JOHNSON, KALITTA AND CONNOLLY OPEN NHRA SEASON WITH VICTORIES AT CARQUEST AUTO PARTS WINTERNATIONALS

POMONA, Calif. – Tommy Johnson Jr. ended a three-year winless drought by racing to the Funny Car victory Sunday at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals at Pomona Raceway.

Scott Kalitta and Dave Connolly also were winners at the $2 million race, the first of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

Johnson powered to a 4.741 second run at 327.59 mph in his Skoal Racing Chevy Monte Carlo to take his sixth career victory, while Phil Burkart’s Checker Schuck’s Kragen Monte Carlo lost traction and limped to a 7.069 at 123.34.

“We absolutely needed this win so bad for our team,” said Johnson, who defeated Frank Pedregon, Bob Gilbertson and Whit Bazemore to advance to the final.

“It’s no secret how bad we’ve struggled for the last couple of years,” Johnson added. “I ran my career-best time and speed on that run so that’s about as picture-perfect as it gets. Plus, Snake (Don Prudhomme, team owner) won this race 40 years ago and today we were able to win it to celebrate that anniversary for him. That’s special.”

Prudhomme, who now has 99 victories as a team owner and driver, was beaming with pride after the win.

"I am so proud of these guys it's hard to describe," he said. “We knew things would turn but sometimes it seems like it takes forever. This was for the guys. That's why I didn't go down to the top end. This one wasn't about me; it was about that group of guys."

Kalitta drove a consistently quick Mac Tools/Jesse James dragster to his 17th career Top Fuel win, posting a final round effort of 4.487 at 328.46 to defeat Doug Herbert, whose Snap-on Tools dragster suffered an engine misfire near mid-track and posted a 5.371 at 181.84.

It is the first time Kalitta, a two-time NHRA world champion (1994-‘95), has led the point standings since Oct. 1995. It is also his first victory at the historic Southern California drag strip.

"I've never won here so this is special," said Kalitta, who defeated Scott Weis, Larry Dixon and Dave Grubnic in earlier rounds. "Dad (crew chief Connie Kalitta) won here way back in 1967 so it's been a long time since we've celebrated here. It's a great time and I'm having fun. If we weren't enjoying ourselves, we wouldn't do it. We certainly don't have to race. We want to race. And when you race, you want to win.”

Pro Stock upstart Connolly claimed his fourth career win by outrunning NHRA legend Warren Johnson. Connolly clocked a 6.711 at 204.98 in his Bullet Motorsports Chevy Cavalier, while Johnson’s GM Performance Parts Pontiac Grand Am slowed to a 6.802 at 203.31.

"You look at the ladder at the start of the day and you see 16 guys who could easily be standing right here (in the winner's circle)," Connolly said. "Today was just my day. The car was perfect. It went dead straight every pass. My job was easy.”

It is the first time Connolly, 22, has led the points standings.

“I might have gotten a jump on the rest of the guys, but you just know it's going to be a long year the way everyone qualified here,” Connolly said. “But right now we're No. 1 and we'll take it. It's a great start.”

Connolly, who beat Jeg Coughlin, Allen Johnson and Ron Krisher to advance to the final, says he wasn’t intimidated against the 92-time winning veteran Johnson, who is going to retire from driving at the end of the season.

"I didn't really get nervous racing Warren,” Connolly said. “The guy has done a lot for the class and you have to respect his accomplishments. I don't know if I've ever even raced him before. Certainly to beat him in the finals is a huge deal for anyone."

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series continues with the 21st annual Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals, Feb. 25-27 at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix.

POMONA, Calif. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the 45th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals at Pomona Raceway. The race is the first of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Scott Kalitta; 2. Doug Herbert; 3. David Grubnic; 4. Morgan Lucas; 5. Clay Millican; 6. Brandon Bernstein; 7. Larry Dixon; 8. Tony Schumacher; 9. Doug Kalitta; 10. Cory McClenathan; 11. Andrew Cowin; 12. Rod Fuller; 13. Brady Kalivoda; 14. Scott Weis; 15. David Baca; 16. John Smith.

FUNNY CAR:

1. Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo; 2. Phil Burkart, Monte Carlo; 3. Whit Bazemore, Dodge Stratus; 4. Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo; 5. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo; 6. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo; 7. Jim Head, Toyota Celica; 8. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo; 9. Gary Scelzi, Stratus; 10. Eric Medlen, Ford Mustang; 11. John Force, Mustang; 12. Jeff Arend, Pontiac Firebird; 13. Robert Hight, Mustang; 14. Terry Haddock, Chevy Camaro; 15. Frank Pedregon, Stratus; 16. Ron Capps, Stratus.

PRO STOCK:

1. Dave Connolly, Chevy Cavalier; 2. Warren Johnson, Pontiac Grand Am; 3. Kurt Johnson, Cavalier; 4. Ron Krisher, Cavalier; 5. Jim Yates, Grand Am; 6. Larry Morgan, Dodge Stratus; 7. Greg Anderson, Grand Am; 8. Allen Johnson, Stratus; 9. Mike Edwards, Grand Am; 10. Ben Watson, Cavalier; 11. Bruce Allen, Grand Am; 12. Richie Stevens, Stratus; 13. Kenny Koretsky, Stratus; 14. Jason Line, Grand Am; 15. Jeg Coughlin, Stratus; 16. Greg Stanfield, Cavalier.

POMONA, Calif. -- Sunday's final results from the 45th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals at Pomona Raceway. The race is the first of 23 in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Scott Kalitta, 4.487 seconds, 328.46 mph def. Doug Herbert, 5.371 seconds, 181.84 mph.

Funny Car -- Tommy Johnson Jr., Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.741, 327.59 def. Phil Burkart, Monte Carlo, 7.069, 123.34.

Pro Stock -- Dave Connolly, Chevy Cavalier, 6.711, 204.98 def. Warren Johnson, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.802, 203.31.

Top Alcohol Dragster -- Steve Federlin, 5.331, 263.46 def. Hillary Will, 5.768, 237.46.

Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Frank Manzo, Pontiac Firebird, 5.530, 259.81 def. Brian Hough, Firebird, 5.567, 257.63.

POMONA, Calif. -- Final round-by-round results from the 45th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals at Pomona Raceway, the first of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series -

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Doug Herbert, 4.554, 323.04 def. David Baca, 5.857, 149.28; Clay Millican, 4.532, 326.16 def. Doug Kalitta, 4.474, 328.86; Larry Dixon, 4.509, 330.15 def. Cory McClenathan, 4.575, 316.23; Brandon Bernstein, 4.500, 328.62 def. Brady Kalivoda, 4.727, 241.32; Morgan Lucas, 4.509, 316.08 def. John Smith, 6.986, 133.62; Scott Kalitta, 4.498, 328.54 def. Scott Weis, 5.798, 154.23; David Grubnic, 4.448, 331.45 def. Rod Fuller, 4.688, 270.00; Tony Schumacher, 4.458, 331.77 def. Andrew Cowin, 4.681, 266.27; QUARTERFINALS -- Lucas, 4.498, 319.14 def. Bernstein, 8.525, 77.59; S. Kalitta, 4.471, 329.91 def. Dixon, 9.969, 93.16; Herbert, 4.551, 326.00 def. Schumacher, 11.252, 76.27; Grubnic, 4.491, 324.83 def. Millican, 4.593, 317.72;

SEMIFINALS -- Herbert, 5.035, 254.38 def. Lucas, 18.855, 41.41; S. Kalitta, 4.455, 331.04 def. Grubnic, 7.409, 112.16;

FINAL -- S. Kalitta, 4.487, 328.46 def. Herbert, 5.371, 181.84.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Phil Burkart, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.769, 315.56 def. Gary Scelzi, Dodge Stratus, 4.717, 331.53; Del Worsham, Monte Carlo, 7.346, 136.43 def. Eric Medlen, Ford Mustang, foul; Jim Head, Toyota Celica, 4.979, 311.70 def. John Force, Mustang, 5.097, 240.59; Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 4.734, 323.12 def. Terry Haddock, Chevy Camaro, 6.304, 146.80; Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo, 5.525, 280.43 def. Robert Hight, Mustang, 5.778, 172.21; Tommy Johnson Jr., Monte Carlo, 4.882, 271.08 def. Frank Pedregon, Stratus, broke; Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 4.828, 260.51 def. Jeff Arend, Pontiac Firebird, 5.615, 176.37; Whit Bazemore, Stratus, 4.810, 308.78 def. Ron Capps, Stratus, broke; QUARTERFINALS -- Burkart, 4.734, 321.42 def. Worsham, 4.874, 320.05; Bazemore, 4.780, 321.19 def. T. Pedregon, 4.785, 321.04; C. Pedregon, 4.792, 284.33 def. Head, 4.905, 313.07; Johnson Jr., 4.761, 326.71 def. Gilbertson, 8.281, 113.66;

SEMIFINALS -- Johnson Jr., 4.761, 328.22 def. Bazemore, 4.782, 313.29; Burkart, 4.787, 318.39 def. C. Pedregon, foul;

FINAL -- Johnson Jr., 4.741, 327.59 def. Burkart, 7.069, 123.34.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Ron Krisher, Chevy Cavalier, 6.716, 205.82 def. Mike Edwards, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.732, 203.95; Greg Anderson, Grand Am, 6.710, 204.73 def. Richie Stevens, Dodge Stratus, 6.782, 205.51; Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 6.751, 204.54 def. Ben Watson, Cavalier, 6.762, 203.46; Allen Johnson, Stratus, 6.735, 204.14 def. Jason Line, Grand Am, 6.823, 205.13; Dave Connolly, Cavalier, 6.710, 205.01 def. Jeg Coughlin, Stratus, 8.766, 106.72; Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.708, 205.19 def. Greg Stanfield, Cavalier, 13.036, 67.50; Kurt Johnson, Cavalier, 6.693, 205.57 def. Kenny Koretsky, Stratus, 6.813, 203.89; Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.711, 204.85 def. Bruce Allen, Grand Am, 6.777, 203.43; QUARTERFINALS -- Krisher, 6.714, 205.82 def. Yates, 6.733, 204.85; Connolly, 6.701, 205.19 def. A. Johnson, 17.262, 49.03; W. Johnson, 6.736, 204.94 def. Morgan, 6.733, 204.51; K. Johnson, 6.692, 205.79 def. Anderson, 6.786, 203.80;

SEMIFINALS -- Connolly, 6.708, 205.07 def. Krisher, 6.757, 204.88; W. Johnson, 6.734, 204.39 def. K. Johnson, 6.706, 205.04;

FINAL -- Connolly, 6.711, 204.98 def. W. Johnson, 6.802, 203.31.

POMONA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 45th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals at Pomona Raceway, the first of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1. Scott Kalitta, 116; 2. Doug Herbert, 92; 3. David Grubnic, 77; 4. Morgan Lucas, 75; 5. Tony Schumacher, 58; 6. (tie) Brandon Bernstein, 54; Larry Dixon, 54; 8. Clay Millican, 52; 9. (tie) David Baca, 33; Doug Kalitta, 33.

Funny Car

1. Tommy Johnson Jr., 112; 2. Phil Burkart, 92; 3. (tie) Whit Bazemore, 73; Cruz Pedregon, 73; 5. Tony Pedregon, 58; 6. (tie) Bob Gilbertson, 51; Jim Head, 51; Del Worsham, 51; 9. John Force, 37; 10. Eric Medlen, 36.

Pro Stock

1. Dave Connolly, 115; 2. Warren Johnson, 94; 3. Kurt Johnson, 77; 4. Ron Krisher, 72; 5. Jim Yates, 58; 6. Larry Morgan, 56; 7. Allen Johnson, 54; 8. Greg Anderson, 53; 9. Mike Edwards, 33; 10. (tie) Jason Line, 32; Richie Stevens, 32; Ben Watson, 32; Bruce Allen, 32.