The Pomona Raceway (currently named the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, previously named the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona) 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 2021, 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 is one of the few dragstrips in the USA operated directly by the NHRA. The 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 showing that deaths among kids declined sharply when they were given a supervised place to race. The county finally agreed, as long as the hot rodders provided their own insurance, which they could cover 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 the dragstrip on an April weekend in 1953. On Saturday, attendance was 2,000 to 3,000; on Sunday, it was reported as 15,000. Compared to the 3.9-second numbers (at the pros are putting on the board presently, the best ET of that day was a respectable 10.93.

NHRA Winternationals

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, then by CSK Automotive, and now by its current successor, O'Reilly Auto Parts.

2008 saw Top Fuel & Funny Car races be reduced to the present 1000 feet.

From 2021 to present, the race has been held in late March or early April, after the Gainesville round. The 2021 race was later postponed to July-August in order to allow spectators.

NHRA Finals

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, it was sponsored by Winston (after NHRA's main title sponsor at the time, RJ Reynolds' "Winston" cigarette brand). From 2010 to 2019, and again from 2021 to 2022, the event was sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, which is affiliated with AAA. The 2020 event was sponsored by Stellantis and Royal Dutch Shell when it was held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway because Clark County, Nevada, allowed spectators when California still banned mass gatherings because of the global pandemic. Beginning in 2023, In-N-Out Burger became the naming rights sponsor for both the circuit and the NHRA Finals.

In November 2025, due to adverse weather, NHRA canceled the race, and only the lower-level Sportsman classes were held. The two Top Alcohol classes were abandoned after the first round, and no professional categories were held.

Other racing From 1934 to 1937 a 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, a 2-mile temporary road course was located in the parking lot.

Winners

NHRA Winternationals

NHRA Finals Year Venue Top Fuel Funny Car Pro Stock Pro Stock Motorcycle 1965 Tulsa Maynard Rupp 1966 Tulsa Pete Robinson 1967 Tulsa Connie Kalitta Don Nicholson 1968 Tulsa Don Prudhomme Ed Schartman 1969 Lewisville L. Goldstein Dick Harrell 1970 Lewisville Ron Martin Gene Snow 1971 Amarillo Gerry Glenn P. Castronovo 1972 Amarillo Jim Walther L. Fullerton 1973 Amarillo Jerry Ruth Frank Hall 1974 Ontario Don Garlits Dave Condit Bob Glidden 1975 Ontario Don Garlits Don Prudhomme Bob Glidden 1976 Ontario Shirley Muldowney Don Prudhomme Wally Booth 1977 Ontario Dennis Baca Gordie Bonin Bob Glidden 1978 Ontario Rob Bruins Raymond Beadle Bob Glidden 1979 Ontario Don Garlits Gordie Bonin Bob Glidden 1980 Ontario Shirley Muldowney Ron Colson Bob Glidden 1981 East Irvine Gary Beck Jim Dunn Lee Shepherd 1982 East Irvine Jim Barnard Tripp Shumake Warren Johnson 1983 East Irvine Shirley Muldowney John Lombardo Warren Johnson 1984 Pomona Don Garlits Sherm Gunn Bob Glidden 1985 Pomona Gary Beck Kenny Bernstein Joe Lepone 1986 Pomona Darrell Gwynn Kenny Bernstein Bob Glidden 1987 Pomona Darrell Gwynn Billy Meyer Bob Glidden 1988 Pomona Darrell Gwynn John Force Warren Johnson 1989 Pomona Gary Ormsby Bruce Larson Bob Glidden 1990 Pomona Joe Amato Ed McCulloch Bob Glidden John Myers 1991 Pomona Pat Austin Al Hofmann Darrell Alderman Dave Schultz 1992 Pomona Cory McClenathan Chuck Etchells Warren Johnson Dave Schultz 1993 Pomona Rance McDaniel Jim Epler Warren Johnson Dave Schultz 1994 Pomona Kenny Bernstein John Force Darrell Alderman Dave Schultz 1995 Pomona Blaine Johnson Al Hofmann Warren Johnson John Myers 1996 Pomona Joe Amato John Force Mike Edwards John Smith 1997 Pomona Joe Amato Tony Pedregon Kurt Johnson Matt Hines 1998 Pomona Kenny Bernstein Chuck Etchells Richie Stevens Matt Hines 1999 Pomona Mike Dunn Jerry Toliver Jeg Coughlin Jr Antron Brown 2000 Pomona Gary Scelzi John Force Kurt Johnson Tony Mullen 2001 Pomona Kenny Bernstein Del Worsham Bruce Allen Angelle Sampey 2002 Pomona Cory McClenathan John Force Kurt Johnson Matt Hines 2003 Pomona Kenny Bernstein Del Worsham Greg Anderson Craig Treble 2004 Pomona Tony Schumacher John Force Greg Anderson Angelle Sampey 2005 Pomona Tony Schumacher Tony Pedregon Jeg Coughlin Jr Ryan Schnitz 2006 Pomona Tony Schumacher John Force Greg Anderson Craig Treble 2007 Pomona Tony Schumacher Robert Hight Jeg Coughlin Jr Matt Smith 2008 Pomona Larry Dixon Cruz Pedregon Greg Anderson Chris Rivas 2009 Pomona Antron Brown Mike Neff Greg Anderson Eddie Krawiec 2010 Pomona Antron Brown John Force Shane Gray Eddie Krawiec 2011 Pomona Del Worsham Matt Hagan Greg Stanfield Andrew Hines 2012 Pomona Brandon Bernstein Cruz Pedregon Allen Johnson Andrew Hines 2013 Pomona Shawn Langdon Matt Hagan Rickie Jones Eddie Krawiec 2014 Pomona Morgan Lucas Matt Hagan Erica Enders-Stevens Hector Arana Jr 2015 Pomona Shawn Langdon Del Worsham Allen Johnson Eddie Krawiec 2016 Pomona Doug Kalitta Tommy Johnson Jr. Greg Anderson Matt Smith 2017 Pomona Brittany Force Tommy Johnson Jr. Bo Butner Andrew Hines 2018 Pomona Steve Torrence J.R. Todd Tanner Gray Matt Smith 2019 Pomona Doug Kalitta Jack Beckman Jeg Coughlin Jr Jianna Everisto 2020 Las Vegas Antron Brown Matt Hagan Erica Enders Angie Smith 2021 Pomona Steve Torrence Bob Tasca III Greg Anderson Matt Smith 2022 Pomona Austin Prock Cruz Pedregon Greg Anderson Angie Smith 2023 Pomona Doug Kalitta Chad Green Aaron Stanfield Gaige Herrera2024Pomona Antron Brown Jack Beckman Greg Anderson Matt Smith Rainout in 2025, Only Sportsman Classes Held Year Venue Comp Elim Super Comp (8.90) Super Gas (9.90) 2025 Pomona Jason Grima Chad Webber Ed De Staute

NOTE: The Finals has been held in the Southwest area from 1965 to 1973, the Los Angeles metropolitan area from 1974 to 2019, and again since 2021, and Las Vegas in 2020.

Current track records

CategoryE.T.SpeedDriverEventRefTop Fuel 3.628 Clay Millican 2018 Winternationals Brittany Force 2022 NHRA FinalsFunny Car 3.804 Austin Prock 2024 NHRA Finals Austin Prock 2024 NHRA FinalsPro Stock 6.480 Erica Enders 2014 NHRA Finals Drew Skillman 2015 NHRA Finals

References

External links

NHRA's Official Site