By: Elite Motorsports
POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2024) – Aaron Stanfield and his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing team enter this weekend’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip with the Pro Stock points lead.
Coming off a win at the Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, Stanfield earned a 32-point lead heading into the finale of the 2024 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series season. No matter the outcome on Sunday, 2024 is a career best season for Stanfield.
He and his JHG / Melling team have made 10 final round appearances in 2024 and have turned six of those finals into victories, including two in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race Playoffs.
Since his first final round appearance of the season at the Charlotte Four-Wide Nationals in April, Stanfield has not dropped below fifth in the standings. He had a streak of four consecutive final round appearances beginning at the prestigious U.S. Nationals that went through the first three races of the Countdown and he has been to the final round in four of the five Countdown races contested.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a position where the championship will come down to the wire like this will,” said Stanfield who has three Factory Stock Showdown world championships and three NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 4 championships to his name. “This is a little bit of a different ball game but I’m looking forward to it and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. We’ve had some great rivalries this season especially with Dallas Glenn. He’s a great competitor and it always feels like we really accomplished something when we beat him. It very well could come down to the two of us in the final round on Sunday. It’s going to be fun to watch it all play out, a cool story to tell and definitely something special for the fans to see.”
Not only will Stanfield be in the heat of battle for the Pro Stock world championship, but he’ll also be defending his event championship from the 2023 NHRA Finals. It was Stanfield’s only victory last season and earned him a fourth-place finish. Stanfield has also won the NHRA Winternationals, also contested at In-N-Out Burger Dragstrip in March, in 2021 and came in runner-up to teammate Erica Enders in 2022.
“Our approach is going to be the same as it has been. Starting in qualifying, go out there and make the best runs we can, pick up those little points and really set ourselves up for race day,” Stanfield said. “This is what dreams are made of or crushed by. It’s going to be exciting to see it all play out. Hopefully this JHG / Melling / Janac Brothers team is on the winning side come Sunday.”
Six-time and reigning world champion Erica Enders and her JHG / Melling / SCAG Power Equipment team will be looking for their third win at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip to bookend their 2024 season. Enders started her championship defense with a victory at the NHRA Gatornationals and has since had three runner-up finishes, five semifinal and eight quarterfinal appearances to go along with seven No. 1 qualifiers to enter the last race of the season from fourth in points. A victory this weekend would be her 50th national event win, 49th in Pro Stock.
Driving the SCAG / Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer entry, veteran racer Jeg Coughlin Jr. has an impressive 15 final rounds at the facility with wins at the Finals in 2019, 2007, 2005, 2001 and 1999 and at the Winternationals in 2020, 2000 1999. He’s already had four wins this season, most recently hoisting the Wally at the Texas NHRA FallNationals.
Twins Cristian and David Cuadra, in their Corral Boots / Cuadra / Columbia Impex hot rods, are coming off semifinal appearances at the Nationals in Las Vegas. David had his best qualifying effort at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway entering race day from No. 2. En route to the semifinals, Cristian lent a hand to Stanfield when he took down Glenn in the first round. They’ll be joined by older brother Fernando Jr. as the three chase the first Pro Stock victory for Cuadra Boys Racing.
In his sophomore season, Jerry Tucker and the RIKI / Outlaw Mile Hi Light Beer / SCAG team will be looking to redeem their Winternationals performance where the team did not qualify. At the 2023 Finals, Tucker had the top speed of the event. He’ll be looking to close out his 2024 season with his first Pro Stock victory.
Troy Coughlin Jr. in the JEGs.com / White Castle car is racing for his second win of the season after picking up a victory at the New England Nationals in Epping in June. Troy Jr. will be looking to end a five-race streak of first round exits and end his 2024 season on a positive note.
The In-N-Out NHRA Finals will begin with four rounds of qualifying Friday at 1:00 and 3:30 p.m. and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Eliminations are slated for 11:00 a.m. on Sunday with Pro Stock first round at noon. Television coverage will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) on Sunday with a qualifying show at 10 a.m. ET and eliminations at 4:00 p.m. ET.
