The NHRA season concluded in dramatic fashion at its spiritual South California home, Auto Club Raceway in Pomona. Drag News was there to watch it unfold. Click through to see our huge photo gallery from all around the venue.
First, let’s cover a little bit on what the Aussie got up to.
Those Rapisarda boys have certainly got the knack for coming back from a time away and turning on immediate pace. Despite a couple of early runs that had a fuel system issue, the Rapisarda Autosport International team laid down a 3.76 personal best in the third session to send a statement to the field. Amazingly, that time would not qualify them in the top half of the quickest field in NHRA history!
Not that it was any reason not to celebrate!
In round one RAI driver Dom Lagana dropped one of the upsets of the round by defeating Khalid Albalooshi from the Al Anabi team. Unfortunately the dream would not continue beyond the second round.
Steve Harker has simply been THE man for Top Alcohol Funny Car in these last six months, securing yet another Wally at the NHRA Finals. Not a bad year when you consider that the team’s only intention at the start of 2014 was to do a bit of testing. Harker is the first non North American to win an NHRA championship.
Richie Crampton was top qualifier in Top Fuel with a stout 3.711 pass, at the time it was the second quickest pass in NHRA history. It was the first time Crampton has top qualified and was no doubt influential in helping hand him the Rookie of the Year title at Monday’s end of season banquet.
John Cannuli approaches the staging beam under the watchful eyes of gun Australian alcohol tuner Mark Brew and wife and Pro Stock driver Kirsten Tucker-Cannuli. Unfortunately Cannuli would miss the field for Top Alcohol Funny Car.
They let anyone through the border nowadays. Australian Top Alcohol stalwarts Gary Phillips and Steve Reed were over checking things out in the Harker pits.
Rhett Lougheed was out again to try and make a Pro Stock Motorcycle field but despite running in the 7.0s it just wasn’t enough.
Rhett also had this moment at the finish line, taking out the timing beams and getting rather close to his opponent in the braking area, at least from the camera’s perspective.
So without further ado, a whole bunch of awesome Pomona photos to feast your eyes on (photos by Luke Nieuwhof)!
