Rain Thwarts Final NHRA Qualifying At Pomona

Rain won the day at the O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals on the Auto Club Raceway dragstrip at Pomona, CA.

While the Pro Stock, Funny Car and Top Fuel competitors managed to get a third qualifying session in--barely--under cool, cloudy and blustery conditions, persistent rain managed to foil all attempts for a fourth and final qualifying attempt.

In Top Fuel, Morgan Lucas made the fastest pass of the weekend early this afternoon when he took the GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster to 3.783 seconds at 325.06--mph, again surprising himself with the accomplishment. 

Lucas has been quickest in every one of the three qualifying sessions held this weekend. Spencer Massey advanced to the No. 2 position while Bob Vandergriff is third, Antron Brown fourth and Lucas' teammate Brandon Bernstein fifth.

Tony Schumacher didn't make it down the track this afternoon and it cost him, falling to sixth; Khalid alBalooshi is seventh and his teammate Shawn Langdon completes the top half of the field. Steve Torrence is ninth, Clay Millian 10th, while teammates Doug Kalitta and David Grubnic complete the top 12. The balance of the Top Fuel field belongs to Cory McClenathan, Terry McMillen, Steve Faria and Rod Fuller. Steve Chrisman and Troy Buff failed to make the field.

In earning the fifth No. 1 of his career, Lucas said his "confidence level is higher than it was when I was in the finals here last year. I can't take credit for this--I'm just the guy who pushes the pedals--but the guys gave me the best car today," he crowed. "This is my career best on both ends and it's been an exciting day for the team; this weekend has been awesome."

In Funny Car, Robert Hight and tuner Jimmy Prock got their acts together at just the right time, leaving the 2009 champion at the head of the class with his Saturday morning pass of 4.060 seconds at 316.52 mph. Jack Beckman moved back to second, Johnny Gray holds third and Mike Neff, Hight's teammate advanced from outside the field to fourth.

Yesterday's Funny Car leader Bob Tasca III is fifth, John Force sixth, Jeff Arend lies seventh and Ron Capps holds the final spot in the top half of the field. Reigning champion Matt Hagan is ninth, veteran Gary Densham is 10th, rookies Alexis DeJoria and Courtney Force are 11th and 12th, with Tony Pedregon, Tim Wilkerson, Bob Bode and Todd Lesenko completing the sweet 16. Two-time champ Cruz Pedregon is one of four drivers not to make the field.

Hight earned the 40th No. 1 of his career and his third at this race. "It's amazing how things change so fast; this morning we weren't even qualified. We broke a driveshaft in our first run, shook the tires on our second so we had big decisions to make. I told John (Force, team owner) that I'd be happy with a 405 and he looked at me like I had two heads. I only missed that by a thou," Hight said.

Jason Line ruined Mike Edwards' party in Pro Stock with his third session pass of 6.535 seconds at 212.23 mph. That left Edwards second, Ronnie Humphrey third, Allen Johnson fourth, Greg Anderson fifth, Vince Nobile sixth, Rodger Brogdon seventh and Shane Gray completing the top half of the field. Ron Krisher, Kurt Johnson Greg Stanfield, Larry Morgan, Erica Enders, Jeg Coughlin, V Gaines and Grace Howell complete the field, leaving Warren Johnson and Steve Kent on the trailer.

Line took his third No. 1 at this track, first at the Winternationals and 25th of his career. "We finally made a better run," he said. "We haven't tested at all (he chalked that up to wanting to save some money) and it's always tough in the first race of the year. We picked up a little power over the winter but we're looking ahead to racing our new Camaro (most likely at Atlanta). This Pontiac GXP has been a good car but it's certainly not a 'muscle car' and I'm a muscle car guy."