Justin Ashley and JR Todd join the NHRA’s Brian Lohnes on this episode of the NHRA Insider Podcast. They talk about their personal experiences at what was a dramatic running of the NHRA Lucas Oil Winternationals in Pomona, California. Intense heat, a race track that was over 140-degrees, and the mental chess of late regular-season competition all added up to some of the wildest drag racing of the last several seasons.

Justin Ashley made the top fuel final but was unable to participate when he was overcome by the heat while strapped into his car. Making one of the hardest decisions of his racing career, he elected to get out of his dragster and Leah Pruett had a solo for the win. We talk about not only that moment but the quality race car that carried him through eliminations as well as his own personal performance.

Nitro funny car runner-up JR Todd had a successful weekend with the DHL Toyota Camry team and in so many ways, kept pace with an amazingly tight nitro funny car field. Todd talks about not only racing in the heat but also the addition of his new visor cam, the upcoming challenges in Topeka, Kansas, and why this boiling weekend in Pomona may have helped his team set a championship course for the rest of the year. Great conversations with two of the premier competitors in drag racing today!

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