NHRA Winternationals


The NHRA Winternationals are an annual drag racing event held by the National Hot Rod Association at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California.
In 1962, under pressure from Peggy Hart and Mickey Thompson, as well as fellow racers Shirley Shahan and Roberta Leighton, Carol Cox was the first woman allowed to race at an NHRA national event. Cox drove a 1961 Pontiac Ventura with a V8, which was driven to Pomona. Cox won the title in S/SA, making her the first woman ever to take a win at an NHRA national event; the 9 March 1962 issue of National Dragster recorded her as a "crowd favorite", with a winning pass of 13.06 seconds at, but says nothing about it being a first for a woman, dismissively calling her a "'powder puff' handler". Some racers believe a class win is more difficult to achieve than a handicap win.
At the 1966 event, Shahan was the first woman to claim a national event eliminator crown, by taking Stock Eliminator. The win put her on the cover of National Dragster'.
NHRA debuted the new Top Fuel Funny Car class at the Winternationals in 1969; Funny Car Eliminator would be won by Clare Sanders, teammate of "Jungle Jim" Liberman.
In 1970, Top Fuel Eliminator went to Larry Dixon,
The AA/FC winner was the 1970 Dodge Charger, Hawaiian, of Larry Reyes. Barrie Poole became the first Canadian to win an NHRA national event, taking the 1970 Super Stock title.
The Funny Car Eliminator title at the 1971 Winternats would go to Leong's Hawaiian. with Butch Maas at the wheel. Don Garlits' novel rear-engined dragster appeared at the Winternats that year, qualifying with 6.8; his best time of the meet was a 6.70, over Jim Dunn's 7.58, in the semi-final: Garlits would win, when Kenny Safford broke in the final. The last Top Gas Eliminator crown, before NHRA abolished the class, went to Walt Stevens, at the wheel of Ken Theiss' twin-engined Odd Couple'' TG/D. The year's award for Best Engineered Car went to Jim Busby, with a dragster powered by a pair of injected DOHC Ford Indy V8 engines. Canadian Barrie Poole repeated his 1970 Winternats win in Super Stock, in a Sandy Elliot Mustang. Don Enriquez won Competition Eliminator, turning in a pass of 7.34 at, quicker and faster than Steve Woods' hemi-engined BB/Gas Ford Anglia; the field also included twin-engine straight-six-cylinder-powered D/Ds, and AA/FAs.
The 1971 meet was marred by the death of "Sneaky Pete" Robinson, who wrecked his TF/D in qualifying, with a 6.77 pass.
Altereds were so popular in the 1960s and 1970s, at the 1977 Winternationals, more than 75 drivers contested for the Comp Eliminator title. Among them was Ed Prout, who brought his A/Altered from Connecticut.
NHRA introduced a significant change to the Christmas tree, LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs, at Pomona in 2003.
At Pomona in 2014, Alexis DeJoria became the first woman ever to make a sub-four second pass, with a 3.997-second e.t.
In 2018, Top Fuel Dragser went to Doug Kalitta, Top fuel Funny Car to Matt Hagan, and Pro Stock to Bo Butner.

Past class winners

Year Top Fuel
Dragster 		Top Fuel
Funny Car 		Top Gas Top Alcohol AlteredPro StockPro CompPro Stock MotorcycleSuper Stock Stock-
1961Jack Chrisman
Mickey Thompson Johnny Loper
"Dyno Don" Nicholson 		-
1962Jim Nelson
Gary Cagle
Carol Cox
"Dyno Don" Nicholson
-
1963Don "Big Daddy" Garlits--none--Bob MuravezTony Nancy Al Eckstrand -
1964Jack WilliamsRonnie Sox Danny OngaisCharlie Smith
Tommy Grove -
1965Don "The Snake" Prudhomme --none--Jimmy NixChico Breschini Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins -
1966Mike SnivelyClare Sanders Gordon CollettWiley CosseyShirley Shahan -
1967Connie KalittaGordon CollettChico Breschini Eddie VasquezGraham Douglas-
1968Jim WarrenGordon CollettGene "Snowman" SnowAl JoneicJohn Barkley-
1969John MulliganClare SandersDave GrassiDon Grotheer-
1970Larry Dixon Don HamptonsLarry Reyes Barrie PooleRichard Charbonneau
-
1971Don "Big Daddy" GarlitsButch Maas Walt Stevens Ronnie SoxBarrie Poole-
1972Carl OlsonEd "The Ace" McCullochBill "Grumpy" Jenkins--
1973Don "Gig Daddy" GarlitsDon Schumacher"Dyno Don" Nicholson-
1974Gary BeckDale EmeryBill "Grumpy" JenkinsDale Armstrong-
1975Don "Big Daddy" GarlitsDon "The Snake" PrudhommeeBill "Grumpy" Jenkins-
1976Frank BradleyDon "The Snake" PrudhommeBill "Grumpy" Jenkins----
1977Jerry RuthDon "The Snake" PrudhommeLarry Lombardo---
1978Kelly BrownDon "The Snake" PrudhommeBob Glidden-
1979Bob NoiceTom HooverBob Glidden----
1980Shirley MuldowneyDale PuldeBob Tietz
Lee ShepherdBrian Raymer
1981Jeb AllenBilly MeyerBob Glidden
1982Dick LaHaieAl SegriniFrank Iaconio----
1983Shirley MuldowneyFrank HawleyFrank Iaconio---
1984Gary OrmsbyAl SegriniLee Shepherd----
1985Joe AmatoAl SegriniBob Glidden--
1986Darrell GwynnTim GroseFrank Iaconio---
1987Don "Big Daddy" GarlitsKenny BernsteinWarren Johnson--
1988----
1989Abe Loewen-
1990----
1991Stan Sipos -
1992----
1993----
1994----
1995----
1996----
1997----
1998----
1999----
2000----
2001----
2002----
2003----
2004Mitch Myers
Abe Loewen-
2005Scott KalittaTommy Johnson, Jr.Steve Federlin
Dave Connolly--
2006Melanie TroxelRobert HightDuane Shields
Greg Anderson-
2007J. R. ToddGary ScelziGreg Anderson-
2008Tony SchumacherRobert HightDuane Shields
Greg Anderson--
2009Doug KalittaRon CappsJim Whiteley
Jason LineShane Studley--
2010Larry DixonJohn ForceChris Demke
Mike Edwards--
2011Morgan LucasRobert HightJason LineRob Harrison--
2012Spencer MasseyJohn ForceGreg AndersonAbe Loewen-
2013Shawn LangdonCourtney ForceVincent Nobile---
2014Khalid al-BalooshiJohn ForceJason Line---
2015Shawn LangdonMatt HaganJason LineLen Darnell
--
2016Steve TorrenceRon CappsShawn Cowie
Greg AndersonLen Darnell
2017Leah PruettMatt HaganJoey Severance
Shane Westerfield
Doug Lambeck
Jason LineJay Turner
2018Doug KalittaMatt HaganShawn Cowie
Shane Westerfield
Dan Fletcher
Bo Butner IIIDoug Vancil