Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Encyclopedia
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, formerly known as Pomona Raceway, is a racing facility located in Pomona, California
that features a quarter-mile dragstrip
. The dragstrip is most famous for hosting the NHRA
's Winternationals event since 1961, the traditional season opener, as well as the seasons last race, the NHRA Finals. The facility has a seating capacity of 40,000 spectators. It is one of the most famous, well known dragstrips in North America. The location is one of the few dragstrips in the USA that is operated directly by the NHRA. This dragstrip has also gone by the nickname of "The Fairplex".
At the time the county made the agreement, the parking lot was nothing but a gravel lot. The coalition of hot rodders, police and community leaders raised funds through donations and paved the lot. This was the birth of the dragstrip in Pomona.
Though it was not considered a national event by today's standards, the very first NHRA event, the Southern California Championships, was held at this drag strip on an April weekend in 1953. On Saturday attendance was at two or three thousand and attendance was reported to be at 15,000 on Sunday. Compared to the 4.5 second numbers the pros are putting on the board presently, the best ET of that day was a respectable 10.93.
In 1961, NHRA held its first ever Winternationals at the Pomona Raceway. It became NHRA's second national event. The first NHRA national event was the U.S. Nationals, which was nicknamed the "Big-Go". Thus, the Winternationals got nicknamed the "Big-Go West". It has remained at this location ever since. For many years, this event was sponsored by Chief Auto Parts and later its successor AutoZone
, but later was sponsored by CSK Automotive, and now its current successor, O'Reilly Auto Parts
.
The season closer, the NHRA Finals, was brought to the facility in 1984 from the now defunct Orange County International Raceway. When the event was first brought to Pomona, the event was sponsored by Winston(after NHRA's main title sponsor at the time, RJ Reynolds' "Winston" cigarette brand). As of 2010, the event is sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, which is affiliated with AAA.
was located at the facility. The dirt over was once again opened in the 1950s but closed in 1959. Ponoma was also home to a 1.7 mile Paved road course which operated in 1998 and 1999. From 1956 to 1961 2 mile temporary road course
was located in the parking lot.
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
that features a quarter-mile dragstrip
Dragstrip
A dragstrip is a facility for conducting automobile and motorcycle acceleration events such as drag racing. Although a quarter mile is the best known measure for a drag track, many tracks are eighth mile tracks...
. The dragstrip is most famous for hosting the NHRA
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...
's Winternationals event since 1961, the traditional season opener, as well as the seasons last race, the NHRA Finals. The facility has a seating capacity of 40,000 spectators. It is one of the most famous, well known dragstrips in North America. The location is one of the few dragstrips in the USA that is operated directly by the NHRA. This dragstrip has also gone by the nickname of "The Fairplex".
Drag Racing
In 1952 a car club known as the "Pomona Choppers" led by a young police officer, Sargent Bud Coons, advocated that a safe place should be provided for local area drag racers. Coons, along with fellow hot rod enthusiast, Pomona Police Chief Ralph Parker, and the city government of Pomona asked to lease the parking lot of the LA County Fairgrounds. Coons and Parker were instrumental in convincing the county to allow the use of the fairgrounds for the race by citing statistics that indicated deaths among kids declined sharply when given a place to race that was supervised. The county finally agreed, as long as the hot rodders would provide their own insurance, which they were able to do with gate receipts.At the time the county made the agreement, the parking lot was nothing but a gravel lot. The coalition of hot rodders, police and community leaders raised funds through donations and paved the lot. This was the birth of the dragstrip in Pomona.
Though it was not considered a national event by today's standards, the very first NHRA event, the Southern California Championships, was held at this drag strip on an April weekend in 1953. On Saturday attendance was at two or three thousand and attendance was reported to be at 15,000 on Sunday. Compared to the 4.5 second numbers the pros are putting on the board presently, the best ET of that day was a respectable 10.93.
In 1961, NHRA held its first ever Winternationals at the Pomona Raceway. It became NHRA's second national event. The first NHRA national event was the U.S. Nationals, which was nicknamed the "Big-Go". Thus, the Winternationals got nicknamed the "Big-Go West". It has remained at this location ever since. For many years, this event was sponsored by Chief Auto Parts and later its successor AutoZone
AutoZone
AutoZone is a retailer and distributor of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Originally a division of Memphis-based wholesale grocer Malone & Hyde, the company went under the name Auto Shack...
, but later was sponsored by CSK Automotive, and now its current successor, O'Reilly Auto Parts
O'Reilly Auto Parts
O'Reilly Auto Parts , originally known as O'Reilly Automotive, Inc., is a publicly traded chain of auto parts stores that started with one store in Springfield, Missouri in 1957. It has since grown to include more than 3,469 stores in 38 states. The corporate headquarters of O'Reilly is located in...
.
The season closer, the NHRA Finals, was brought to the facility in 1984 from the now defunct Orange County International Raceway. When the event was first brought to Pomona, the event was sponsored by Winston(after NHRA's main title sponsor at the time, RJ Reynolds' "Winston" cigarette brand). As of 2010, the event is sponsored by the Automobile Club of Southern California, which is affiliated with AAA.
Other Racing
From 1934 to 1937 a 1/2 mile dirt ovalRace track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
was located at the facility. The dirt over was once again opened in the 1950s but closed in 1959. Ponoma was also home to a 1.7 mile Paved road course which operated in 1998 and 1999. From 1956 to 1961 2 mile temporary road course
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
was located in the parking lot.