The 65th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip proved to be one of the most competitive Funny Car qualifying fields that has ever been seen. Out of a crowded 19-car field, they were only one car away from history being made, with all 16 cars that qualified for Sunday making 3-second runs. Buddy Hull, the driver for Jim Dunn Racing, wanted to be the final piece of that historic puzzle, but it wasn’t quite in the cards this weekend.
“Overall, we had a good weekend,” said Hull. “The unfortunate side was our race car did not make it down the track, A to B successfully. It was tough because the conditions were so good. The track and air was incredible. It offered up a situation where every run had to be throwdown. We wanted to be one of the 15 cars that made a 3-second run, but we’re just not there yet. We were very close and everyone is working very hard. These race cars are just very tough sometimes when the conditions are exceptional. Everyone who got into race day definitely earned it.”
Hull had to battle through qualifying, with his best run coming during the fourth session, when he made a 4.340 second, 280.31 MPH pass. This unfortunately was not enough for him to qualify on race day. He made the best of the situation on Sunday when he joined Jason Galvin and David Freiburger in the announcing booth during the first round of Funny Car eliminations.
The 2025 Winternationals will be memorable for Hull and Jim Dunn Racing for its’ off-track action. The NHRA and FOX spent quite a bit of time in the Jim Dunn Racing pits celebrating Jim Dunn’s 91st birthday, as well as when Hull hosted several live demonstrations during the NHRA’s Nitro School. There was also extra attention on the team while they ran a special 75th anniversary Mooneyes livery, commemorating important milestones for the team and iconic sponsor. Hull spent a lot of time with fans signing autographs, answering questions and taking photos.
“The highlight for the Winternationals for me was the fans,” said Hull. “NHRA fans are incredible. They have once again proven that they’re the most loyal fans in all of motorsports, and that’s just a fact. Other highlights included celebrating 75 years of Jim Dunn Racing and Mooneyes, as well as Jim’s 91st birthday on Friday. I’m hopeful for more on-track highlights when we get to the Four-Wide Nationals in Vegas in a couple of weeks.”
Hull and the Jim Dunn Racing team will be back in competition at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on April 11-13 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There will be two qualifying sessions on Friday, April 11 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, April 12. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, visit nhra.com.
This story was originally published on March 31, 2025. 
