Weather Forces Early End to NHRA Finals, Crowning Champions

The 2025 In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals came to an abrupt—and unprecedented—halt on Sunday after NHRA officials were forced to cancel the season-ending event at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Persistent rain, falling temperatures, and rapidly deteriorating track conditions created a surface deemed unsafe for competition, even after the NHRA Safety Safari spent the entire weekend fighting to preserve the historic finale.

With the weather making further runs impossible, the championship picture crystallized by default. Without another opportunity to alter the standings, Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) officially locked up their titles based on existing points totals. Doug Kalitta had already secured his Top Fuel crown on Saturday, capping a dramatic, late-season surge.

Safety Takes Precedence as Conditions Worsen

Rain was only part of the problem. Pomona’s trademark cool evening air added another layer of danger, dropping temperatures to levels that prevented the racing surface from holding heat. With traction compromised and the risk of catastrophic failure rising, NHRA officials monitored moisture and track temperature around the clock—but the window for safe competition never arrived.

Behind the scenes, the NHRA Safety Safari—famous for saving delayed events and restoring surfaces under impossible conditions—worked tirelessly with track staff and emergency crews. Jet dryers ran for hours. Track barriers and guardrails were inspected repeatedly. But by early Sunday afternoon, hard data from the track surface and worsening forecasts left officials with no choice.

NHRA President Glen Cromwell acknowledged the shared disappointment but emphasized the simplicity of the decision: no race is worth risking a life. He praised the fans who braved the elements all weekend, calling their energy and loyalty a defining feature of the sport.

Champions Crowned, Stories Completed

With the cancellation of the finals, the championship standings froze—cementing the season-long accomplishments of several standout racers.

Austin Prock – Funny Car Champion

Austin Prock clinched his second consecutive Funny Car championship, completing a dominant back-to-back run that firmly establishes him as one of the category’s elite young stars.

“Everybody on the Cornwell Quality Tools team is doing a phenomenal job, and they’re putting in that 110 percent effort,” Prock said. “We had a dominant race car all year long. Last year, a lot of people told me it’s not going to come as easily next year after the season that you had. We came in there and ended up getting the championship. I think that says a lot about this race team, and says a lot about me as a driver, and I’m looking forward to 2026 already.”

Prock finished the season with nine wins, including two in the Countdown, and an impressive 45–10 round win-loss record.

Dallas Glenn – Pro Stock Champion

Dallas Glenn’s unshakable consistency paid off as he secured his first Pro Stock world title, built on elite-level discipline, precision, and poise on the starting line.

“It’s definitely really special, especially getting so close last year,” Glenn said. “It feels good. I honestly don’t think it’s really hit me yet. It maybe will hit me on the long four-day drive home later in the week. But no, it feels really good right now. You know, there’s a lot of just a lot of stuff, a lot of emotions and you’re just trying to process everything. It definitely feels good. You know, I get to race all next season with number one on my car. I get to take it from Greg, take it off of Greg’s car, and put it on mine. We get to swap numbers.”

Glenn closed out 2025 with eight wins, four in the Countdown, and a dominant 50–9 round win-loss record.

Richard Gadson – Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion

Richard Gadson captured his first Pro Stock Motorcycle championship, a breakthrough moment defined by resilience, grit, and a fearless competitive approach.

“The mentality was kill or be killed. That was it. We talked about me and (Herrera) meeting in the finals, but it didn’t have to go that way,” Gadson said. “We had two sides of the ladder that we had to get through and none of those people owed us any favors. I didn’t want anybody to take it from me or stop it and I was willing to lay it all on the line out there. So, you know, I came here to go to war with my friends, with my teammate. It was that mentality the whole weekend.”

Gadson earned four event wins, including two in the Countdown, finishing with a 34–10 round win-loss record. The Philadelphia native becomes the 14th different rider to win a championship.

Doug Kalitta – Top Fuel Champion

Doug Kalitta, one of the sport’s most respected veterans, concluded the weekend with his second Top Fuel title—an achievement fueled by persistence and his team’s late-season excellence.

“It’s kind of disappointing, really,” Kalitta said. “We were definitely hoping to get a shot at the track, but unfortunately, it needs a lot of work after all that rain. Even though the sun came out, the forecast still just isn’t looking good. It’s disappointing because this is definitely a race everybody wants to win, including me, at the end of the year. It’s just one of those deals. I’m real proud of both our Top Fuel teams for finishing first and second, Connie’s happy we’re coming out of here one and two, and that’s pretty good.”

Kalitta wrapped the season with four wins (two in the Countdown) and a 39–15 round win-loss record.

Even without a final round of racing, the weekend reaffirmed a fundamental truth: championships are earned over months of competition, not a single pass. As NHRA shifts its focus to the 2026 season, the organization leaves Pomona with deep appreciation for the racers, crews, and fans who never let the spirit of the Finals fade—despite the rain.