You’re the defending event winner at Pomona and you’re looking to bring home your fifth Wally from In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. What would it mean to record another win there?
“We’re coming off of Gainesville, where we thought we could have won three races in a row. But at the end of the day, we have to stay positive. We have a great team and a great tune-up with an awesome group of guys that are wrenching on the car. I feel confident that we will start the season strong. The Gatornationals were kind of a weird race for everyone, so you have to knock the dust off and keep moving forward. I’m looking forward to Pomona since we have such a good track history there. The car always runs pretty good, so I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do.”
Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage returns to your Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car this season, with the Winternationals marking their first primary race. Talk about the significance of their partnership.
“To have Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage and Jason (Johnson) in Pomona is big. I have yet to win for Jason with JHG on the car, so I’d really like to pull a win down. They’re really great people that have become family. If we can get a win, I want to get one for them very soon.”
- The NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip is the second event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ 20-race calendar in 2024. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) brings its two full-time entries – one in Top Fuel for Top Fuel rookie Tony Stewart and one in Funny Car for 49-time Funny Car winner and four-time champion Matt Hagan.
- Coming into Pomona, Stewart is tied for ninth with Brittany Force and Clay Millican in the Top Fuel standings, 93 points behind leader Shawn Langdon. Hagan is sixth in the Funny Car standings, 59 points behind leader J.R. Todd.
- Stewart enters Pomona representing Mobil 1, the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, on his black and gold Top Fuel dragster. Hagan, meanwhile, sports red on his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car.
- Mobil 1 is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2024 with a series of initiatives across partnerships, motorsports, and virtual reality, each of which will highlight the brand’s legacy and what’s to come. The Mobil 1 brand’s journey through the last 50 years is a testament to ExxonMobil’s ability to push boundaries and their commitment to performance and sustainability. Mobil 1 has become the trusted choice of leading automakers, professional racers, and millions of drivers worldwide. The Mobil 1 brand’s advanced oil formulations provide unparalleled protection against engine wear, extending engine life and reducing maintenance costs for consumers.
- Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage (JHG) was formed in 2021 and brings a passion and flare to the automotive world. They aim to inspire, drive and celebrate progress. JHG spans across Jason Johnson’s car collection featuring more than 200 sought after vehicles from classics to hot rods and supercars. Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage’s mission is to preserve and showcase the automotive industry. The vehicles are driven to and displayed at events by Johnson and his team with the goal of growing interest and keeping car culture thriving. Johnson’s history in the industry began with Mather Auto Dismantler, Mather Mini Trucks and U-Pull It in Northern California. He later held an instrumental role in the growth and success of Copart, Inc., a global provider of online vehicle auction and remarketing services. JHG also serves as a primary sponsor of Elite Motorsports in the NHRA Pro Stock Series.
- The NHRA Winternationals will mark Stewart’s second career Top Fuel start. It’ll mark his first overall Top Fuel start at Pomona and his first in the Winternationals. Stewart competed in the Top Alcohol Dragster class at the NHRA Winternationals in 2023, where he qualified 13th and advanced to Round 2.
- The NHRA Winternationals will be Hagan’s 334th career Funny Car start. It’ll be his 29th overall start at Pomona and his 16th in the Winternationals. He’s the defending event winner and has recorded four career wins at the Winternationals in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2023. In 2015, he defeated Ron Capps with a 4.011 ET at 320.89 mph (compared to Capps’ 4.078 ET, 314.97 mph run). In 2017, Hagan’s 3.875 ET at 330.67 mph defeated Courtney Force (3.901 ET at 326.95 mph). In 2018, Hagan defeated Robert Hight with a 3.823 ET at 335.90 mph run (compared to Hight’s 3.866 ET, 336.99 mph run). In 2023, Hagan’s 3.967 ET at 328.06 mph run defeated Ron Capps’ 4.303 ET, 211.13 mph run. Hagan has three No. 1 qualifiers at Pomona, which came in 2017 (3.822 ET at 335.57 mph), 2018 (3.822 ET at 336.32 mph) and 2020 (3.841 ET at 333.25 mph).
- Hagan is the current track record holder at Pomona for elapsed time at 3.822-seconds, a mark he set on February 11, 2017.
- Hagan needs just one win to become the 17th pro driver with 50 tour victories. John Force, Robert Hight and Ron Capps currently are the only Funny Car drivers to have reached that plateau. Hagan has won at least three tour events for 11 consecutive seasons, the longest active streak in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
- Nitro qualifying session (Q1): 5 p.m. PDT/8 p.m. EDT Friday, March 22 (Nitro Qualifying, streamed live on NHRA.TV)