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POMONA, Calif. - Jack Beckman closed out the 2024 season NHRA season with a thrilling Funny Car victory on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, defeating John Force Racing teammate and world champion Austin Prock in the final round to close out the 59th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the last of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the sixth race in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. In the teammate versus teammate final round, Beckman went a career-best 3.812-seocnds at 327.35 mph in his 11,000-horsepower PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat Prock and pick up his second win of the season since taking over driving duties for John Force in August. It's been a magical ride for Beckman, a former world champion, who won his 35th career race on Sunday.
"It doesn't get any higher than this," Beckman said. "It's just magical at your home track. It's special when it's the Winternationals when the Winternationals was the first race of the year, but the Finals is finals, right? Whoever wins here gets a couple months to say we were the baddest on race day. "This season has just been just pinch-me moment after pinch-me moment. The way John went out was terrible, but he's still with us, and I think he's just as valuable standing on the starting line as he is strapped in the car at the starting line. Having John here doesn't make us want to win more. We want to win every time we go out there. It just made winning that much more special. To see Brittany [Force] win after a two-year winless drought the weekend her dad comes back and then Austin double up with her, was just great (in Las Vegas). We're right back in another final against Austin, and this time we won it." Prock advanced to his 12th final round in his dazzling championship season in Funny Car.
Smith, who also qualified No. 1, took down Aaron Pine, Marc Ingwersen and Steve Johnson to reach the final round, setting up another marquee matchup with Herrera. This time, Smith had enough to get past the two-time defending champion, "We came in knowing we probably couldn't get three hats, but we knew we could get two and we did," said Smith, getting the No. 1 qualifier and winner's hat. "We got the low qualifier hat and the winner's hat, just not the champion's hat. Still, we were able to put pressure on Gaige [Herrera]. He's a deserving champ, and we just made too many mistakes. "I love doing this, but I've thought about getting off and putting some young kid on the bike. I'm 52 and it's hard to keep up but I still love it. Actually, our sponsor, Denso told me to stop talking about retirement. I still have a job, so I plan to come back and push hard to get that seventh championship next year. " Herrera advanced to his 12th final round of the season in just 15 races. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 6-9 with the NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway. Sunday's final results from the 59th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip. The race is the final of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series- Top Fuel -- Antron Brown, 3.681 seconds, 330.55 mph def. Doug Kalitta, 3.710 seconds, 331.94 mph. Funny Car -- Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.812, 327.35 def. Austin Prock, Camaro, 5.028, 165.42. Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.501, 211.30 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.516, 210.50. Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Matt Smith, Buell, 6.705, 202.12 def. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.722, 201.91. Top Alcohol Dragster -- Julie Nataas, 5.180, 275.62 def. Shawn Cowie, 13.582, 54.61. Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Shane Westerfield, Chevy Camaro, 5.423, 267.69 def. Ray Martin, Camaro, 5.973, 155.44. Competition Eliminator -- Travis Gusso, Chevy Cobalt, 10.377, 93.93 def. Jason Grima, Ford Mustang, Foul - Red Light. Super Stock -- Justin Jerome, Plymouth Duster, 10.616, 120.67 def. Shelby Williams, Chevy Camaro, 9.718, 134.66. Stock Eliminator -- John McLaughlin, Plymouth Road Runner, 10.565, 126.35 def. Michael Wann, Plymouth Barracuda, 10.794, 121.25. Super Comp -- Bob Van Popering, Dragster, 8.879, 182.08 def. Nick Alejamdre, Dragster, Foul - Red Light. Super Gas -- Val Torres, Chevy Corvette, 9.919, 154.88 def. Kris Whitfield, '27-T Ford, 9.887, 155.27. Top Sportsman -- Joe Mellof, Pontiac GXP, 9.158, 94.33 def. Robert Strohm, Ford Mustang, Foul - Red Light. Top Dragster -- Ed Olpin, Dragster, 7.058, 187.55 def. Kevin Wright, Dragster, 6.274, 202.82. Junior Dragster Shootout -- Makenzie Higgins, Motivational, 11.249, 56.24 def. Jenna Chesleigh, Halfscale, 11.156, 57.38.
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