John Force, Spencer Massey win NHRA Winternationals in Pomona

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The incomparable John Force won the funny car race in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals in Pomona on Sunday, while Spencer Massey won in drag racing’s top-fuel division.

Force, 62, is a 15-time funny car championtop and the victory was his sixth Winternationals victory and his 15th win overall at Auto Club Raceway.

Force also leads a four-car team in Yorba Linda that includes Mike Neff, and it was Neff who lost to Force in the final round as Force sped down the 1,000-foot track in 4.080 seconds at 315.64 mph.

The top-fuel finale also pitted teammates as Don Schumacher Racing’s Massey edged Antron Brown for the victory.

In an earlier round, Massey also set a national speed record for 1,000 feet when he was clocked at 328.62 mph while defeating Tony Schumacher, the seven-time National Hot Rod Assn. top-fuel champion.

The top fuel and funny car classes had their races shortened to 1,000 feet from the traditional quarter-mile, or 1,320 feet, starting in 2008.

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-- Jim Peltz