POMONA – It was an unusual finish at the Auto Club Raceway for Sunday’s eliminations of the Winternationals. For the first time since the pro field was expanded to three classes at the NHRA opener in 1970, all top qualifiers hoisted winner’s trophies.
Redlands’ Leah Pritchett, who won her first race at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds as an 8-year-old, registered her second career Top Fuel dragster victory by defeating Doug Kalitta in the last of four runs. The 29-year-old covered the 1,000-foot distance in 3.711 seconds at 324.98 mph after Kalitta lost traction at the start.
“That’s the best thing that’s happened to me professionally,” the Cal State San Bernardino graduate said. “It was a new race car, built specifically for my weight. In my last (Winternationals) in 2015, I had a red light. I had been working all year to redeem myself.”
Her Don Schumacher Rading teammate Matt Hagan, still reeling from the loss of a younger brother this year at his Christiansburg, Va. farm, won the Funny Car championship by outrunning Courtney Force in the final. Hagan, a two-time world champion, covered the distance in 3.875 at 330.07 to stop Force.
“This was a special race for me,” said Hagan of his second Winternationals victory, fifth at Pomona and 23rd in his career. “I’m excited, pumped up. This was a great win for me.”
Defending Pro Stock champion Jason Line opened the season in much the same way 2016 finished, but with a twist. Summit Racing teammate Greg Anderson won the Auto Club Finals in November but took second on Sunday as Line covered the quarter-mile in 6.568 at 211.10, slightly ahead of Anderson’s 6.579 at 211.56.
Line has won an NHRA national event for 14 consecutive seasons, which ties him with Pro Stock Motorcycle performer Andrew Hines.
“It is a cool way to start the season. I’m not into stats, but my dad is and that’s a cool one,” said Line. “He said, ‘Make sure you win Pomona and that way you keep the streak going.’ (Andrew) is obviously going to continue his winning ways. Anytime you can come to Pomona and win is great, so I’m happy and a little bit relieved.
“It was just a great day for KB Racing, Summit and Chevy.”
Pritchett became just the fifth female to win the Winternationals, joining Shirley Muldowney, Lori Johns, Shelly Anderson Payne and Melanie Troxel.
“This definitely is taking delivery from the momentum from last year,” Pritchett said. “What just happen is the best thing that has ever happened for me professionally in my career. In my opinion, right now, we have the perfect group of people, partners, sponsors, a car that is reacting.
“This thing is ‘A+’, Grade A, perfect kid-in-school type of situation and we’re taking advantage of it right now.”
Pritchett, who landed a four-year sponsorship deal with Papa John’s Pizza last week, opened with a bye run in the 15-car field before taking out 2016 winner Steve Torrence and DSR teammate Tony Schumacher in the semifinals, her second win against the eight-time champ in 10 runs.
“My group has gone from the outhouse to the penthouse,” she said, a reference to her struggling to stay in the sport after her sponsorship disappeared following her initial national event victory in Phoenix nearly a year ago. Before the end of the season, Pritchett raced for four different teams (including Schumacher) and finished eighth in points despite missing a race.
“We literally went to the unemployment line,” she said, “and we reflect on that every single day. You just have to have confidence.”
And, just like her Pomona debut so long ago, mother Linda was in attendance, having flown in from the East Coast. She was unable to connect with her during the busy day, but Pritchett said she did see her while in the staging lanes and “she had a big smile.”
For Hagan, he survived one close call in his four rounds of competition. In the semifinal pass against DSR teammate and defending class champion Ron Capps, Hagan narrowly missed crossing the center line. Capps fouled the start and Hagan’s Charger did touch the line, but did not cross.
That came after wins against Jeff Diehl, who also fouled the start, and Jack Beckman.
“We came out motivated. My lights have been great, the car has been great and my team has been great,” Hagan said. “We just have got a real powerhouse team right now. We just have to keep some of this momentum going.”
Hagan was late reaching the starting line against Courtney Force, whose team waited.
“We would have done the same thing,” Hagan said. “There’s so much respect for Courtney. That was really sportsmanship.”
He was 0.005 seconds ahead of Force at the green light and pulled away for the win.
“I didn’t see her until the end and I asked on the radio if we won,” Hagan said. “I couldn’t hear anything but them cheering. It was a cool feeling to hear them so excited.”
Contact the writer: lbrewster@scng.com
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