Few names in Southern California hot rodding carry the history of Mooneyes, and few in drag racing have been around longer than Jim Dunn. This weekend at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, California, those two pieces of automotive history will come together with a little help from a cold beer.
Moon Beer, a collaboration between the legendary Mooneyes brand and Los Angeles-based Frogtown Brewery, will serve as the primary sponsor of Jeff Arend’s Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car for the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season finale.
The partnership brings a familiar hot rod name back into the spotlight, although this time it comes with something more refreshing than another piece of speed equipment. Moon Beer is an American light lager developed by Mooneyes and Frogtown Brewery, combining the imagery of Southern California car culture with the craft brewery’s approach to making beer.
Frogtown Brewery operates in northeast Los Angeles along the Los Angeles River and was recently recognized by the Brewers Association as one of the nation’s 50 fastest-growing breweries. Its collaboration with Mooneyes produced a light-bodied lager with a crisp finish, intended to appeal to enthusiasts who appreciate horsepower as much as their favorite beverage.
For Dunn, the association arrives during another milestone season. While NHRA celebrates its 75th anniversary, Jim Dunn Racing is marking 76 years in drag racing, with its 92-year-old founder still calling the shots.
Dunn’s history at the Finals includes victories in 1972 and 1981, both with him behind the wheel. His 1972 triumph at Ontario Motor Speedway remains the only NHRA Funny Car victory recorded by a rear-engine Funny Car, the unconventional Fireman’s Quickie.
Arend, meanwhile, returns to a track he knows particularly well. The Canadian native moved to Southern California in 1997 and will make his 264th career Funny Car appearance and 27th overall appearance at Pomona.
His best Finals performance came in 2010, when he finished runner-up to John Force. This weekend also closes a season that began with an unexpected telephone call from Jon Dunn during the Winternationals.
“I can still remember my phone ringing on that Saturday morning of the Winternationals and seeing the name Jon Dunn pop up,” Arend said. “Now Jon and I talk all the time, but I was not expecting him to ask ‘Hey Jeff, can you drive our car for Q3 and Q4?’ And that’s how it started.”
The reunion hasn’t produced an elimination-round victory, but Arend believes the team’s improvement deserves recognition. Consistent four-second performances and fewer damaged parts have provided reasons for optimism despite entering Pomona 16th in the Funny Car standings.
The highlight came at Indianapolis, where Arend qualified for the U.S. Nationals in the largest Funny Car field in more than a decade. Seeing Jim and Diane Dunn enjoying that accomplishment meant as much to him as the team’s 320-mph first-round performance.
With Moon Beer carrying the primary sponsorship, Arend hopes to finish the season by giving the Dunn family something more substantial to celebrate than another respectable qualifying effort.
“Now we are at the final race, our home track and we know what’s been plaguing us all year,” Arend said. “Some round wins and 3-second runs would be a nice way to end the season!”
