BECKMAN, BROWN, ANDERSON AND M. SMITH END 2024 SEASON WITH WINS AT IN-N-OUT BURGER NHRA FINALS
POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2024) – Jack Beckman closed out the 2024 season NHRA season with a thrilling Funny Car victory on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, defeating John Force Racing teammate and world champion Austin Prock in the final round to close out the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.
Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the last of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the sixth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
In the teammate versus teammate final round, Beckman went a career-best 3.812-seocnds at 327.35 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat Prock and pick up his second win of the season since taking over driving duties for John Force in August. It’s been a magical ride for Beckman, a former world champion, who won his 35th career race on Sunday.
To get to the final round on Sunday, Beckman knocked off Terry Haddock, Blake Alexander and Ron Capps, ensuring Prock and Force/Beckman finished first and second in the loaded Funny Car ranks.
“It doesn’t get any higher than this,” Beckman said. “It’s just magical at your home track. It’s special when it’s the Winternationals when the Winternationals was the first race of the year, but the Finals is finals, right? Whoever wins here gets a couple months to say we were the baddest on race day.
“This season has just been just pinch-me moment after pinch-me moment. The way John went out was terrible, but he’s still with us, and I think he’s just as valuable standing on the starting line as he is strapped in the car at the starting line. Having John here doesn’t make us want to win more. We want to win every time we go out there. It just made winning that much more special. To see Brittany [Force] win after a two-year winless drought the weekend her dad comes back and then Austin double up with her, was just great (in Las Vegas). We’re right back in another final against Austin, and this time we won it.”
Prock advanced to his 12th final round in his dazzling championship season in Funny Car.
Top Fuel’s Antron Brown qualified just 12th in his 11,000-horsepower Matco Tools/Toyota dragster, but as he’s done all year, the standout was in prime form during eliminations. He knocked off Justin Ashley, who entered the weekend with the points lead, with a run of 3.696-seconds at 331.53 mph in an incredible matchup to open eliminations and then faced off with another title contender in Shawn Langdon. Both drivers ran into trouble, but Brown recovered and advanced to the semifinals against Force.
A spectacular season in Pro Stock came down to a thrilling winner-take-all final round, with Greg Anderson defeating KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn with a run of 6.501 at 211.13 to slip past Glenn’s run of 6.516. It hands Anderson a remarkable sixth world championship, tying him with Erica Enders and Warren Johnson for the second-most in Pro Stock history.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith ended his year with a strong statement on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell, defeating world champion Gaige Herrera in the final round with a run of 6.702 at 202.12. It is Smith’s second win this season and the 41st in his career, enabling the six-time world champion to finish second to Herrera for the first time in his career.
Smith, who also qualified No. 1, took down Aaron Pine, Marc Ingwersen and Steve Johnson to reach the final round, setting up another marquee matchup with Herrera. This time, Smith had enough to get past the two-time defending champion,
“We came in knowing we probably couldn’t get three hats, but we knew we could get two and we did,” said Smith, getting the No. 1 qualifier and winner’s hat. “We got the low qualifier hat and the winner’s hat, just not the champion’s hat. Still, we were able to put pressure on Gaige [Herrera]. He’s a deserving champ, and we just made too many mistakes.
“I love doing this, but I’ve thought about getting off and putting some young kid on the bike. I’m 52 and it’s hard to keep up but I still love it. Actually, our sponsor, Denso told me to stop talking about retirement. I still have a job, so I plan to come back and push hard to get that seventh championship next year. “
Herrera advanced to his 12th final round of the season in just 15 races.
The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 6-9 with the NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway.
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POMONA, Calif. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. The race is the final of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
1. Antron Brown; 2. Doug Kalitta; 3. Tony Stewart; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Clay Millican; 6. Gary Pritchett; 7. Jasmine Salinas; 8. Shawn Langdon; 9. Shawn Reed; 10. Justin Ashley; 11. Tony Schumacher; 12. Josh Hart; 13. Krista Baldwin; 14. Billy Torrence; 15. Steve Torrence; 16. Ida Zetterstrom.
FUNNY CAR:
1. Jack Beckman; 2. Austin Prock; 3. Matt Hagan; 4. Ron Capps; 5. J.R. Todd; 6. Daniel Wilkerson; 7. Blake Alexander; 8. Chad Green; 9. Jason Rupert; 10. Terry Haddock; 11. Cruz Pedregon; 12. Bob Tasca III; 13. Alexis DeJoria; 14. Paul Lee; 15. Steven Densham; 16. Jeff Diehl.
PRO STOCK:
1. Greg Anderson; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. Aaron Stanfield; 4. Erica Enders; 5. Camrie Caruso; 6. Cristian Cuadra; 7. Cory Reed; 8. Matt Hartford; 9. Jeg Coughlin; 10. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 11. Jerry Tucker; 12. Derrick Reese; 13. Chris McGaha; 14. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 15. Kenny Delco; 16. Eric Latino.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
1. Matt Smith; 2. Gaige Herrera; 3. Angie Smith; 4. Steve Johnson; 5. Chase Van Sant; 6. Marc Ingwersen; 7. Richard Gadson; 8. Geno Scali; 9. John Hall; 10. Jianna Evaristo; 11. Chris Bostick; 12. Ryan Oehler; 13. Clayton Howey; 14. Lance Bonham; 15. Hector Arana Jr; 16. Aaron Pine.
POMONA, Calif. — Sunday’s final results from the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. The race is the final of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
POMONA, Calif. — Final round-by-round results from the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, the final of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Clay Millican, 3.654, 336.49 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.714, 332.02; Jasmine Salinas, 3.691, 330.07 def. Shawn Reed, 3.679, 330.96; Antron Brown, 3.696, 331.53 def. Justin Ashley, 3.704, 330.31; Doug Kalitta, 3.688, 336.23 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 8.458, 73.26; Brittany Force, 3.697, 335.65 def. Krista Baldwin, 3.822, 273.44; Gary Pritchett, 3.715, 333.91 def. Steve Torrence, 5.414, 175.09; Shawn Langdon, 3.690, 332.92 def. Josh Hart, 3.733, 327.90; Tony Stewart, 3.742, 320.74 def. Billy Torrence, 3.949, 260.16;
SEMIFINALS — Herrera, 6.765, 199.85 def. A. Smith, 6.762, 201.31; M. Smith, 6.747, 201.85 def. Johnson, 6.780, 196.42;
FINAL — M. Smith, 6.705, 202.12 def. Herrera, 6.722, 201.91.
POMONA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, the final of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –
Wyman Barnett from Norcross, Georgia USA (Comp Number: 207) 1985 - Category: PS-500, Type: LN, Class: Pro Stock, Div: 2 "Barnett Automotive" Owned by Wyman Barnett from Norcross, Georgia USA '83 Pontiac Trans Am by Barnett Race Cars | Powered by a 500 cubic inch Pontiac by Barnett Automotive with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 […]
Sal Gonzales from California USA 1985 - Category: PROSTREET, Type: QN, Class: Pro Street, Div: 7 "Sal Gonzales" Owned by Sal Gonzales from California USA '70 Plymouth Cuda by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 484 cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 9.180 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile […]
Fred Cavasinni from Sydney, New South Wales Australia 1985 - Category: PM-OUTLAW, Type: ZA, Class: Quick 8, Div: 8 "Fred Cavasinni" Owned by Fred Cavasinni from Sydney, New South Wales Australia '34 Ford by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.820 at Unknown […]
Sammy Hale from Sacramento, California USA (Comp Number: 703) 1985 - Category: NOSTAAFD, Type: EN, Class: AA/FD, Div: 7 "Champion Speed Shop" Owned by Jim McLennan from San Francisco, California USA '60 Dragster by Scotty Fenn | Powered by a 327 cubic inch Chevrolet (twins) by Champion Speed Shop with direct drive 1/4 Mile ET: […]
Mike Withrow from Corsicana, Texas USA (Comp Number: 472) 1985 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: B/D, Div: 4 "Mike Withrow" Owned by Mike Withrow from Corsicana, Texas USA Dragster by Gene Gaddy | Powered by a 393 cubic inch Chevrolet with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.490 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile […]
Lori Johns from Corpus Christi, Texas USA (Comp Number: 440) 1985 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: B/ED, Div: 4 "Lori Johns" Owned by Lori Johns from Corpus Christi, Texas USA '85 Dragster by Don Ness | Powered by a 338 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.600 at Unknown | 1/4 […]
Jack Gibson from Odessa, Texas USA (Comp Number: 474) 1985 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: A/D, Div: 4 "Jack Gibson" Owned by Jack Gibson from Odessa, Texas USA '85 Dragster by Gene Gaddy | Powered by a 396 cubic inch Chevrolet with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.650 at Unknown | 1/4 […]
Gary Chomiski from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada (Comp Number: 5233) 1985 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: B/ED, Div: 5 "Drag City USA" Owned by Gary Chomiski from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada '85 Dragster by Mike Bos | Powered by a 340 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.380 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile […]
Danny Townsend from Muncie, Indiana USA (Comp Number: 312) 1985 - Category: GASALT, Type: GN, Class: A/A, Div: 7 "Asian Flew" Owned by Dennis King from California USA 32 Austin/Bantam Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 526 cubic inch Arias Chevrolet with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.240 at […]
Phil Szupka from Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania USA (Comp Number: 198) 1986 - Category: GASALT, Type: GN, Class: A/EA, Div: 1 "Jules Schonberger Racing" Owned by Jules Schonberger from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA '32 Austin Bantam by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 316 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown at […]