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Greg Anderson Secures 142nd No. 1 Qualifier with NHRA Winternationals Pole

Photo courtesy of Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

Six-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson is one of the most decorated drivers in the history of the sport, and in qualifying for the 66th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, he notched another triumph with the 142nd pole of his career. Anderson added the No. 1 qualifier award to the pile there at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, inching ever closer to Funny Car legend John Force’s record of 167. For now, the most winning driver in the history of Pro Stock is dialed into what it’s going to take to turn that No. 1 in to his 113th win.
 
“We made some great runs this weekend with my HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, and the only run we didn’t do well was that last one – I was on a good pass, it felt great, but it seemed like I drove over a banana peel and the car turned 90 degrees when I got it into high gear,” shared Anderson. “There’s no sense in risking anything, so I shut it off. Hopefully, tomorrow will be all-HendrickCars.com, all-KB Titan Racing.”
 
Anderson knows the potential of the historic Southern California dragstrip. He set the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip track record for elapsed time (6.476) at this event one year ago, and he did it on the pass that came with the final-round win light. As the defending event titlist, the six-time world champ is eager to defend the title and add a 17th Pomona win to his resume. He currently stands as the second-most winning professional driver of all time at this facility, and one more triumph would tie him with Funny Car legend John Force for most overall.
 
“That’s pretty damn cool,” said Anderson. “Anytime you can match John Force, that’s beyond crazy and one hell of an honor. I’m going to keep digging, keep trying, and see if I can get one up on him.”
 
Anderson is off to a strong start with three incredible runs that kept him ahead of the field. In the first session, he flew to a 6.583, 209.52 that was good for the No. 1 spot. He continued to clock low elapsed time of the session through each of the next two rounds, recording a 6.544, 209.39 followed by a 6.516, 209.69 in the third qualifier. He’s set to square off with veteran racer Kenny Delco in the first round.
 
“I love racing here, and as long as the weather holds out, I have a great shot at getting that NHRA 75th anniversary Diamond Wally tomorrow,” said Anderson.
 
Eliminations at the 66th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals are scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

This story was originally published on April 12, 2026. Drag Illustrated

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