A new era in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ storied history is set to begin Friday, April 1st, as the newly-named In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip hosts one of NHRA’s iconic events, the 63rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on March 30-April 2.

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Camrie Caruso (Pro Stock) all won last weekend at the Arizona Nationals and will be looking to continue their success this weekend in Pomona. The race will again be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), including eliminations at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 2.

On the heels of his first win of the season team owner and Top Fuel racer Justin Ashley is heading into arguably one of the busiest weekends a defending event champion could face. Last year Ashley opened the 2022 season with a dominant win with brand-new sponsor Phillips Connect and the 2020 NHRA Rookie of the Year would go on to win multiple races and contend for the championship.

Heading into this weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip Ashley is looking to defend his 2022 Winternationals title by starting a win streak following his Arizona Nationals win.

“This is the kind of weekend you dream about,” said Ashley, a six-time Top Fuel national event winner. “I was so thrilled to win the Arizona Nationals because it was a true team effort. The weekend was very successful both on and off the racetrack. We now have momentum going into Pomona and another opportunity to collect championship points through the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Every point counts for this Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel team powered by National Debt Relief.”

Last weekend Ashley bounced back from an early exit at the Gatornationals to turn on four win lights during the final national event at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. As the No. 7 qualifier he outran eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher in the first round. In the second round Ashley defeated Mike Salinas, the Gatornationals winner, and in the semifinals Ashley had to get around four-time Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence, setting up a tough final round with 2013 Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon.

“Our ladder was tough in Phoenix but there will be no easy paths to victory in Top Fuel this season,” said Ashley. “You have to bring your ‘A Game’ every round on Sunday to give yourselves an opportunity to advance. I am so proud of Mike Green, Tommy DeLago, Dustin Davis and this whole Phillips Connect team for fighting through to victory in Phoenix. But now we are focused on Pomona.”

Ashley has raced to back-to-back final rounds at the Winternationals and would like to keep that success streak going heading into this weekend. Last year he qualified No. 2 and defeated Jim Maroney, Antron Brown, Steve Torrence and Austin Prock to earn the win. In his three appearances at the Winternationals Ashley has advanced to at least the quarterfinals every race.

“I love racing at Pomona and I feel very comfortable at the track,” said Ashley. “This is home for Phillips Connect and Phillips Industries so there will be plenty of representatives at the race. Our team is looking forward to spending time with guests from Phillips Connect, KATO, National Debt Relief and all of our partners. It’s going to be an exciting weekend.”

The Pomona Dragstrip seems to always bring out the best in Robert Hight and the three-time Funny Car world champ heads to this weekend’s 63rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals with plenty of excitement following his win in Phoenix on Sunday.

Hight's win at in Arizona erased an early exit in Gainesville and gives Hight the chance to win in both Pomona and Phoenix for the second straight year – only this time in reverse order. He won the storied Winternationals to open the 2022 season in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series before winning in Phoenix. Hight impressed in the desert last weekend and will try to do the same in Pomona in his 11,000-horsepower Flav-R-Pac/Cornwell Tools/Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS.

Last weekend wasn’t conventional – Hight struggled in qualifying before dominating in eliminations – but the veteran and 62-time event winner was thrilled with how his team put things together during crunch time, knowing they’ll be ready to try and put together another winning effort in Pomona.

“I’m proud of the guys for getting everything back and working hard and they’re ready to conquer this little mini–Western Swing we’re about to take on,” said Hight, who has five career wins at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. “The battle (in Phoenix) was in our favor and it’s probably going to go back and forth the rest of the year. We’re going to have a lot of those battles and it’s going to be fun. This whole class is stacked from top to bottom and to win one of these races, you’re going to have to go through four hitters.”

Last weekend at the Arizona Nationals Hight only qualified ninth but from there, though, Hight and his team, led by crew chief Jimmy Prock, was dominant, making the quickest run in every round. He’ll need to be on his game in Pomona, taking on the likes of J.R. Todd, Gainesville winner Matt Hagan, Bob Tasca III, Cruz Pedregon and Tim Wilkerson.

As Women’s History Month comes to an end on March 31, second year pro Camrie Caruso etched her name into the NHRA record books as just the second female to win a Pro Stock national event and just the 19th woman to win an NHRA professional national event last weekend.

In just her 21st professional start Caruso raced to the winner’s circle at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park outside of Phoenix, three days ago. The No. 8 qualifier outran Deric Kramer, Cristian Cuadra, Matt Hartford and finally Bo Butner to secure the win behind the wheel of her Powerbuilt Tools Chevrolet Camaro out of the KB Titan Racing stable.

"Getting my first win was a huge goal and to have it come during Women's History Month is really cool,” said Caruso, who has won NHRA events at a variety of levels. “NHRA has a great history of successful women racers and crew chiefs so to add my name to that list by winning the Arizona Nationals is really special."

This was Caruso’s second final round appearance. During her rookie season she raced to the finals at the SpringNationals in Houston as the No. 1 qualifier and lost a close race to eventual Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders in the first all-female Pro Stock final round.

"The Pro Stock category has had a number of women racers over the past 50 years and to be one of only two women to have won a Wally is amazing,” said Caruso. “I hope other young racers in junior dragster or the sportsman classes see the success I have had or that Erica (Enders) has had and it motivates them to keep racing or to give racing a shot."

"There have been so many successful women in NHRA that it doesn't seem weird or out of place to stand in the winner's circle. I have won in other categories racing men my whole life so Sunday winning my first professional Pro Stock race was more about my racing ability and my Powerbuilt Tools Chevrolet Camaro's performance than who I was racing against. It was a team effort all around and I am just proud we got a win in the second race of the season," added Caruso.

It was a little over a year ago that Caruso qualified for her first NHRA national event at the Winternationals. The successful first outing included qualifying in the top half of the field and gaining valuable experience that would carry her through her rookie campaign.

“I am excited that we will get this Powerbuilt Tools Chevrolet Camaro back on the track this weekend at the Winternationals,” said Caruso. “The win in Phoenix was great but I think this team has a lot of confidence right now and we want to keep the momentum going. Being able to see the success of this KB Titan Racing team so early shows what we are all capable of heading into this season. I know we have a lot more races to go but doing well in Pomona will only keep us focused.”

Over the off-season Caruso joined the newly formed KB Titan Racing joining a four driver team composed of five-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson, 2021 NHRA Rookie of the Year Dallas Glenn and second generation Pro Stock standout Kyle Koretsky. The mix of veteran leadership, youthful enthusiasm and superior racing talent has Caruso feeling right at home and also eager to continue her development as a driver.

“Getting to work with Greg, Dallas and Kyle has been so great,” said Caruso. “They are really supportive and I am so comfortable in my Powerbuilt Camaro thanks to all their input. Seeing my whole team in the winner’s circle in Phoenix was great. I have to thank my mom, dad and Papa for all their support too. I am looking forward to racing in the #2Fast2Tasty race on Saturday and then chasing that second Pro Stock win on Sunday.”

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 3 p.m. PT on Friday, March 31, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 1 at 12 and 3 p.m. The finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge take place at the end of final qualifying in each category. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, April 2. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 7:00 p.m. ET. on Saturday and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 7 p.m. ET.

w/ NHRA  & Werner Communications