Persistent afternoon rain showers fell and NHRA officials pulled plug on the first round of professional qualifying Thursday at the Pomona Winternationals. Some sportsman categories completed qualifying rounds prior to the rain with Frank Manzo, reigning Top Alcohol Funny Car Champ, leading qualifiers after one session in his Lucas Oil Chevy Monte Carlo running a 5.585/259.56 mph pass.

One round of pro qualifying is scheduled for Friday, but the weather, with another heavy storm on the way, doesn’t look like it’ll cooperate.

Racing was delayed for a time when John Irving driving his E/SA '85 Dodge RAM Pick-up lost the left rear wheel and the truck headed right for the Christmas Tree. The Tree was totaled, but starting line electronics expert Jeff Foster had a replacement at the track and other coming in on Friday via airfreight. The Safety Safari crew loaded the truck on a rollback flatbed truck.

Bakersfield’s Tom Mettler drove his '01 Dakota Pro Stock Truck to the #1 position with his 7.374, -0.636 under. Stock eliminator is lead by G/SA competitor Jami Jones from Grimes IA in an '86 Camaro running an11.115, Southern Californian
John Calvert in his A/Stock '08 Mustang is in second with a 10.080. In Super Stock Ron Roddel’s GT/MA Grand Am is #1 with his 10.640, -1.410 under.

At press time, Friday weather doesn’t look much better for kicking off the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 49th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals.