The NHRA World Finals have not always been held at historic Pomona Raceway, now called Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, but the event has always provided a showcase for the best in Professional and Sportsman drag racing. With Pomona Raceway only used for the season opening Winternationals and the World Finals, it usually takes a day or so for the track surface to “come in” and traditionally Saturday night’s final nitro qualifier is an awesome fireshow and often provides a stage for records to be set.

With cool, overcast SoCal weather and plenty of bite on the racetrack, NHRA and Pomona Raceway completed qualifying for Sunday’s first-round eliminations for the 50th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Pomona, the final of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Bob Bode (above) sporting a new fuel pump provided some fireworks with this header flame eruption, right off the starting line as he smoked the tires!

Top Fuel Rookie Richie Crampton, Alexis DeJoria in Funny Car, veteran Pro Stock driver Jason Line, and Hector Arana Jr. in Pro Stock Motorcycle will lead their categories into Sunday’s 11 a.m. eliminations as No. 1 qualifiers at the final NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship event of the season.

Crampton (above) claimed his first No. 1 qualifying position with an awesome, a Pomona Raceway 1,000-foot track record time of 3.711 seconds at 316.30 mph in the Morgan Lucas Racing GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster. Crampton won the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and the Auto Club Road to the Future award candidate will race No. 16 qualifier Troy Buff in the opening round.  Australian Richie Crampton is a longtime crew member and feels fortunate to be in a position to win his third race of the season and finally get a top qualifying position for his resume after being close several times this season.

“I came here as a spectator to this race in 1999 and sat in the grandstands with my family,” Crampton said. “I was just in awe of the sport, lining up to get autographs from the drivers. To be in this position now is just a dream come true. I am probably the most spoiled rookie in the history of NHRA because I race with a team that gives me such great equipment. Just like Indy, this is a huge race where we wanted to do well. It’s looking good so far and hopefully it will translate into some round wins tomorrow.”

In Funny Car, Alexis DeJoria powered to her third No. 1 of the season with a 3.998 at 311.41 in her Patron Café XO Incendio Toyota Camry, part of the stout Kalitta Racing Team. DeJoria is a three-time winner this season where on Sunday will meet veteran driver Gary Densham in the first round, who qualified No. 16.

“It’s one of the fastest tracks (Pomona Raceway) on the circuit and to be No. 1 right now is great for our whole team, and they’re hungry,” DeJoria said. “I’m so excited and it’s with a three-second run. It was an incredible session. It’s great to be a part of it.”

Meanwhile, only 23 points separate Funny Car championship contenders Matt Hagan and John Force (above). Hagan will race Chad Head in the first round on one side of the bracket, while Force will meet Bob Tasca on the other side. Hagan needs to hold his ground to earn his second title, while Force needs to advance two rounds past Hagan to score his record 17th world championship.

In Saturday’s first qualifier, part time driver Jon Capps went for a BBQ in Steve Plueger’s Impala-bodied funny car. Fuel system issues have plagued this team during the Finals.   Capps walked away after this spectacular engine failure and fire.

Pro Stock Championship challenger Jason Line raced to his third No. 1 qualifying effort of the year and 38th of his career by posting a 6.517 at 212.19 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro. Line, who will meet Jeff Isbell in the first round, trails series leader Erica Enders-Stevens by 19 points heading into eliminations. Enders-Stevens, who is trying to become NHRA’s first female Pro Stock champ, qualified third and will race Larry Morgan in the opener.

“The way the ladder worked out it should set up for a phenomenal day tomorrow if she and I race in the final,” Line said. “Whoever wins that would win the championship. This is a cool place. This is where champions are crowned. I’ve always said I like Pomona at the beginning of the year because you’re ready to get back to racing, and at the end of the year you’re done, you’re worn out. I have one more day before I’m worn out, though.”

Hector Arana Jr. raced to his third No. 1 of the season and 16th of his career in Pro Stock Motorcycle, powering his Lucas Oil Buell to a leading effort of 6.832 at 197.62. He will open eliminations against Fred Camarena.

In the hunt for the championship in the two-wheel category, Eddie Krawiec trimmed Andrew Hines’ series lead to 89 points with his qualifying effort. The two Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson riders will battle for the championship tomorrow, although a first round win by Hines will secure his fourth world championship title.

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POMONA, Calif. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 50th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the final of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.  Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel — 1. Richie Crampton, 3.711 seconds, 325.45 mph  vs. 16. Troy Buff, 3.834, 314.90; 2. Antron Brown, 3.720, 322.58  vs. 15. Clay Millican, 3.825, 312.64; 3. Morgan Lucas, 3.738, 323.35 vs. 14. Billy Torrence, 3.799, 321.12; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.745, 328.30  vs. 13. Steve Torrence, 3.790, 324.83; 5. J.R. Todd, 3.745, 325.06  vs. 12. Bob Vandergriff, 3.774, 321.42; 6. Spencer Massey, 3.748, 326.48  vs. 11. Shawn Langdon, 3.768, 323.50; 7. Khalid alBalooshi, 3.751, 325.85 vs. 10. Dom Lagana, 3.763, 322.42 (above); 8. Larry Dixon, 3.760, 327.03  vs. 9. Tony Schumacher, 3.761, 323.81.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Terry McMillen, 3.836, 321.04; 18. Brittany Force, 3.917, 306.26; 19. Steve Faria, 4.064, 286.38; 20. Steven Chrisman, 4.220, 284.75; 21. Jenna Haddock, 4.440, 216.65.

Funny Car — 1. Alexis DeJoria, Toyota Camry, 3.998, 314.39  vs. 16. Gary Densham, Chevy Impala, 4.136, 306.46 (above); 2. Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 4.003, 317.34  vs. 15. Tony Pedregon, Camry, 4.134, 306.12; 3. Ron Capps, Charger, 4.005, 318.02  vs. 14. Jeff Arend, Charger, 4.126, 287.05; 4. Cruz Pedregon, Camry, 4.011, 311.77  vs. 13. Tim Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.102, 313.73; 5. John Force, Mustang, 4.015, 316.60  vs. 12. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.072, 312.93; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.016, 319.60  vs. 11. Chad Head, Camry, 4.070, 313.88; 7. Jack Beckman, Charger, 4.029, 313.29  vs. 10. Del Worsham, Camry, 4.062, 314.97; 8. Robert Hight, Mustang, 4.036, 317.87  vs. 9. Courtney Force, Mustang, 4.055, 316.60.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Jeff Diehl, 4.196, 266.27; 18. John Bojec, 4.235, 298.47; 19. Jon Capps, 4.693, 187.34; 20. Shane Westerfield, 5.107, 233.20; 21. Terry Haddock, 8.246, 84.68; 22. Bob Bode, 18.203, 721.92.

Pro Stock — 1. Jason Line, Chevy Camaro, 6.517, 212.19  vs. 16. Jeff Isbell, Camaro, 6.724, 206.80; 2. Shane Gray (above), Camaro, 6.522, 211.79  vs. 15. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.601, 209.39; 3. Erica Enders-Stevens, Camaro, 6.526, 212.03  vs. 14. Larry Morgan, Ford Mustang, 6.583, 209.85; 4. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Dart, 6.534, 211.89  vs. 13. V. Gaines, Dodge Avenger, 6.577, 211.43; 5. Vincent Nobile, Camaro, 6.538, 211.96  vs. 12. Matt Hartford, Pontiac GXP, 6.562, 211.06; 6. Allen Johnson, Dart, 6.539, 211.33  vs. 11. Rodger Brogdon, Camaro, 6.550, 211.36; 7. Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 6.543, 211.83  vs. 10. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.548, 211.00; 8. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.547, 211.89  vs. 9. Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.547, 211.73.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Joey Grose, 6.948, 198.85.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.832, 197.62  vs. 16. Freddie Camarena, Suzuki, 6.974, 194.63; 2. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.834, 195.76  vs. 15. Shawn Gann, Buell, 6.962, 191.57; 3. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.842, 195.99  vs. 14. Katie Sullivan, Suzuki, 6.952, 191.05; 4. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.863, 195.17  vs. 13. Scotty Pollacheck, Buell, 6.945, 192.17; 5. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.884, 193.02  vs. 12. Chaz Kennedy, Buell, 6.940, 191.40; 6. Hector Arana, Buell, 6.888, 195.62  vs. 11. Elvira Karlsson, Suzuki, 6.937, 190.73; 7. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.924, 193.68  vs. 10. Adam Arana, Buell, 6.936, 195.31; 8. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.931, 192.49  vs. 9. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.933, 193.60.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Redell Harris, 7.055, 189.82; 18. Rhett Lougheed, 7.092, 186.77; 19. Gert-Jen Laseur, 7.114, 183.15; 20. Lance Bonham, 7.344, 181.62; 21. Bill Burkhart, 7.490, 181.13; 22. Michael Ray, 10.856, 177.88.