Records Falling Early, Often at Pomona

Only one round into time trials for the 32nd Winston Finals at Pomona Raceway and already two track records are in the books.

Larry Dixon, driving Don Prudhomme’s two-year-old dragster, ran 319.37 mph Thursday for the fastest top-fuel speed in Pomona’s long history, and the fourth fastest all-time anywhere.

Coupled with a 4.63-second elapsed time, it put Dixon in the No. 1 position with three more qualifying periods scheduled.

“It was so smooth it was awesome,” Dixon said. “It always seems like the best runs feel the easiest. The car just flew the last half of the [quarter-mile] run.

“I just wish Don had been here to see it. He always gets such a kick when I have a good run. He would have loved this one.”

Prudhomme, a two-time Winston Finals champion in funny cars before retiring to run his own team, was in Las Vegas to be inducted into the Specialty Equipment Market Assn. Hall of Fame.

Needing only to show up to become the first rookie to win the Winston top-fuel championship, Gary Scelzi didn’t rest on his laurels, running a 4.704 to stand third.

“It’s incredible, we finally did it,” the Fresno driver said of the team’s championship chase. “I hope after I win about 12 of these championships for the Johnsons, I’ll get used to this sort of thing.”

Scelzi, who hadn’t driven a top-fuel dragster before this season, was picked by team owner Alan Johnson to replace Blaine Johnson, who died in a drag racing accident last year. Their first prize is $200,000.

Cory McClenathan, second quickest at 4.669 seconds, virtually assured himself of the $40,000 second-place bonus. The Anaheim driver, who twice has been the season runner-up, needs only to qualify for the 16-car eliminations to make it three times.

“We took a conservative approach and it worked,” McClenathan said. “Mike [crew chief Green] feels that we can go quicker and faster.”

Chuck Etchells, after having run 315.56 mph--the fastest funny car speed in history--two weeks ago at Houston, came back with a track-record 313.26-mph run in his Dodge Avenger.

It wiped out the year-old Pomona record of 311.85 by Al Hofmann, set in February at the Winternationals.

“I’m really satisfied with the set-up we’ve found this late in the season,” said Etchells, also quickest at 4.958 seconds. “I feel like we’ve got a good drive on next year’s competition. We have made a gradual progression. We never expected to catch John Force, we never had the budget for it, but we’re satisfied with the year we’ve had.”

Force, who clinched his seventh funny car championship last month, posted a 4.997, good for third position.

Pontiac Firebirds took the first eight spots in pro stock, headed by Kurt Johnson at 7.029 seconds.

“The pass was just about perfect,” Johnson said. “We’ll attack the track a little more on Sunday. I hope we do better than the runner-up finish we had the last time we raced here.”