The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season kicks off
this weekend at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in California with the 58th annual
Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals. The defending race winners are Leah Pritchett
(Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock).
A total of 24 races are scheduled for the series. Here are
some statistics related to the 2018 season, the NHRA Winternationals and NHRA
Mello Yello Series competition at Pomona.
Statistics
- Most Winternationals Wins, Top Fuel: Don Garlits (5)
- Most Winternationals Wins, Funny Car: John Force (7)
- Most Winternationals Wins, Pro Stock: Bob Glidden (7)
Upcoming Milestones
- John Force is two victories away from 150 wins all-time.
His 148 are a record in any class in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
- Tony Schumacher is two victories behind Bob Glidden for
fourth all-time in series wins. Schumacher has 83, while Glidden has 85.
- A victory at Pomona would put Ron Capps into sole
possession of ninth in all-time victories with 59. He is currently tied with
Jeg Coughlin with 58 wins.
- Greg Anderson is seven No. 1 qualifying positions away
from 100. He would become the fourth driver in series history to reach that
mark in any class and third in the Pro Stock category. - Anderson is also one
Winternationals victory away from becoming the all-time leader in the event,
tying John Force (Funny Car) and Bob Glidden (Pro Stock) for most category wins
in the event.
- Anderson is seven races away from reaching 350 consecutive
races. He is the current active leader with 343 consecutive events, dating back
to the 2002 season finale at Pomona. His current streak is second all-time.
- Antron Brown and Doug Kalitta are each one No. 1 away from
50. The first driver to reach that mark would become the 14th driver in series
history with that many No. 1s. They are currently tied for 14th all-time with
Angelle Sampey.
Notes of Interest
- Entries in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series this weekend
include: 14 in Top Fuel; 20 in Funny Car; and 17 in Pro Stock.
- In Top Fuel, four former
NHRA Winternationals winners are entered: Steve Torrence, Doug Kalitta, Tony
Schumacher and Leah Pritchett. Overall,
- In Funny Car, nine
former NHRA Winternationals winners are entered: Robert Hight, Courtney Force,
Matt Hagan, Tommy Johnson Jr., John Force, J.R. Todd, Ron Capps, Cruz Pedregon
and Shawn Langdon. Victories for Todd and Langdon have come in Top Fuel.
- In Pro Stock,
three former NHRA Winternationals winners are entered: Greg Anderson, Jason
Line and Vincent Nobile.
- Leah Pritchett, Matt Hagan and Jason Line are aiming to repeat
as winners of the event. Pritchett’s win last year was the first for her in the
NHRA Winternationals. Hagan looks to become the first Funny Car driver since Al
Segrini in 1984-85 to win the Funny Car event in consecutive years.
- Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein and Gary Scelzi are the
only three drivers to win event in Top Fuel and Funny Car. This weekend,
Kalitta Motorsports drivers J.R. Todd and Shawn Langdon – both former race
winners in the Top Fuel class – each look to become the fourth, as they both
now driver in the Funny Car class.
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