Pomona Pro Nitro Qualifying

What a lousy way to start the year, not NHRA’s fault, but what a lousy way to spend race days.  With off and on rain, mostly rain and nothing within the sanctioning body’s power could make for more or better qualifying.
 
Saturday afternoon, Professional qualifying at Pomona was reduced to a single session. That single session was only made so by deteriorating track conditions making the cold track surface and a timing malfunction in the left lane even more frustrating for the Pros as the day wore on.
 
Antron Brown driving Mike Ashley’s Matco Tools-sponsored dragster claimed the No. 1 position in Top Fuel, while the scoreboards revealed a 3.708-second time after his run; NHRA officials determined the run was invalid due to a malfunction in the wiring system. "It was a phenomenal run," said Brown. "This feels good for our team after what we went through in the offseason”.

By Darr Hawthorne, Photos by DRO Staff Photographer

Brown and No. 2 Joe Hartley (far lane) retained their numerical positions in the 16-car order but their elapsed times would not officially be recorded and no qualifying points would be issued in Top Fuel at this event.