Funny Car points leader Robert Hight is back in familiar colors driving the Automobile Club of Southern California / Cornwell Tools / Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet Camaro SS this weekend at the newly dubbed In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip for the NHRA Winternationals. Coming off a win, Hight hopes to keep the momentum going and repeat as the Winternationals champion.
After starting the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season with a disappointing mechanical failure in the second round of the Gatornationals, Hight rallied at the final NHRA national event to be held at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Starting from the No. 9 qualifying position, he defeated teammate and 16-time champion John Force, No. 1 qualifier Bob Tasca III and reigning world champion Ron Capps en route to victory.
“Last weekend was great, just what this Auto Club / Cornwell Tools / Flav-R-Pac team needed. Jimmy Prock, he really is the best. I have all the faith and confidence in him with Thomas Prock and Nathan Hildahl. This whole team really stuck with it. We were testing some new things out, Jimmy had to get it all fine-tuned. We almost scrapped it but, like I said, when you have Jimmy Prock as your crew chief, you just know you’re one run away from fixing this thing and being back to where we need to be,” Hight said. “I’m ready to get back in the seat, I don’t like having downtime so the fact that we get to keep our momentum rolling right into the next weekend here in Pomona, it’s great. We’ll be looking to Auto Club the win on Sunday.”
Hight is bidding to become just the fifth pro driver to win as many as six times at the Winternationals (along with teammate John Force, Don Garlits, Greg Anderson and Bob Glidden). He’s been a finalist of the event seven times with wins in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2019 and 2022. Hight started the Winternationals from the No. 1 position in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2019 and, in addition to his five wins, was runner-up in 2007 and 2018. He is also the event record holder for Funny Car speed at 336.99 mph set on Feb. 11, 2018.
The Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals starts with qualifying on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. and continues Sunday with eliminations slated to begin at 11 a.m. Television coverage of the event begins with qualifying shows Saturday at 7 p.m. ET and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). Eliminations will begin on FS1 Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.
JFR PR
