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Historic Pomona Raceway at
Fairplex, the oldest venue on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series circuit, has
been home to NHRA's season opener, the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals,
since 1961 and to the season closer, the Automobile Club of Southern California
NHRA Finals, since 1984.
In addition to the two NHRA POWERade races, the
venerable facility plays host to several events during the course of the year,
including the Super Chevy Show, Goodguys West Coast Hot Rod Happenin',
NHRA Sport Compact World Finals, and NHRA Summit Racing Series National
Championship, which is run during the Automobile Club of Southern California
NHRA Finals.
Boasting 40,000 permanent grandstand seats, 20,000 of which
have seat backs, and a 14,600-square-foot tower complete with corporate suites
and a modern press center, the track's entire 1,320-foot racing surface was
repaved in 2001 to extend the concrete launchpad from 330 to 660
feet.
"Friday night, I loaded the car
on the trailer with a bad intake gasket. Saturday morning, I drove to Pomona
Raceway and unload the car."
"A few hours went by, then they called Quick 16 1st qualify pass- the car
hooked and the engine RPM's came down the 60' footed 1.71 60' time ran 11.98,
the second qualify pass, I put pound and a half of air into the rear tires and
took off the muffler and changed carburetor jetting. The car ran 11.64 at 113
mph, the car 60' footed at 1.59 a little better we only got 2 qualifying passes.
I qualified 16 out of a 16 car field. Race day came and I put a half pound of
air to the rear tires and the car 60' footed 1.63 and I didn't see my opponent,
so I lifted. 2nd round the motor ran terrible, the intake gasket was so far gone
the engine didn't want to run when the light turned green, I let the clutch out
and pulled the car out of 1st gear by accident. My concentration was off
because of the motor..."
"Oh well. Hope to see everyone at Phoenix at the PRA show. Next time I
will have extra intake gaskets or material to make my own."

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