Rain extends Winternationals

The National Hot Rod Assn.’s season opener in Pomona, normally a four-day affair, will now drag into a sixth day -- pun fully intended.

Heavy rain again soaked Auto Club Raceway on Monday, forcing the remainder of the Kragen O’Reilly Winternationals to be postponed until today, when clearer skies are forecast.

Only the first round of final eliminations in drag racing’s two premier classes, top-fuel and funny cars, were completed Sunday in the NHRA’s Full Throttle Series. They were supposed to continue Monday.

The first two rounds of qualifying Thursday and Friday also were canceled because of rain, and only one of two qualifying rounds could be completed Saturday.

Spectators holding tickets for Thursday, Friday or Sunday can redeem the face value of those tickets for seats to today’s racing, the NHRA said.

The top-fuel and funny car eliminations are scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m., followed by a resumption of first-round eliminations in the NHRA’s pro stock class.

In top-fuel, drivers who won their first-round races included reigning series champion Tony Schumacher, his teammate Cory McClenathan and Antron Brown.

In funny cars, defending race winner Robert Hight advanced to the second round of eliminations, as did his teammate Ashley Force Hood.

-- Jim Peltz