Paul Lee returns to Southern California for Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals after Funny Car Win

POMONA, CA – March 26, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – After earning his first career NHRA Funny Car win on Sunday in Phoenix, Funny Car driver Paul Lee heads to the 65th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the third race of the 2025 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Lee and his McLeod/FTI Performance Dodge Charger SRT team scored the win last weekend at the NHRA Arizona Nationals over reigning Funny Car champ Austin Prock. After two career runner-up finishes, Lee was thrilled to earn his first victory in his 11,000-horsepower Funny Car.

“A lot of people don’t realize that it takes a lifetime a work to win a Wally (trophy) and it’s not just an overnight thing. I’ve been working towards this since I was 13 years old,” said Lee. “It’s been every day and all I’ve ever thought about is not just driving a nitro Funny Car, but also winning. I’m not happy just being out here. I want to win and winning this Wally, after 50 years of hard work is you know what? It’s worth it.”

Last season, Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), John Force (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) claimed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals victories. This season’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including elimination coverage on Sunday March 30 at 6:30 p.m. ET. A special Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout special will air from 9:30-10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 28.

The victory continued the team’s strong momentum that included a pair of final-round appearances and a win in the Funny Car All-Star Callout last year. Now, the goal is even higher after taking over the points lead for the first time in his career heading into Pomona.

“Yes, we won in Phoenix but of course, the ultimate goal is to compete for a championship, whether we get there or not, that’s out of my hands. We can control what we can control and we just we want to be able to compete for a championship and that’s our goal.”

With his win from Phoenix, Lee will be locked into this weekend’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge where he’ll rematch with semifinals Bob Tasca III. Prock will take on his John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman.

To secure his second Funny Car race win at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals this weekend, he’ll need to get past some of the best drivers in the division including Prock and Beckman. Also in the mix will be former champions Ron Capps, Matt Hagan and J.R. Todd, along with Gainesville winner Chad Green.

Top Fuel pilot Ashley is looking for his fourth straight Winternationals win. If he’s able to win this weekend, he’ll join Don Prudhomme as the only drivers to win four straight Winternationals titles. The rest of the Top Fuel field will be looking to put an end to that streak, including reigning champion Antron Brown. Brown claimed his fourth world title last year at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.

The Top Fuel division will also hold the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout this weekend, which pits eight marquee Top Fuel drivers against each other on Friday. The first-round matchups are set, as four-time world champion Steve Torrence takes on racing legend Tony Stewart, while Doug Kalitta called out Clay Millican. Shawn Langdon selected Brown as his opening-round opponent, and Ashley and Brittany Force will face off.

Pro Stock standout Glenn earned his second consecutive Winternationals title when he defeated six-time champion Erica Enders in the final round. Glenn has made back-to-back finals in 2025, as has KB Titan Racing teammate and reigning world champ Greg Anderson. Other top names include Aaron Stanfield, Matt Hartford and Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Fans can also see the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Legends Nitro Funny Cars and Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown, while the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department will hold a special racing exhibition.

The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction all weekend and is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, NHRA Insider Live, meet and greets, and much more. As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans can see their favorite teams in action and servicing their hot rods between rounds and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Race fans at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip can also enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features qualifying at 1 p.m. and 3:30 PT on Friday and the final two rounds on Saturday at 12:30 and 3 p.m. The finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge take place at the end of final qualifying in each category. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday. Television coverage includes qualifying on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 6:30 p.m. ET. A special Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout special will air from 9:30-10:30 p.m. ET on Friday.

To purchase tickets to the 2025 Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Fans can get closer to the action with a Top Eliminator Club experience, offering the best seats in the house and a premium experience, as well as a members-only hospitality center, complimentary food and beverage, driver appearances, a premium view and more. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.

About Mission Foods

MISSION®, owned by GRUMA, S.A.B. de C.V., is the world’s leading brand for tortillas and wraps. MISSION® is also globally renowned for flatbreads, dips, salsas and Mexican food products. With presence in over 112 countries, MISSION® products are suited to the lifestyles and the local tastes of each country. With innovation and customer needs in mind, MISSION® focuses on the highest quality, authentic flavors, and providing healthy options that families and friends can enjoy together. For more information, please visit https://www.missionfoods.com/

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: National Hot Rod Association

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