Courtesy NHRA Communications
POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2023) – Tickets are now on sale for the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, which takes place March 21-24, 2024 at legendary In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
One of the most historic races on the NHRA tour, the NHRA Winternationals will be the second race of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It also will mark the 2024 debut for the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, a specialty program that started in 2023 and brought competitive racing to the Saturday schedule.
Fans in Pomona got a taste of that event specialty race last year – one with championship bonus points and a bonus purse on the line – and it returns with great fanfare in 2024 to a track steeped in history. A year ago, the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals also marked the first official race with the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip name, a change that brought noteworthy updates to the facility.
Those have been met with rave reviews and that excitement will again be apparent at the early-season race in Pomona, where the stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will look to pick up a victory.
“Racing at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip is always special and we’re excited to again have the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, one of the longest-running races we have in the NHRA, early in the season,” said NHRA Vice President of Track Management and Operations, Kasey Coler. “Holding the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Pomona also adds an entirely different dynamic to Saturday racing. Our fans in Pomona saw that last year and I know they’re going to be thrilled to see it again this year as part of another great weekend.”
In 2023, Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) all picked up victories at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, with Ashley also sweeping the weekend as the No. 1 qualifier and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Chad Green won the Saturday specialty race in Funny Car and Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford got a victory on Saturday, too.
The specialty program adds a dose of excitement to an already highly-charged weekend. The energy at the legendary facility is unmistakable, with drivers looking to leave their mark at a facility loaded with historic moments.
Starting the season with success can also go a long way as well, as Hagan went on to win the Funny Car championship, and both Ashley and Glenn enjoyed terrific seasons in 2023. Taking place as the second race of the season – and the first in a three-race stretch on the West Coast – makes it a critical race for early-season momentum. The historic element of In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip provides an extra element, too, with drivers looking to add their name to the history books at a race with plenty of significance.
New Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta has a class-best seven victories at the track, while Funny Car icon John Force has enjoyed an incredible 16 overall victories in Pomona. In Pro Stock, the facility has always been good to Greg Anderson, with the veteran piling up 14 wins in Pomona.
Along with racing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals will also feature action in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
Fans can expect more magical moments at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, starting with qualifying on Friday, qualifying and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on an action-packed Saturday and eliminations on Sunday, as top NHRA stars like Leah Pruett, Antron Brown, Brittany Force, Ron Capps, Robert Hight and Erica Enders all look to shine early in the 2024 campaign.
To purchase tickets to the 2024 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Fans can get closer to the action with a Top Eliminator Club experience, offering the best seats in the house and a premium experience, as well as a members-only hospitality center, complimentary food and beverage, driver appearances, a premium view and more. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.
