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Wild Sportsman action at season finale produced nine winners at NHRA Finals

In addition to the exciting championship battles raging in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, nine event winners were also crowned in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition at the In-N-Out Burgher NHRA Finals.
17 Nov 2024
Posted by NHRA.com staff
News
Val Torres Sr.

In addition to the exciting championship battles raging in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, nine event winners were also crowned in Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition at the In-N-Out Burgher NHRA Finals.

In one of the biggest races of his long and successful career, Val Torres Sr. defeated Kris Whitfield in the final round to win the Super Gas world championship. Torres, a two-time Winternationals champ, won his second career Finals Wally with a 9.91 against Whitfield’s 9.88 breakout pass. [video]

In her final race in the class before her planned move to Top Fuel next season, outgoing Top Alcohol Dragster world champ Julie Nataas defeated newly-crowned champ Shawn Cowie in the final round with a strong 5.18 pass. [video]

Past world champ Shane Westerfield got back into the Top Alcohol Funny Car winner’s circle after a two-year absence, defeating Ray Martin, for the title. Six of Westerfield’s 17 career wins have come in Pomona, evenly split between the Winternationals and the Finals. [video]

After sweeping both Las Vegas national events last season, Travis Gusso finished out 2024 with another big win in Comp, wheeling his H/A Cobalt to victory on Australian ace Jason Grima’s final-round red-light. [video]

Justin Jerome scored an emotional win to close out the season as he topped up-and-coming Shelby Williams in the Super Stock final. Jerome left first and closed the deal with a 10.616 against his 10.61 dial. [video]

John McLaughlin wheeled his four-speed equipped ’70 Road Runner to his first national event title by beating Michael Wann in the Stock final. McLaughlin gave up a lead at the start, and won with a .03-over 10.56 after Wann broke out. [video]

Bob VanPopering’s first career national event final-round appearance was a successful one as he claimed the Super Comp crown on Pomona on Nick Alejandre’s final-round foul. [video]

Ed Olpin closed out his 2024 season in the best way possible with a win in Right Trailers Top Dragster highlighted by a perfect .000 reaction time. Olpin ran 7.058 on his 7.03 dial while opponent Kevin Wright, who was nearly perfect in the semifinals, broke out by three-hundredths. [video]

Canadian Joe Mellof was consistent on both ends of the track on his way to the win in Right Trailers Top Sportsman. Mellof turned on the win light in the final after Division 6 champ Robert Strohm fouled. [video]