IT ALL COMES DOWN TO POMONA: HOW THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACES STACK UP

POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 6, 2025) – It all comes down to Pomona, as all four championships in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will be decided at the 2025 finale, next weekend’s 60th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at famed In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

With all eyes on Pomona for the World Finals, each championship race finds itself in a different spot heading into the final weekend of a thrilling and record-setting 2025 campaign.

Some are in the closing stages of being clinched, while others could come to the wire as fans have a chance to see a winner-take-all final round in Pomona for a third straight season. Let’s take a look at where each championship race stands heading to the historic Pomona track.

TOP FUEL

A second world championship in three years is all but certain for Doug Kalitta, who will officially secure the title by making a qualifying pass. After waiting 26 years to claim his first world title, a dominant run through the Countdown to the Championship will ensure he won’t wait long to clinch a second world championship.

He made the final round at each of the first four playoff races, winning twice, and separating himself from the pack as other top contenders stumbled. He’ll roll into championship Sunday in Pomona with a world title already secured, leaving Kalitta Motorsports plenty of opportunities for an epic celebration.

FUNNY CAR

Four-time world champion Matt Hagan gave himself a chance with his victory over Austin Prock in the final round at Las Vegas, ensuring another strong showing in what’s been another great year for Hagan and his Tony Stewart Racing team.

But Prock still enters Pomona with a healthy 101-point lead and, even with the points-and-a-half scenario, would need to struggle mightily for Hagan to win a fifth title.

There’s 20 Funny Car slated for Pomona, so Prock will need to make strong runs to qualify – though with 22 No. 1 qualifiers over the past two years, that seems like a certainty. Should Prock qualify, he would need to lose first round and Hagan win the race – unless Hagan can get the points gap below 90 points in qualifying.

That may be difficult considering Prock’s incredible season. He currently has nine wins and 12 final-round appearances as he looks to slam the door shut on a second straight world title for John Force Racing in Pomona.

PRO STOCK

A winner-take-all final round repeat between Dallas Glenn and Greg Anderson won’t happen this year, but it’s still that pair of KB Titan Racing drivers in the title hunt.

Glenn’s Las Vegas win put him as a heavy favorite to win his first world championship, extending his lead over Anderson to 92 points heading into the world finals. A first world title would be a deserving culmination from an incredible year that has already included eight victories and 13 final rounds in 17 Pro Stock races.

But there’s still work to be done in Pomona. Should the points lead stay above 90 points, Glenn would simply need a first round victory to clinch the title. Should it dip below 90 points in qualifying – and Anderson has eight No. 1 qualifiers to go along with his six wins this year – Glenn would need to advance to the semifinals to clinch.

Anderson, though, has his work cut out for him and will likely be solely focused on winning the race – and seeing where that takes him.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

This category has the biggest chance for dramatics, featuring a pair of Vance & Hines standouts. Richard Gadson has enjoyed a breakout season, winning twice in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. His lead currently stands at 21 points over Gaige Herrera, and with each round worth 30 points in Pomona, it likely will come down to who advances the furthest on Sunday.

That puts a winner-take-all final round as a possibility, which would be a thrill – albeit a nervous one – for each rider. Herrera, of course, has been the dominant rider the past two seasons, roaring through the field for two straight titles.

His Vegas victory made things interesting and entering the race with seven wins this year, Herrera will look to close out the year in style.

Last season, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals while Brown, Prock (Funny Car), Anderson and Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) each secured world titles. The 2025 race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations coverage starting at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 16.

Race fans will also see action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the world’s best drivers, along with the Summit Jr. Drag Racing League Shootout and the LASD Racing exhibition.

Plus, it’s also the final opportunity to watch Brittany Force in action, as the two-time Top Fuel star announced she will be retiring from full-time racing at the end of 2025. With one race left at her home track, the record-breaking Force, who has gone 343.51-mph this season and won last weekend in Las Vegas, could have one more magical moment in store at Pomona.

This year’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals also features a can’t-miss experience for racing and car enthusiasts alike. The Top Eliminator Club offers the best seats in the house, a premium experience and several exclusive benefits at one of the biggest races of the season, including a members-only hospitality center, complimentary food and beverages, members-only souvenir store, exclusive driver appearances, a gift bag, a premium view of the staging lanes and much more.

In Pomona, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will feature two qualifying rounds at 12:30 and 3 p.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 14, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, Nov. 16. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday and then eliminations on FS1 at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the 60th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.


About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing-related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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