Antron Brown clinches fourth Top Fuel championship amid dramatic In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals

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Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley drives through the shutdown area during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley laughs with a crew member following the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley, center, rides back to the pits following the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Billy Torrence does his burnout during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Pro Stock driver Dallas Glenn does his burnout during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Austin Prock, right, is congratulated by his Top Fuel teammate Brittany Force after winning his first season championship following the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Austin Prock celebrates after winning his first season championship following the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. Prock will start Sunday’s eliminations from the top qualifying position. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Pro Stock driver Mason McGaha does his burnout during qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Buddy Hull argues with an official as his crew chief Jon Dunn, bottom left, looks on following the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. Hull’s run was disqualified eliminating him from Sunday eliminations. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Matt Hagan does his burnout during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Tony Stewart heads down track during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Brittany Force heads down track during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Jack Beckman inspects the track prior to the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Race fans pack the grandstands during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Blake Alexander heads down track during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Justin Ashley does his burnout during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Pro Stock driver Aaron Stanfield prepares for the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley, near lane, races against Antron Brown, far lane, who is second in points, during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. The two will face off in the opening round of eliminations. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Jason Rupert, right, hits the timing blocks, for a disqualification, as he nearly collides with Jeff Diehl, left, during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel Brittany Force, right, races to the top qualifying position during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 as she races against Tony Schumacher, left. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel drivers Tony Stewart, left, and Steve Torrence race down track during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown drives through the shutdown area during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Gaige Herrera rides through the shutdown area during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Pro Stock driver Aaron Stanfield heads through the shutdown area during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel drivers Ida Zetterstrom, left, and Billy Torrence race down track during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car teammates Austin Prock, far lane, and Jack Beckman, near lane, race down track during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Brittany Force does her burnout during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Sixteen time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force watches qualifying with his daughter Courtney Force during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. Force has been sidelined recovering since June after being involved in a massive crash in Virginia. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Blake Alexander does his burnout during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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Funny Car driver Buddy Hull argues an official following the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. Hull’s run was disqualified eliminating him from Sunday eliminations. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver J.R. Todd does his burnout during the second round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car drivers Matt Hagan, left, and Chad Green, right, race down track during the final round of qualifying at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Spectators at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona rush to the aid of those injured after a small plane crashed into trackside recreational vehicles on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 as it was on final approach into Brackett Field Airport across the street. At least one woman was injured. This story is developing. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A member of the NHRA Safety Safari checks inside a small airplane after it crashed into trackside recreational vehicles during the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 as it was on final approach into Brackett Field Airport across the street. At least one woman was injured. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

An injured woman is attended to by emergency personel after a small airplane crashed into trackside recreational vehicles during the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 as it was on final approach into Brackett Field Airport across the street. At least one woman was injured. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Emergency personel respond after a small airplane crashed into trackside recreational vehicles during the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 as it was on final approach into Brackett Field Airport across the street. At least one woman was injured. This story is developing. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A man reacts upon discovering his pickup truck had been smashed by a small airplane after it crashed into trackside recreational vehicles during the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 as it was on final approach into Brackett Field Airport across the street. At least one woman was injured. This story is developing. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

An injured woman is attended to by emergency personel after a small airplane crashed into trackside recreational vehicles during the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024 as it was on final approach into Brackett Field Airport across the street. At least one woman was injured. This story is developing. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Race fans react as the Condor Squadron out of Van Nuys does a flyover prior to the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon greets race fans during driver introductions prior to eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown, right, is congratulated by Funny Car driver Austin Prock, left, after winning his fourth NHRA Top Fuel Championship following the semi final round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown is swarmed by his crew after exiting his dragster after winning his fourth NHRA Top Fuel Championship following the semi final round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Jasmine Salinas explodes her enging as she races down track against Shawn Reed during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown celebrates after winning his fourth NHRA Top Fuel Championship following the semi final round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown celebrates as he climbs out of his dragster upon winning his fourth NHRA Top Fuel Championship following the semi final round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Clay Millican races down track during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher greets race fans during driver introductions at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Tony Stewart greets race fans during driver introductions prior to eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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Top Fuel driver Clay Millican greets race fans during driver introductions prior to eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown, far lane, defeats points leader Justin Ashley, near lane as they race down track during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Brittany Force, near lane, pulls away from Krista Baldwin, far lane, during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon, near lane, pulls away from Josh Hart, far lane, during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta races down track during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Chad Green races down track during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Austin Prock drives through the shutdown area after making the fastest run in NHRA history during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. Prock covered the 1,000 ft at a record speed of 341.68 mph. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Blake Alexander, near lane, pulls away from Alexis DeJoria, far lane, during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Matt Hagan races down track during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon pulls away from Josh Hart, not pictured, during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon reacts after climbing out of his dragster at half track after losing his chances of winning a Top Fuel title during the second round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Jack Beckman, near lane, pulls away from Terry Haddock, far lane, during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Tony Stewart, near lane, pulls away from Billy Torrence, far lane, during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Austin Prock waves to race fans after making the fastest run in NHRA history during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. Prock covered the 1,000 ft at a record speed of 341.68 mph. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Austin Prock, near lane, pulls away from Jason Rupert, far lane, during the opening round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. Prock made the fastest run in NHRA history covering the 1,000 ft at a record speed of 341.68 mph. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown crosses the finish line during the second round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Austin Prock, near lane, pulls away from J.R. Todd for the round win during the second round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Chad Green hits the timing blocks for a disqualification during the second round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta races down track during the second round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car driver Jack Beckman races down track during the second round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Brittany Force, far lane, beats Clay Millican to the finish line during the second round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Tony Stewart, near lane, defeats Gary Pritchett, far lane, during the second round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Top Fuel driver Antron Brown, right, is congratulated by fellow Top Fuel driver Brittany Force after winning his fourth NHRA Top Fuel Championship following the semi final round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Funny Car drivers Jack Beckman, left, Ron Capps, center, and Austin Prock, right, joke around together following the semi final round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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Top Fuel driver Antron Brown, right, is congratulated by Funny Car driver Matt Hagan, left, after winning his fourth NHRA Top Fuel Championship following the semi final round of eliminations at the 59th NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

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POMONA – Top Fuel driver Antron Brown made quite a comeback in the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series Finals at Pomona Dragstrip on Sunday.

He beat Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel at the 59th In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals for the 80th victory of his career.

Brown celebrated winning the Top Fuel final and the Top Fuel championship on the same day putting an exclamation point on a season full of adversity.

“Brother is broke,” Brown said. “I ain’t broke no more. We are going to have a good Christmas this year.”

Brown clinched his fourth Top Fuel championship when he beat Brittany Force in the semifinals. Force rattled her tires and lifted off the accelerator giving Brown an easy round win on his way to the championship race.

He won the Top Fuel championship in 2012, 2015 and 2016. It was his first NHRA championship as a team owner with AB Motorsports.

“This team has been resilient, never quit, never stopped,” Brown said. “It’s been incredible, truly a blessing. I can’t believe we did it.”

A plane crash at the drag strip interrupted racing for about two hours at the NHRA Finals in Pomona. A small plane crashed into RVs and trucks at the south end of the track where the family of driver Ron Capps was staying for the weekend. Spectators were also staying in the RV area. The crash happened during the first round of Top Fuel eliminations at 11:10 a.m.

Four people were injured, two in critical condition, in the crash and taken to hospitals. The NHRA race cars were removed from the drag strip while firefighters and police responded to the crash.

When racing resumed at around 1 p.m., Brown defeated Justin Ashley and kept his Top Fuel championship hopes alive. Brown was in third place and 46 points behind Ashley for the lead in Top Fuel when eliminations started. Shawn Langdon was in second place, 43 points behind Ashley. Brown and Langdon advanced to the second round and raced each other.

Brown took the lead in the Top Fuel standings when he defeated Langdon. There was a little luck involved when Brown spun his tires on his run, but Langdon’s car sputtered down the track and lost power.

Brown crossed the finish line first, but it was a 5.031-second run. Brown avoided making the same mistakes in the semifinal and final.

“We left it all out on the race track,” Brown said, “It’s unreal. It’s just a heck of a race day, it was a heck of a show.”

Jack Beckman beat his John Force Racing teammate Austin Prock in the Funny Car final. Prock was denied a fairy tale ending to his season, but it was a small price to pay for winning his first NHRA Funny Car championship.

Prock wanted to wait until he had the trophy for winning the NHRA Funny Car championship in his hands before celebrating.

He came into the NHRA Finals in Pomona guaranteed to win his first Funny Car title and he had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

The driver for John Force Racing set the track record in qualifying and was the No. 1 qualifier for Sunday’s Funny Car finals.

In the first round of eliminations, Prock became the first Funny Car driver to break the 340 mph barrier. He beat Jason Rupert and posted a run of 3.828 seconds at 341.68 mph.

But he wasn’t the official champion until after qualifying was completed on Saturday. That didn’t stop the congratulations from rolling in though.

“I appreciate all the congratulatory messages but the job wasn’t finished. I said all year the trophy’s gotta be in our hands then it’s over,” Prock said.

“It’s over. The job is finished.”

Prock won the Funny Car championship in record-breaking fashion. He was the No. 1 qualifier in Funny Car a record 15 times, breaking the mark of 13 set by John Force in 1996.

Prock is no stranger to NHRA drag racing even though it was his first season in Funny Car. He competed in 70 NHRA Top Fuel races over five seasons, and won four of them. He was the Top Fuel Rookie of the Year in 2019.

He won eight races, including three in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, in his first season in Funny Car.

“It’s what we had in mind. You always come into a race season going you want to win every race, you want to be low ET every run. To put that into reality is really tough,” Prock said. “Everyone on the team just did an outstanding job. We all kept our heads down through the good moments, the bad moments. That’s what it takes to be a champion. That’s what it takes to win races.”

Top Fuel driver Brittany Force, Prock’s teammate, said he paid his dues and was rewarded with a championship.

“He worked so hard. He worked on Courtney’s car back in 2018. He was on my car a couple of years later in a Top Fuel car as a teammate. He lost his ride for a little bit. It’s been up and down for him as well. To not have that security is difficult,” Force said.

Courtney Force is Brittany Force’s sister and was an NHRA driver but has since retired from racing.

Greg Anderson chased down Dallas Glenn in the NHRA Pro Stock final and Aaron Stanfield in the Pro Stock standings.

Anderson won the Pro Stock final over Glenn and won the Pro Stock championship, the sixth of his career. The winner of the final race was also going to win the championship. But they both had to catch Stanfield on the final day of the season.

Stanfield was 29 points ahead of Glenn and 48 ahead of Anderson when elimination rounds began.

Anderson was the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock after a run of 6.505 seconds at 211.20 mph. Glenn was second at 6.512 seconds and 207.82 mph. Stanfield was fourth in qualifying at 6.517 seconds and 209.98 mph.

Matt Smith won the Pro Stock Motorcycle final over Gaige Herrera.

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Herrera won the Pro Stock Motorcycle championship for the second year in a row when he defeated Clayton Howie in the first round of eliminations.

He had a 123-point lead over Smith, the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock Motorcycle, when eliminations started. Richard Gadson was in third place, eight points behind Smith.

Herrera was the third-fastest qualifier at 6.765 seconds and 201.22 mph.

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