- Race Coverage
- Funny Car Qualifying
- Photo Gallery
Words by John Drummond
Photos by James Drew
5/8/06
A full weekend of scintillating performances and cool temperatures highlighted the 9th running of the Goodguys 9th Pomona Nitro Nationals held this weekend at Pomona Raceway. Over 420 entries did battle in 14 different classes throughout the three day event.
A new national top speed record was set in the Nostalgia Top Fuel division by Kayesville, Utah’s Brett Harris. The second generation driver took the big red “Nitro Thunder” entry down the track posting two identical 260.26mph top end charges to establish a mark, previously held by his father Jack.
 Donnie Couch and Ed Iskenderian |
Sunday’s eliminations started off with a humorous tribute to the event’s “Hot Rod Hero” Ed Iskenderian, a founding father in the cam grinding business from nearby Gardena. Iskenderian told the crowd how he first acquired his original cam grinding machine and also shared stories of inventing silk screened tee shirts back in the late 1940s. Isky, now 85 years old was honored with a patented Goodguys Hemi Oscar for his 60 years in the hot rodding industry.
In Top Fuel action it was Harris all the way all weekend. The 39-year-old driver was quickest in each qualifying session Friday and Saturday and basically mowed through his competition on Sunday beating Adam Sorokin in Sunday’s opening round with a 5.874 @ 258mph then advanced to the final by beating Fresno’s Denver Schutz in the semi-finals running a 5.883 @ 250.00