Future of NHRA or Pomona

[4Waters]

It's been 9 years since I've been to a race and it has changed a lot. We enjoyed ourselves and the racing was good with the exception of no prostock anymore but it was an empty event. There was room in the stands and the fence was for the most part 1 sometimes 2 deep instead of the normal 4-5 deep, and lots of dead time during the day. When did Manufacturers Midway go away? No Edelbrock, Holley, Strange, Mark Williams..... Simpson and VP, that's all that was there unless Manufacturers Midway was moved out to the boonies.

How is it at the other events in Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas....?

If it's like this at the other events NHRA isn't gonna make it much longer.

 

[Willie B]

It's been 9 years since I've been to a race and it has changed a lot. We enjoyed ourselves and the racing was good with the exception of no prostock anymore but it was an empty event. There was room in the stands and the fence was for the most part 1 sometimes 2 deep instead of the normal 4-5 deep, and lots of dead time during the day. When did Manufacturers Midway go away? No Edelbrock, Holley, Strange, Mark Williams..... Simpson and VP, that's all that was there unless Manufacturers Midway was moved out to the boonies.

How is it at the other events in Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas....?

If it's like this at the other events NHRA isn't gonna make it much longer.

…They lost me when it went to 1000 feet. I fully understand the reason but it’s just not the same.…

 

[X-rated]

What do you mean no pro stock? 19 cars on the property! Strongest class there!

 

[boatpi]

I believe Vegas has a manufacturer midway to a certain extent, but understand Las Vegas runs the track many many times a year. We don’t have an active dragstrip in Southern California.

 

[zhandfull]

I think it’s like everything else nowadays. Easier to sell product online than to pay fees and travel to events.

 

[4Waters]

What do you mean no pro stock? 19 cars on the property! Strongest class there!

Prostock is gone, it was replaced with chevystock. No competition, the entire field is 1 brand and over half the field has the same engine builder and chassis. Prostock was my class, chevystock is boring as fuck.

 

[DRYHEAT]

It's been 9 years since I've been to a race and it has changed a lot. We enjoyed ourselves and the racing was good with the exception of no prostock anymore but it was an empty event. There was room in the stands and the fence was for the most part 1 sometimes 2 deep instead of the normal 4-5 deep, and lots of dead time during the day. When did Manufacturers Midway go away? No Edelbrock, Holley, Strange, Mark Williams..... Simpson and VP, that's all that was there unless Manufacturers Midway was moved out to the boonies.

How is it at the other events in Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas....?

If it's like this at the other events NHRA isn't gonna make it much longer.

$1500 for the weekend, for a family of four seems like a lot, at least for poor folks like me. Maybe $600-$800 for one Saturday or Sunday. Not including food and drinks.

 

[Sharp Shooter]

I also miss the speed parts vendors in the midway, the tower side seating (closer to the track), the long burnouts and full length 1320 tracks. Since I'm rollin let me add I hate that I can't pay cash in the NHRA tent!

I'll still go get my Nitro fix, but it's hard to forget how good it used to be...

 

[4Waters]

$1500 for the weekend, for a family of four seems like a lot, at least for poor folks like me. Maybe $600-$800 for one Saturday or Sunday. Not including food and drinks.

We were 500-550 for the 4 of us for today, that included food for 3 of us. Wife couldn't eat anything due to dietary restrictions.

 

[ChrisV]

I really need to go to an NHRA event some day.

 

[4Waters]

I also miss the speed parts vendors in the midway, the tower side seating (closer to the track), the long burnouts and full length 1320 tracks. Since I'm rollin let me add I hate that I can't pay cash in the NHRA tent!

I'll still go get my Nitro fix, but it's hard to forget how good it used to be...

It really was awesome before the 1000' change

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

I really need to go to an NHRA event some day.

All I go to is Pomona but I was actually discussing that yesterday and I thought Thunder Valley @ Bristol would be a bucket list item. That or Bandemire near Denver.

SoCal just isn't what it used to be for hot rod car culture and racing.

 

[4Waters]

All I go to is Pomona but I was actually discussing that yesterday and I thought Thunder Valley @ Bristol would be a bucket list item. That or Bandemire near Denver.

SoCal just isn't what it used to be for hot rod car culture and racing.

That's why I asked the question if other venues are the same

 

[TrollerDave]

I really need to go to an NHRA event some day.

Have you never experienced a Top Fuel car pass?

 

[n2otoofast4u]

All I go to is Pomona but I was actually discussing that yesterday and I thought Thunder Valley @ Bristol would be a bucket list item. That or Bandemire near Denver.

SoCal just isn't what it used to be for hot rod car culture and racing.

Bandemire is closed. The Mountain was a great venue!

 

[Chili Palmer]

What I miss is the pro bikes, exhibition runs of jet cars, semis, and oddball one-offs.

 

[boatpi]

And now I believe the exhibition cars are gone no more will standers the jet cars are pretty much a thing of the past

 

[rmarion]

the last NHRA event I attended was at OCIR.. F!!!! I'm old!!!

 

[welldigger00]

I was tripping on how there wasn’t a whole lot of kids there, it was mainly old dudes. Kids are just not into hot ridding anymore. Kids are not driving at 16 anymore either. The car culture is dying I think. Possibly the helicopter parents, possibly just the huge cost of insurance, car payments, gas, etc, I don’t know. Maybe the stupid phone in their face 24/7.

 

[dave29]

Bandemire is closed. The Mountain was a great venue!

Went to Bandemire years ago. My friend Dale Pulde was the crew chief for Scotty Cannon in the Oakley funny car. Great track in a great location. Really a fun weekend. I grew up racing at Lion's and Orange County. Got my NHRA license at Pomona when Jack Beckman taught the class for Frank Hawley. Dragstrips are a part of the So Cal history and are not going to be around forever. Enjoy them while you can.

 

[4Waters]

Went to Bandemire years ago. My friend Dale Pulde was the crew chief for Scotty Cannon in the Oakley funny car. Great track in a great location. Really a fun weekend. I grew up racing at Lion's and Orange County. Got my NHRA license at Pomona when Jack Beckman taught the class for Frank Hawley. Dragstrips are a part of the So Cal history and are not going to be around forever. Enjoy them while you can.

I took a S/C class with Fast Jack

 

[ToMorrow44]

All I go to is Pomona but I was actually discussing that yesterday and I thought Thunder Valley @ Bristol would be a bucket list item. That or Bandemire near Denver.

SoCal just isn't what it used to be for hot rod car culture and racing.

Went to Bristol last year and it was awesome. Bruton Smith facility and it’s top notch. Bandimere was awesome, I was able to go the last year it was open.

 

[ChrisV]

Have you never experienced a Top Fuel car pass?

Yes. At Famoso for test and tune. It's definitely loud but never caught my interest. Love watching promods or 275x cars tbh.

 

[Loony Toon]

The residence of Pomona and La Verne have been the biggest down fall to racing in Pomona.
As for SO Cal being the heart of the car enthusiasts days are long gone. SoCal Sucks

 

[TimeBandit]

1000 feet?

That shows how much this "car guy" pays attention to drag racing. I had no clue.

 

[4Waters]

1000 feet?

That shows how much this "car guy" pays attention to drag racing. I had no clue.

Just the Nitro categories

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

It's been 9 years since I've been to a race and it has changed a lot. We enjoyed ourselves and the racing was good with the exception of no prostock anymore but it was an empty event. There was room in the stands and the fence was for the most part 1 sometimes 2 deep instead of the normal 4-5 deep, and lots of dead time during the day. When did Manufacturers Midway go away? No Edelbrock, Holley, Strange, Mark Williams..... Simpson and VP, that's all that was there unless Manufacturers Midway was moved out to the boonies.

How is it at the other events in Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas....?

If it's like this at the other events NHRA isn't gonna make it much longer.

OMG I watch NHRA here and there when I can catch it on tv but I didn’t even notice that Pro Stock isn’t running anymore

 

[4Waters]

OMG I watch NHRA here and there when I can catch it on tv but I didn’t even notice that Pro Stock isn’t running anymore

Post 6

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

the last NHRA event I attended was at OCIR.. F!!!! I'm old!!!

Yes you are. Lol so I’m I. Back when I was in high school our auto shop teacher races pro stock and he would give us ticks for Thursday at OCIR and he told us that if we got caught ditching school he has nothing to do with him getting us the ticMets.

 

[X-rated]

Prostock is gone, it was replaced with chevystock. No competition, the entire field is 1 brand and over half the field has the same engine builder and chassis. Prostock was my class, chevystock is boring as fuck.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion! When there are 20-25 cars on the property and the field is separated by less than half a second, THAT is drag racing!! If you bothered to look you might see there is a couple of Mustangs, granted they are Chevy powered but they are at least competitive. Pro Stock has become a pure driver’s class and usually the best man or woman wins.I think the Elite KBR rivalry is great for the sport and the entry numbers obviously reflect that.

 

[4Waters]

Yes you are. Lol so I’m I. Back when I was in high school our auto shop teacher races pro stock and he would give us ticks for Thursday at OCIR and he told us that if we got caught ditching school he has nothing to do with him getting us the ticMets.

We (about 5 of my friends and myself) always went to Pomona on Thursday qualifying for both events for photography class and because it was for a class assignment it was excused. The main assignment was "panning", the rest of the class went out in front of the school and took pictures of cars driving by at 30mph, we took pictures of cars going 300mph, we always got an A on that assignment. We also took lots of other pics for assignments coming up.

The kicker is that our school schedule always gave us that Friday off for a teacher in service day so we went back on Friday and again on Sunday, great 4 day weekend

 

[ltbaney1]

i was there friday and sunday. I will be the first to admit, as much as i love drag racing, if the tickets were not free i would not have been there. it had been a few years since i have been to the winternationals, i was shocked at the lack of people and no vendor midway. friday ticket was 61 and parking i heard was 30, saturday & sunday i heard ticket prices between 71 and 81 plus parking. that makes it tough for a guy to take his kids on whim. the other issue i saw was, i though i would pick my kids up a shirt, at 43-47 per shirt i turned around and walked away. it needs to be affordable to the average guy to take his kids and have something going on all day. bring back pro mod!

 

[Not So Fast]

Whatever happend to the good ole days, So Cal had some great strips like San Gabriel, Long Beach, Fontana, San Fernando ect., where guys like Gas Ronda, Les Ritchie, Butch Leal, used to run?? It sure has changed and for the average guy you are just SOL I guess
I was a regular at a couple of them like here at Fontana driving for Speed Enterprise and Earl Wade God belss him

 

[CommanderLee]

Holley and Simpson were in the Midway, and Holley owns Simpson I believe. They each had a trailer there. We used to do it years ago but NHRA charges too much and honestly it just is not worth the cost. At one point you would have racers coming by because they needed something to continue but now most everything is custom built and one off. Then just look at the parking lot, the crowd has changed. You don't see a whole lot of anything other than a basic sedan, truck or EV. Days of actual hot rods in the parking lot are gone. So for a manufacture to spend the money for the booth space, travel and all that goes with it to hand out stickers does not make sense. It sucks because at one time I was that kid collecting stickers but things have changed unfortunately.

 

[MonkeyButt70]

Grok had an interesting answer, I had to ask a unbiased opinion since Im biased towards the drags being the only sport I follow:

Drag racing has seen fluctuating levels of popularity in recent years, with evidence suggesting both growth and challenges depending on the context—professional circuits, grassroots scenes, or specific regions. As of March 31, 2025, here’s a breakdown based on available trends and insights.

At the grassroots level, drag racing appears to be maintaining or even gaining traction. Its appeal lies in its accessibility—anyone with a car and a driver’s license can participate at local tracks, thanks to a variety of classes accommodating everything from stock vehicles to modified dragsters. This inclusivity fosters a diverse community, drawing in new enthusiasts. Events like no-prep racing and street-legal drag nights have also surged, fueled by shows like "Street Outlaws," which highlight relatable cars and personalities. These formats resonate with younger audiences and keep the sport vibrant at a local level.

Globally, drag racing is expanding in regions like the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Countries such as Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE have embraced it, driven by a passion for high-performance cars and investments in top-tier racetracks. In Europe, series like the FIA European Drag Racing Championship and the Summit Racing EDRS Series attract significant participation, with hundreds of teams competing annually. Japan and South Africa also report steady engagement, suggesting the sport’s international footprint is growing.

However, professional drag racing, particularly in the U.S. under sanctioning bodies like the NHRA, faces headwinds that temper its overall popularity. Attendance and participation at top-tier events have declined in some areas, partly due to rising costs for competitors—think high-dollar equipment, travel, and maintenance—which make it less sustainable for teams without major sponsorships. Tracks have closed in places like Southern California, shrinking the infrastructure for big events. Some argue the sport’s focus on "cookie-cutter" pro cars has drifted from the innovation that once captivated fans, reducing its mainstream appeal.

On the flip side, drag racing’s spectacle—11,000-horsepower Top Fuel cars hitting 330 mph in under five seconds—remains unmatched, and digital engagement is a bright spot. Social media and streaming platforms amplify its reach, with fans tuning in for highlights and personalities like John Force or Erica Enders. The sport’s diversity, with women and younger drivers excelling, also broadens its audience.

So, is drag racing gaining popularity? It’s a mixed bag. Grassroots and international scenes are thriving, driven by accessibility and cultural resonance, while the professional tier struggles with economic and visibility challenges. The sport isn’t dying, but its growth is uneven—booming where it’s affordable and relatable, stalling where it’s become exclusive or disconnected.

 

[4Waters]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion! When there are 20-25 cars on the property and the field is separated by less than half a second, THAT is drag racing!! If you bothered to look you might see there is a couple of Mustangs, granted they are Chevy powered but they are at least competitive. Pro Stock has become a pure driver’s class and usually the best man or woman wins.I think the Elite KBR rivalry is great for the sport and the entry numbers obviously reflect that.

That's not prostock but funny

 

[4Waters]

Holley and Simpson were in the Midway, and Holley owns Simpson I believe. They each had a trailer there. We used to do it years ago but NHRA charges too much and honestly it just is not worth the cost. At one point you would have racers coming by because they needed something to continue but now most everything is custom built and one off. Then just look at the parking lot, the crowd has changed. You don't see a whole lot of anything other than a basic sedan, truck or EV. Days of actual hot rods in the parking lot are gone. So for a manufacture to spend the money for the booth space, travel and all that goes with it to hand out stickers does not make sense. It sucks because at one time I was that kid collecting stickers but things have changed unfortunately.

Holley was not there

 

[thmterry]

I wonder what is going on with Capco? Has Steve Torrance just lost interest or is the company having problems?

 

[was thatguy]

It’s mostly Pomona.
I’ve been going to national events since the 1980 gators.
I added up my passes a while back and had 57 events, so it’s well over 60 events lifetime.
I’ve seen all the changes.
Some sucked, some were necessary, but none of them were insurmountable.

Every year I read that the NHRA sucks and is doomed.
It isn’t. Pomona might be doomed, but probably not being the historical start/ finish point.

Every year I go to at least 1-2 nationals.
The last 3 were Phoenix twice and Vegas 4 wide.
All 3 were sold out.

Having said that, and having been to at least a dozen finals at Pomona, I simply won’t go to SoCal for it anymore.
Been 5 years since my last visit.

 

[CommanderLee]

Holley was not there

I walked by their trailer yesterday and Simpson was down just a bit from them.

 

[was thatguy]

I wonder what is going on with Capco? Has Steve Torrance just lost interest or is the company having problems?

He’s definitely been acting very “un-Torrance” like lately.
Double stepping in eliminations?

 

[LakeMeadLavey]

Yes. At Famoso for test and tune. It's definitely loud but never caught my interest. Love watching promods or 275x cars tbh.

I grew up going to OCIR and all the NHRA events. I lost interest about 15 years ago. Now to me the Tx2k event you did and that whole scene is way more exciting than any NHRA events. With that said, hats off to your friend Ladyzla! That GTR was getting after it and cool seeing her behind the wheel. Some crazy fast cars out there.

 

[MonkeyButt70]

I wonder what is going on with Capco? Has Steve Torrance just lost interest or is the company having problems?

That Capco team has struggled ever since Gary Pritchett has left the team, not sure that has anything to do with it, but whenever Gary helps with a independent team, the car definitely performs better. Like Tripp and Travis’s Dragsters

 

[4Waters]

I walked by their trailer yesterday and Simpson was down just a bit from them.

Simpson, that lawnmower Wilkerson sponsor, the Jr. Dragster and VP, that's all that was in that row, no Holley

 

[OCMerrill]

Yes you are. Lol so I’m I. Back when I was in high school our auto shop teacher races pro stock and he would give us ticks for Thursday at OCIR and he told us that if we got caught ditching school he has nothing to do with him getting us the ticMets.

I ran the strip in my El Camino on the second to the last Thursday before it closed. The interesting deal was none of us knew the track would be closed a couple weeks later. In 1984 my mother moved to El Toro and I dove that choppy cammed car through Silverado Canyon up to Brea to go to school.

The things we do for fun. I was a couple years late to OCIR. If that track stayed around a little longer I would have been nearly living there.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

NHRA should allow teams to innovate to potentially drive down costs as well as possibly make the cars perform better. Allow the teams to explore turbos again with today's tech.

Too many rules on the cars homogenizes the competition and takes away so much of the fun for the spectators.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Holley and Simpson were in the Midway, and Holley owns Simpson I believe. They each had a trailer there. We used to do it years ago but NHRA charges too much and honestly it just is not worth the cost. At one point you would have racers coming by because they needed something to continue but now most everything is custom built and one off. Then just look at the parking lot, the crowd has changed. You don't see a whole lot of anything other than a basic sedan, truck or EV. Days of actual hot rods in the parking lot are gone. So for a manufacture to spend the money for the booth space, travel and all that goes with it to hand out stickers does not make sense. It sucks because at one time I was that kid collecting stickers but things have changed unfortunately.

NHRA charges too much?

Don't every try NASCAR then. I think I was at $137 for the Winternationals for Saturday tickets for reserved seating for 2 and pit side parking at $35. Could do GA seating and the regular parking for less.

I'll happily pay that compared to NASCAR which was up to $500-$600 for Saturday and Sunday races and pit passes. I'm almost glad NASCAR left Fontana because that event budget now pays for two trips to NHRA (internationals and Finals) with money left over.

 

[CommanderLee]

NHRA charges too much?

Don't every try NASCAR then. I think I was at $137 for the Winternationals for Saturday tickets for reserved seating for 2 and pit side parking at $35. Could do GA seating and the regular parking for less.

I'll happily pay that compared to NASCAR which was up to $500-$600 for Saturday and Sunday races and pit passes. I'm almost glad NASCAR left Fontana because that event budget now pays for two trips to NHRA (internationals and Finals) with money left over.

I was talking about vendor space prices and not ticket prices.

 

[oldschool]

Ok, so cars are going quicker and faster than ever before, racing is tighter than it’s ever been, NHRA runs a good program, tickets are less than $100 a piece and all the free koozies you would want? And yet some of you are bummed that the racing is only 1000’ in the fuel classes? If it was 1/4 mile they’d probably only be able to run on 1/2 the tracks out there. You don’t HAVE to buy $20 beers all day.

 

[ToMorrow44]

I’ve always thought the Factory X class was interesting and should replace pro stock which would get more manufacturer support and fan enthusiasm for the Big 3.

Pro Stock cars are a feat of engineering for sure, but they’re so exotic they don’t represent anything that consumers would be running.