Greg Anderson’s In-N-Out NHRA Finals performance looked as if it were straight out of the Bob Glidden 1980 Ontario Motor Speedway playbook. The winningest Pro Stock racer in NHRA Pro Stock history captured his sixth title in scoring win No. 106, in a dramatic come-from-behind fashion, beating teammate Dallas Glenn in the final round.
“The last three, four months, I have not been able to close the deal,” Anderson admitted. “I have not been able to win a race. I’ve had a great, great car, and something crazy has happened every weekend, and it’s like a slug to the gut. You got to take it, you got to go home, but you got to pick yourself up and go back to work and figure it out for the next race. And we kept doing it, we kept doing it, we kept doing it, kept dreaming that maybe one day the gods will shine on me and things won’t happen wrong. And today was that day.”
And just like Glidden, Anderson took home the title in a must-win final round.
Throughout the 1980 season, Glidden, a staple of the Ford Pro Stock history, trailed emerging Chevrolet stalwart Lee Shepherd by a relatively large margin. Shepherd had won six races in the 10-event tour, and Glidden had only three.
For the final event, the scenario was simple. Shepherd had to qualify and go at least two rounds at the NHRA World Finals in Ontario, California, and he would be the champion. Conversely, Glidden had to hope for an early exit for Shepherd, establish low elapsed time, top speed, and win the event. Glidden did all of the above.
Anderson’s challenge was complex but not as heavy-handed as Glidden’s. The man who got his start working for the late John Hagen and then Warren Johnson needed to win the event to clinch his title. Considering his competition, it was every bit as equally demanding as Glidden faced.
Anderson came into the season-finale in Pomona third in points, trailing Aaron Stanfield by 56 and Glenn by 24. Both had managed to subdue Anderson in wins, as Stanfield came into Pomona with six and Anderson with five.
Anderson, who had seven No. 1 qualifiers in 2024, clearly had the car to beat all season but failed to deliver on race day.
“[My car] was flawless all day long,” Anderson said. “My race car, my Hendrick car, was just flawless all day long. I didn’t screw it up driving, and nothing crazy happened, and we got four win lights, and we are world champs, and I just about can’t believe it. I’ve been thinking about this scenario for the last week and a half, dreaming basically, and just hoping, praying, and wishing, and it came through. I’m a lucky man tonight. I’m just a very lucky man and I can’t thank all my guys, all my crew, all my support that I get from everybody.
Anderson let his intentions be known out of the gate as he delivered low elapsed time in the first round with a 6.492 to stop Kenny Delco. He ran another 6.492 in the second round to stop Cory Reed. In the semis, Anderson lowered the boom with the quickest run of the event, a 6.488, to take out the point leader Stanfield.
Anderson ran his slowest time in winning, a 6.501, 211.30, to outrun Glenn in the final round.
Anderson believes the fact the championship battle was a three-car race, with several others mathematically alive headed into the penultimate race in Las Vegas, says a lot about the health of the class that once appeared for extinction.
“Our class is in great shape,” Anderson said. “That’s the good news. We’ve got so many young guns that can drive the wheels off these race cars and race for wins, race for championships. And yes, they’re trying to push me out the door, but I’m dragging my feet. I’m not going, and I keep saying it. People ask me, ‘When are you going to quit?”
“I’m going to quit as soon as I can’t win anymore. And apparently, I can’t quit yet. So we’ll see. It’s not going to be tomorrow. Maybe three days after that, but it’s not going to be tomorrow.”
Racing at Pomona has a unique atmosphere for Anderson, who recalled previous moments that shaped his career. “When the sun goes down like this, it’s just a whole nother atmosphere,” he noted. He reminisced about a past final round involving his former partner, Jason Line, which mirrored the high stakes of his current victory.
“I can remember watching my old partner, Jason Line, and Eric Enders, made it to the final round with everything on the line just like this tonight. It was the coolest atmosphere I’ve ever seen… and I hoped I could experience what they experienced that night.”
While reflecting on his competitive struggles, Anderson admitted to mixed feelings of self-doubt. “Do you watch these guys? They’re relentless,” he commented on the younger drivers. “It’s effortless for them… I have to dig down and try to find a way, and I usually can’t.”
Despite the pressures, Anderson managed to secure victory, thanks in part to his strong car and a dedicated team. “I stayed close enough to him, and I got it done,” he said. “So a great team effort.”
This win at Pomona marked Anderson’s 15th victory at the venue, a testament to his long-standing success there. “Did I mention I like Pomona?” he quipped, reinforcing his connection to the racetrack.
As he savored his victory, Anderson expressed gratitude for his team’s effort throughout the season. “I can’t thank all my guys, all my crew, all the support that I get from everybody,” he said. “That’s everything to me. It’s incredible.”
