Huge Stakes for Nitro Funny Car class within NHRA Winternationals — this coming weekend!

FUNNY CAR STANDOUTS to vie for win at 1,000TH NHRA nationals level FUNNY CAR RACE!

Two-time Funny Car world champion Cruz Pedregon has the unique distinction of winning NHRA’s 1,000th race (Las Vegas, 2021) as well as the 900th race in Funny Car history (Norwalk, 2021).

The veteran has another rare opportunity next weekend at his home track, when In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip hosts the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on April 9-12. It is the third of 20 races during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season in 2026, but it also carries the distinction of being the 1,000th race in NHRA Funny Car history.

A loaded Funny Car field will race for not only the special 75th anniversary diamond Wally, but also a special 1,000th Funny Car race trophy, with it all happening at the historic track in Pomona. For Pedregon, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in his 12,000-horsepower Snap-On Tools Dodge SRT Hellcat.
 
“The 900th was special, no doubt, but winning the 1000th at Pomona, my home track, would be on another level! It would mean a lot to me, my family and our fans,” Pedregon said.

Funny Car made its first-ever appearance at the 1966 World Finals in Tulsa, with Eddie Schartman picking up the victory. Sixty years of incredible history has followed, but only one driver will win the 1,000th Funny Car race. Heading into the 1,000th Funny Car race, here’s the list of milestone winners thus far:

 
• 1. Eddie Schartman, 1966 Tulsa Finals
• 100. Tripp Shumake, 1981 Atlanta
• 200. Bruce Larson, 1989 Winternationals
• 300. John Force, 1994 Topeka
• 400. Tim Wilkerson, 1999 Chicago
• 500. Wilkerson, 2003 U.S. Nationals in Indy
• 600. Jack Beckman, 2008 Phoenix
• 700. Johnny Gray, 2012 Englishtown
• 800. Force, 2016 Denver
• 900. Cruz Pedregon, 2021 Norwalk
 

Beckman enters with plenty of Pomona momentum, winning last year’s Winternationals and the In-N-Out Burger Finals to close out 2024. He’s always performed well at his home track and, as a strong historian of the sport, Beckman knows how big this victory would be in his 12,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet SS for John Force Racing.
 
“Pomona happens to be my home track, just happens to be the 1,000th Funny Car race, and I happen to be the defending race champion. I’m hoping the planets are going to line up,” Beckman said. “It’s a nice feeling to be a part of this history. I’m a historian who’s also getting to put my thumbprint on some of the history. That’s pretty cool.
 
“I just didn’t think I’d be a part of this. I mean, I’ve done 30 races for John Force Racing, so 31 races ago I wasn’t racing. The fact that I’m back in the cockpit to have a chance to win the 1,000th Funny Car race is the greatest news.” 

Posted by NHRA Communications
DragRaceCanada file photos by Dave DeAngelis & David Ostazewski