NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to Southern California and the birthplace of drag racing for the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Race 3 of the 2023 season, at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Coming just a week after the completion of the NHRA Arizona Nationals, in Phoenix, victorious teams hope to carry that momentum into one of the sport’s most famous and storied events, a mainstay of the NHRA schedule since 1961. Traditionally the season opener, the Winternationals is now part of a three-race Southwest Swing that encompasses Phoenix, Pomona, and, in two weeks, Las Vegas for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

Four-time Top Fuel world champion Steve Torrence leads the points heading into Pomona on the strength of a runner-up finish in Gainesville and a semifinal in Phoenix. Torrence has three wins in Pomona, one at the Winternationals in 2016 and a pair at the season finale, but all eyes with be on Phoenix winner Justin Ashley, who also is the defending Winternationals champ, with his Phillips Connect dragster.

Doug Kalitta, who won the Winternationals Top Fuel title three years straight (2018-20) also will be one to watch after powering his Mac Tools dragster to the No. 1 qualifying spot and a win in the inaugural Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge in Phoenix.

Ashley and Torrence will rematch their Phoenix semifinal as part of Saturday’s Mission Challenge, while Phoenix runner-up Shawn Langdon will again duel with Leah Pruett. The Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, conducted concurrent with qualifying, pits the semifinalists of the previous event against one another with the two winners facing off for a cash prize and bonus points.

Funny Car points leader Robert Hight is the defending and five-time Winternationals champion and enters the event hot off his Phoenix win, where he defeated world champ Ron Capps in the final. Capps, a four-time Winternationals winner, sits second in points just eight markers behind Gatornationals winner Matt Hagan.

Phoenix low qualifier Bob Tasca III, who has proven to have one of the most consistently quick cars in this young season, has never won the Winternationals but would love to add the event to his rich résumé. 

In Saturday’s Mission Challenge, Capps will rematch with Alexis DeJoria, who won the Phoenix Challenge, while Hight will battle again with Chad Green, who will be participating in his second straight Mission Challenge.

Phoenix Pro Stock winner Camrie Caruso made history as just the second female to win in the category, while Gatornationals champ Troy Coughlin Jr. also made headlines in Phoenix by winning the Pro Stock portion of the Mission Challenge, but just as many eyes will be on reigning world champ Erica Enders.

Enders, who won last year’s Winternationals — which also was the milestone 900th in Pro Stock history — had gone out in the first round at each of the season’s first two events and will be hungrier than ever to snap that dry spell, her longest to start a season since 2016.

Caruso will rematch against Matt Hartford in the Mission Challenge Saturday, while Phoenix runner-up Bo Butner will again tangle with Kyle Koretsky.

2022 EVENT WINNERS

Justin Ashley, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Erica Enders, Pro Stock

MOST EVENT VICTORIES

Don Garlits, 6, TF; John Force, 7, FC; Bob Glidden, 7, PS.

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

EVENT SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, March 31 
Lucas Oil Series qualifying and eliminations at 8:30 a.m.
Top Alcohol qualifying at noon and 4:35 p.m.
Camping World Series Pro Stock qualifying at 3 p.m.
Camping World Series Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying at 3:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, April 1
Lucas Oil Series eliminations at 8:30 a.m.
Top Alcohol qualifying at 10:45 a.m. and eliminations at 1:30 p.m. and 4:35 p.m.
Camping World Series Pro Stock qualifying at noon and 3 p.m.
Camping World Series Top Fuel and Funny Car qualifying at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, April 2
Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
Camping World Series eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, April 1, FS1 will televise one and half hour of qualifying highlights at 7 p.m. (ET)
SUNDAY, April 2, FS1 will televise one and half hour of qualifying highlights at 12:30 p.m. (ET)
SUNDAY, April 2, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage at 7 p.m. (ET)

Or watch all day on NHRA.tv