Auto Club Raceway at Pomona


Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, also known as Pomona Raceway, 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 1984, 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.

History

Drag Racing

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 place to race that was supervised. The county finally agreed, as long as the hot rodders would provide their own insurance, which they were able to do with gate receipts.
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 drag strip 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 4.5 second numbers the pros are putting on the board presently, the best ET of that day was a respectable 10.93.
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.
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. As of 2010, the event is sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, which is affiliated with AAA.

Other Racing

From 1934 to 1937 a 1/2 mile dirt oval was located at the facility. 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 2 mile temporary road course was located in the parking lot.

Winners

NHRA Winternationals

YearTop FuelFunny CarPro Stock
1961Jack Chrisman
1962Jim Nelson
1963Don Garlits
1964Jack Williams
1965Don Prudhomme
1966Mike Snively
1967Connie Kalitta
1968James Warren
1969John Mulligan
1970Larry DixonLarry Reyes
1971Don GarlitsButch Maas
1972Carl OlsonEd McCulloch
1973Don GarlitsDon Schumacher
1974Gary BeckDale Emery
1975Don GarlitsDon Prudhomme
1976Frank BradleyDon Prudhomme
1977Jerry RuthDon Prudhomme
1978Kelly BrownDon Prudhomme
1979Bob NoiceTom Hoover
1980Shirley MuldowneyDale Pulde
1981Jeb AllenAl Segrini
1982Dick LaHaieAl SegriniFrank Iaconio
1983Shirley MuldowneyFrank HawleyFrank Iaconio
1984Gary OrmsbyAl SegriniLee Shepherd
1985Joe AmatoAl SegriniBob Glidden
1986Darrell GwynnTim GroseFrank Iaconio
1987Don GarlitsKenny BernsteinWarren Johnson
1988Dick LaHaieDale PuldeButch Leal
1989Gary OrmsbyBruce LarsonBob Glidden
1990Lori JohnsK.C. SpurlockJerry Eckman
1991Frank BradleyJohn ForceDarrell Alderman
1992Kenny BernsteinJim EplerJerry Eckman
1993Joe AmatoJohn ForceWarren Johnson
1994Shelly AndersonK.C. SpurlockWarren Johnson
1995Eddie HillCruz PedregonDarrell Alderman
1996Blaine JohnsonAl HofmannJim Yates
1997Gary ScelziJohn ForceWarren Johnson
1998Larry DixonRonn CappsJim Yates
1999Mike DunnTony PedregonJeg Coughlin
2000Gary ScelziJerry ToliverJeg Coughlin Jr.
2001Darrell RussellBruce SarverKurt Johnson
2002Larry DixonJohn ForceGeorge Marnell
2003Larry DixonTony PedregonWarren Johnson
2004Tony SchumacherJerry ToliverGreg Anderson
2005Scott KalittaTommy Johnson Jr.Dave Connolly
2006Melanie TroxelRobert HightGreg Anderson
2007J.R. ToddGary ScelziGreg Anderson
2008Tony SchumacherRobert HightGreg Anderson
2009Doug KalittaRon CappsJason Line
2010Larry DixonJohn ForceMike Edwards
2011Morgan LucasRobert HightJason Line
2012Spencer MasseyJohn ForceGreg Anderson
2013Shawn LangdonCourtney ForceVincent Nobile
2014Khalid alBalooshiJohn ForceJason Line
2015Shawn LangdonMatt HaganJason Line
2016Steve TorrenceRon CappsGreg Anderson
2017Leah PritchettMatt HaganJason Line
2018Doug KalittaMatt HaganBo Butner
2019Doug KalittaRobert HightBo Butner
2020Doug KalittaJack BeckmanJeg Coughlin Jr.

NHRA Finals

YearTop FuelFunny CarPro Stock
1965Maynard Rupp
1966Pete Robinson
1967Connie KalittaDon Nicholson
1968Don PrudhommeEd Schartman
1969L. GoldsteinDick Harrell
1970Ron MartinGene Snow
1971Gerry GlennP. Castronovo
1972Jim WaltherL. Fullerton
1973Jerry RuthFrank Hall
1974Don GarlitsDave Condit
1975Don GarlitsDon Prudhomme
1976Shirley MuldowneyDon Prudhomme
1977Dennis BacaGordie Bonin
1978Rob BruinsRaymond Beadle
1979Don GarlitsGordie Bonin
1980Shirley MuldowneyRon Colson
1981Gary BeckJim Dunn
1982Jim BarnardTrip Shumake
1983Shirley MuldowneyJohn Lombardo
1984Don GarlitsSherm GunnBob Glidden
1985Gary BeckKenny BernsteinJoe Lepone
1986Darrell GwynnKenny BernsteinBob Glidden
1987Darrell GwynnBilly MeyerBob Glidden
1988Darrell GwynnJohn ForceWarren Johnson
1989Gary OrmsbyBruce LarsonBob Glidden
1990Joe AmatoEd McCullochBob Glidden
1991Pat AustinAl HofmannDarrell Alderman
1992Cory McClenathanChuck EtchellsWarren Johnson
1993Rance McDanielJim EplerWarren Johnson
1994Kenny BernsteinJohn ForceDarrell Alderman
1995Blaine JohnsonAl HofmannWarren Johnson
1996Joe AmatoJohn ForceMike Edwards
1997Joe AmatoTony PedregonKurt Johnson
1998Kenny BernsteinChuck EtchellsRichie Stevens
1999Mike DunnJerry ToliverJeg Coughlin Jr
2000Gary ScelziJohn ForceKurt Johnson
2001Kenny BernsteinDel WorshamBruce Allen
2002Cory McClenathanJohn ForceKurt Johnson
2003Kenny BernsteinDel WorshamGreg Anderson
2004Tony SchumacherJohn ForceGreg Anderson
2005Tony SchumacherTony PedregonJeg Coughlin Jr
2006Tony SchumacherJohn ForceGreg Anderson
2007Tony SchumacherRobert HightJeg Coughlin Jr
2008Larry DixonCruz PedregonGreg Anderson
2009Antron BrownMike NeffGreg Anderson
2010Antron BrownJohn ForceShane Gray
2011Del WorshamMatt HaganGreg Stanfield
2012Brandon BernsteinCruz PedregonAllen Johnson
2013Shawn LangdonMatt HaganRickie Jones
2014Morgan LucasMatt HaganErica Enders-Stevens
2015Shawn LangdonDel WorshamAllen Johnson
2016Doug KalittaTommy Johnson Jr.Greg Anderson
2017Brittany ForceTommy Johnson Jr.Bo Butner
2018Steve TorrenceJ.R. ToddTanner Gray
2019Doug KalittaJack BeckmanJeg Coughlin Jr.