Regardless of what happens late Sunday afternoon under the temporary lights at Auto Club Raceway at Fairplex, NHRA history will be made in the Mello Yello Drag Racing season finale.
Regardless who wins in the four professional classes, history is waiting.
It’s the 50th renewal of the event that moved to Pomona in 1984 after a three-year stint at Orange County International Raceway, and it could prove to be one of the most dramatic in that time.
Here’s what’s at stake in the various classes:
Top Fuel >> Tony Schumacher is in the points lead as he battles for his eighth championship. He enters the 23rd and final national event of the season with a 109-point margin – each round win is worth 20 – over Don Schumacher Racing teammate Spencer Massey, making a comeback hard to execute.
But Schumacher knows it’s not over until the final run down what drag racing aficionados know as Parker Boulevard. In 2006, Schumacher completed an improbable comeback against Doug Kalitta by not only winning the event but setting a national elapsed time record that resulted in a 14-point margin for the title.
“The Run,” what Schumacher’s effort has been called, is among the greatest individual efforts in NHRA history, voted the fourth best ever during NHRA’s 60th anniversary in 2011.
J.R. Todd (-112), defending champion Shawn Langdon (-134), Doug Kalitta (-135) and Steve Torrence (-146) are within 150 points (max for any driver) and have longshot chances of denying Shumacher his record eighth title.
Funny Car >> Pay no attention to those reports that Matt Hagan and John Force, the leading drivers in the class, don’t care for one another. Try as they may, public relations and media members can’t create a NASCAR-type rivalry.
Force has a record 16 championship rings and Hagan, the defending Finals champion, has one. They enter the event separated by 21, and the only ones with a real chance as Courtney Force is third 121 points behind Hagan.
“Me and John have been battling it out four of the last five of my career, and John has won two, I’ve won one,” said Hagan, who runs for DSR, “and I’m planning on winning this one. Definitely they’re tough, but I think that they’re all tough.
“John brings the best out of me.”
Same for Force, although a recent joke in Las Vegas about Hagan almost backfired.
“If Hagan had a heart attack, they’d be doing me a favor,” Force said. “You know that’s a joke. A few people took it wrong, and I just wanted to clarify it for you. I’ll race (Hagan) and it’s going to be exciting.”
Pro Stock >> NHRA, a motorsports diversity leader, has enjoyed female champions in Top Fuel (Shirley Muldowney) and Pro Stock Motorcycle (Angelle Sampey) but never in Pro Stock. That may change.
Erica Enders-Stevens is locked in a three-way struggle with Jason Line and Dave Connolly. She wrestled the lead from Line by winning in Las Vegas and enters the Pomona finale ahead by 17, Connolly, who will race dragster next season, trails by 84.
It hasn’t been an easy path for her.
“I’ve been trying to make this Pro Stock deal work for 10 years now,” she said. “I believe in my heart that God doesn’t give you what you can’t handle, but he also doesn’t put things in front of you if the time is not right. It’s always in his time. I’ve trusted that, and it hasn’t been an easy road by any means.
“I’ve gone through not qualifying and driving a car that’s not competitive to being on the sidelines because of lack of sponsorship. I guess it would be easy to quit. But that’s not part of my vocabulary. I don’t know how to do that.”
Pro Stock Motorcycle >> The title has come down to a pair of Vance & Hines teammates – Andrew Hines and Eddie Krawiec – who ride Harley-Davidson V-rods. Hines, a three-time NHRA champion, leads by 92 points.
“I don’t want to play defense,” Hines said after his sixth win of the season in Las Vegas that increased his margin. “I’m going to go on the offense. I don’t want to give up any bonus points during qualifying. I want to keep it over 80 points so we can roll into Sunday with the championship basically mathematically locked up.”
As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they're granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and enjoy some cherished face time and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.
Fans also will want to visit NHRA's popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.
The event also will feature thrilling competition and world championship finishes in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Nov. 14, with sessions at 11:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, Nov. 15, at 11:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16.
