Rain washes out first day of qualifying at In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals
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Lily Do, from Temecula, walks through the nitro pits during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
A crew member for Top Fuel driver Josh Hart looks up towards the threatening skies as he pulls Hart’s dragster out of its hauler at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Funny Car driver Austin Prock walks past his hot rod in the pits during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Prock, who leads the point standings over Matt Hagan, is on the verge of winning his second straight Funny Car championship. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta, right, looks at his dragster in the pits during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Kalitta just needs to stage his car for one qualifying run to clinch his second world championship. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta, right, speaks with a crew member in the pits during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Kalitta just needs to stage his car for one qualifying run to clinch his second world championship. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Funny Car driver Austin Prock walks past his hot rod in the pits during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. Prock, who leads the point standings over Matt Hagan, is on the verge of winning his second straight Funny Car championship. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Fans walk through the pits with their racing tire souvenirs during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Fans walk through the pits with their racing tire souvenirs during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Fans walk through the pits with their racing tire souvenirs during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
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Lily Do, from Temecula, walks through the nitro pits during a rain delay at the 60th annual NHRA Finals at In-N-out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
POMONA — Doug Kalitta will have to wait another day to clinch his second NHRA Top Fuel series championship.
Rain washed out the first day of pro qualifying Friday at the 60th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at the In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip at Fairplex.
Kalitta only needs to qualify for Sunday’s elimination rounds to win his second crown in three years.
“It’s kind of a nice ring to it,” he said. “We’re definitely focused on getting the overall win in this event. That’s our goal for the weekend. We just have got to qualify to win the championship, so our goal is to win the race now.
“That would be icing on the cake to win this event.”
The Ann Arbor, Michigan, resident has won two of the last three races, scored four total wins and eight top qualifying times this season.
“The pressure is definitely off,” Kalitta said. “But you can’t take anyone lightly, and each round is important.”
Officials had moved up pro qualifying starting times in an effort to beat the forecasted rain, but the raindrops beat the cars to the drag strip before any competitor in any of the four pro classes, including Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, could make either of their two scheduled passes.
Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled to be held beginning at 10 a.m. today, depending on weather conditions. The forecast calls for rain most of the day Saturday and some of the day Sunday.
If there is no qualifying for the final race of the season, Kalitta will start from the No. 1 position based on points. His 144-point lead over teammate Shawn Langdon is enough to clinch the title by just securing a place in the eliminations.
In the other divisions, Austin Prock holds a 101-point lead in Funny Car, Dallas Green has a 92-point advantage in Pro Stock and Richard Gason has a 21-point lead.
