POMONA, Calif. (April 07, 2026) — SCAG Racing heads to the historic In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip this weekend for the NHRA Winternationals, which will mark the 1,000th Funny Car race in NHRA history. With drivers Daniel Wilkerson, Justin Ashley, Will Smith, and Dave Richards, the team aims to build on early-season progress and compete for a milestone victory.
Few NHRA venues match Pomona’s prestige. For Wilkerson and his SCAG Power Equipment Ford Funny Car Team, the track’s legacy and this milestone bring extra motivation.
“I always love racing at Pomona,” said Wilkerson. “It’s hard to explain but there is just a good vibe there. With all the history and huge moments that have happened, when you come to the grandstands there it feels like going under the walkway at Indy. But we have added excitement this weekend with this being the 1000th Funny Car race. Tim (Wilkerson) won races 400 and 500, so we are really hoping to put our SCAG Power Equipment Mustang in the winner circle so Wilkerson is the only name on the list three times.”
Ashley and his SCAG Power Equipment Top Fuel team enter the weekend focused on applying lessons learned from the opening races of the 2026 season as they continue to chase consistency and performance.
“Pomona is a great opportunity for us to really hit our stride,” said Ashley. “We learned a lot during the first two races of the season and we’ll continue to do the same moving forward. But ultimately, the best thing we can do is translate that knowledge into success on and off the racetrack. That is our plan. We’re going to take it one day at a time and attack each run with a sound approach. I absolutely love working with Tommy, Jason, and our SCAG Power Equipment team. Their dedication, hard work, and commitment is second to none. I cannot wait to continue our journey together at the Winternationals with our dealers from PACE.”
Smith, driver of the Bluebird Turf Top Fuel Dragster, is coming off a productive outing in Phoenix and is eager to take advantage of cooler conditions expected in Pomona.
“We’re looking forward to carrying what we learned in Phoenix on into Pomona,” said Smith. “The weather is going to be cool and a complete 180 from what we had in Phoenix, so it should be fast. Our Bluebird Turf team is ready to show up with all of the SCAG dealers we get to meet throughout the weekend.”
Richards and the Bluebird Turf / Versatran Funny Car team head into Pomona aiming to continue their steady progress and deliver a solid weekend at a historic event.
“Pomona is one of those places I think every driver looks forward to,” said Richards. “There’s so much history here, and to be part of the 1,000th Funny Car race makes it really cool. We’ve been building momentum with the Bluebird Turf/Versatran team, and the focus is now on delivering consistent results for everyone who supports us at Metalcraft and our SCAG dealers and distributors. If we can do that, we know we have a car capable of going rounds.”
Qualifying for the NHRA Winternationals begins Friday with two passes scheduled for 2:00 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday qualifying will follow with two sessions at 12:30 and 3:00 p.m. Eliminations are set to start Sunday at 11:00 a.m. Television coverage will air on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), with a qualifying show on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET and eliminations coverage on Sunday from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of NHRA / National Hot Rod Association
