qualifying and a sunny Sunday welcoming NHRA to its ancestral home. All broadcasts are airing originally on FS1 with replays on FS2.
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