Point standings (top 10) following the 62nd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, the first of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series - 

Cruz Pedregon, owner-driver of the Snap-on "Makers and Fixers" Dodge SRT  Hellcat Funny Car, established one rule back in December. 

“We’re not going to call this Tommy’s team anymore,” he said, referring to the fact he hired Tommy Johnson Jr.’s entire crew from Don Schumacher Racing when that Make-A-Wish Dodge team dissolved along with its funding at the close of the 2020 season. 

Crew chief John Collins, his assistant Rip Reynolds, and their band of mechanics brought the two-time class champion close to his third title last season and blended in seamlessly with Pedregon maybe more than any group ever has. As Pedregon starts his 30th year in the NHRA’s elite ranks (and 25th  with Snap-on as his primary marketing partner), he’ll be seeking his 12th top-five finish. 

Nothing new to see here.

After racing to a mind-numbing 12 top qualifier awards last season, Brittany Force began the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season exactly the way she raced much of last year - at the top of the mountain.

While this year's NHRA Winternationals will serve as the 900th race for the Pro Stock division, the event also marks the 40th anniversary of the series introducing the 500-inch universal format displacement.

Greg Anderson, the winningest Pro Stock driver in the class, was an apprentice/crew chief with the late John Hagen in 1982. As he prepared for Friday's Q1 session, the accomplished veteran didn't realize it was four decades ago NHRA abandoned its pounds-per-cubic inch format for a more inclusive, common displacement engine platform. 

"My God, you know what that means? That means I've been along longer than 40 years because I was racing when that happened," Anderson said. "I was racing before that happened, so tells you how old I'm getting, I guess. 

It is not often you hear a driver say that they were disappointed with a good run, let alone one that puts them atop the field.

Then again, it is not very often that a spot atop the ladder matches you with the single greatest drag racer of all time.

This year at the Camping World Drag Racing Series races, fans will see signage all over for “Toyota Gazoo” or “Toyota Gazoo Racing.” 

Just exactly what does that mean, “Gazoo?” 

Toyota Racing representative Lisa Hughes Kennedy had the answer. 

This year at the Camping World Drag Racing Series races, fans will see signage all over for “Toyota Gazoo” or “Toyota Gazoo Racing.” 

Just exactly what does that mean, “Gazoo?” 

Toyota Racing representative Lisa Hughes Kennedy had the answer. 

What a difference a year can make.

In his last visit to the Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona - a rare pandemic-delayed summer trip to the southern California track - Justin Ashley had to be helped from his 11,000-horsepower dragster in one of the most disappointing days of his young career.

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​2019 was a banner year for Robert Hight and John Force Racing (JFR).

Hight raced to a season-high six wins and his third NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series championship that year, all while leading the standings - with the exception of a single race at the beginning of the Countdown to the Championship - wire-to-wire.