By: SCAG Racing
POMONA, Calif. (March 30, 2025) – Daniel Wilkerson and his SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang Funny Car team finished runner-up Sunday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Teammates Dave Richards in the BlueBird Turf / Versatran Funny Car and Justin Ashley in the SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel dragster each had early first round exits.
In the final, the second of Wilkerson’s career, the SCAG Ford Mustang team would take on Funny Car veteran and former world champion Jack Beckman. Neither car would make a clean pass. Wilkerson’s SCAG machine went up in tire smoke at the hit, forcing Wilkerson to coast to an 8.292 second run at only 91.83 mph. Beckman would have to pedal his way to a 4.015 at 302.28 for the victory.
“I’m just really proud of our guys for going from not being in the show going into the final session of qualifying to going to the final round of eliminations. Everyone was pretty bummed when we got back to the pit but we have a great car and the car and I are finally starting to click a little bit together so it’s going to come pretty soon. I’m not worried,” said Wilkerson who now sits seventh in the Funny Car points standings. “I’m glad we had these back-to-back races. Getting back out here, making some runs, it was a big deal for me after the red light I had last weekend in Phoenix. I’m glad we were able to turn things around.”
Wilkerson, who didn’t qualify for the show until the final session with a 3.924 second pass at 324.28 mph, good enough for No. 8, started his race day lined up against JR Todd. It would be a pedalfest for both drivers with Wilkerson coming out on top going 4.165 at 234.00 to Todd’s 4.621 at 253.18. In the second round, Wilkerson took on most recent event winner Paul Lee.
Lee would run into tire smoke almost immediately coasting to a 10.656 second run at 71.19 mph as Wilkerson sailed to a 3.932 at 330.47 mph, giving him lane choice against Funny Car rookie Spencer Hyde in the semifinals.
Wilkerson left the starting line first and never trailed running his quickest pass of the weekend at 3.894 seconds and 329.26 mph while Hyde lost traction and had to shut off early for a 5.000 at 153.46.
In Top Fuel Justin Ashley, the No. 9 qualifier after running a 3.695-second pass at 313.51 mph on Friday night, started race day with a match up against Josh Hart. Ashley left the starting line first, but the SCAG machine was up in tire smoke early for only a 4.236 run at 184.75 while Hart had a clean pass at 3.675 and 332.67.
“This is racing. It’s filled with ups, downs and pretty much everything in between. But there’s no reason to ride the emotional rollercoaster. We have the best team in the business, and we are going to get this right,” said Ashley who is now ninth in the Top Fuel points standings. “It’s only a matter of time. I love driving this SCAG Power Equipment Top Fuel Dragster and appreciate all of the SCAG dealers and distributors that took the time to join us in Pomona.”
Dave Richards ran his first three-second run of the season Saturday during the third qualifying session. The 3.954 second run at 320.47 mph put him in the No. 12 position to race against Chad Green first round. Richards had the starting line advantage but drove into tire smoke almost immediately for a 5.811 pass at 130.12. Green had no troubles with a 3.960 at 325.61.
“Not the weekend we were hoping for but not a complete loss. We made our first three-second run of the season and figured out some of the things that had been hurting us the first two races,” said Richards who is 15th in Funny Car points. “We had a little too much for the track in that first round, overpowered it. But we will continue to fight. Now it’s about getting down the track consistently and gathering data. We ran good in Vegas last year so I’m hopeful we’ll have something for the Four-Wides.”
SCAG Racing will continue on the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series circuit with the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 11-13.
