Lombardo wins back-to-back Pomona races
Greetings and welcome to 2013! Ending the season with a win is big. Starting a campaign with a win is
fantastic. Doing both, going back to
back at our home track is tough to describe, it's just settling in. I have a few really cool Pomona memories and thanks
to my team, sponsors, and family the file is filling up fast!
In 1983 I was 16 and my Dad allowed me a
couple of days of "Pomona flu" from school to help work on the funny
car. The World Finals ran at the
Fairplex, as we had lost Orange County the end of 1982. As I recall we had a little weather, ran the
race and were about done loading the trailer when my Dad and Sondy went to
visit with Raymond and Holly Beadle.
Shortly after they all roll up in Raymond's car. They're meeting Prudhomme for dinner and want
to know if we'll join, (yeah I think I can clear my schedule for that...). My Dad starts to get out to drive the truck
and trailer to the restaurant when Raymond shouts a few street directions my
way, looks at my Dad in true Texan form and says "Johnny and Jason (my
little brother) will bring the rig and meet us there."
Now you have to understand this was a
perfect, current year dually and 42' Chaparral Trailer with a complete funny
car operation and I was 16. Knowing I
was in the presence of my idols, Dad gave me the "be careful" look
and said "we'll see you over there."
One of the top ten dinners of my life followed (though I can't recall
what we ate) listening to Dale Emery, Raymond, the Snake, and my Dad bench
race. For the two years following my Dad
drove the Blue Max. I hadn't realized
until recently that between NHRA, IHRA, and the match races they ran 30 races
per year. A grueling schedule for
certain, and not once did I see my Dad lose his composure.
Fast forward to 2007, I was sick again
but this time with "TAFC Flu."
Dolph and I were in the stands about 750 feet down track watching Friday
night's cold and damp qualifying session.
Most of the cars were in trouble by half track, all were (probably too)
desperate to put a good lap on the board.
The drivers able to hang on to the finish were rewarded with a 250 mph
dark blast into the shortest shut down on the national event tour! I remember thinking to myself, "I want
to do this, but do I want to do that?"
By the World Finals 2009 I was licensed and going rounds in one of the
most important and historic race tracks in the country.
In the couple of years following I
enjoyed solid outings at NHRA's birthplace and home track. Until March of 2012 my quickest e.t. was a
5.54, coincidentally coming in one of those "mean air but bring your a
game and keep it in the groove or pay the price" kind of sessions. That was a great lap and still one of my more
exciting rides. Great leave, solid move
through low and second, the motor was screaming in high gear, the shift light
comes on and blinds me right before the finish line, I lifted and threw the
chutes just as it got dark. That 3/4 of
a second or so it takes to blossom and pound you into the shoulder straps felt
like an hour!
The World Finals 2012 was a career kind
of weekend. Jeff Lirones and his crew,
having won here back to back were no strangers to Pomona success, but the
combination of performance and consistency impressed even their inside
group. Number one qualifier, low e.t.
every session, three of four rounds in the 5.40's, the event win, low e.t. of
all of 2012, eighth best run of TAFC ever, eighth team ever to run in the
5.40's, and a last weekend launch from eighth to fifth (tie for fourth) in
national points. Jeff, Tim, Russ, Dolph,
Mike, LuAnn, and Alan simply checked every box, and they did it at home where
we could enjoy celebrating with friends, family, and customers. Though it has been said in our pits we don't
like the truth to get in the way of a good story, the World Finals 2012
versions won't require much doctoring.
Strangely enough the normally rain
plagued Winternationals last week brought beautiful SoCal weather, actually not
too dis-similar to November. Q1 we were
ready, but tried to take a bit too much early and didn't make it. Q2 we looked for a spot in the center of the
tune up and put our name on the middle of the board. We lined up for Q3 and a few track delays put
is in the "tuners lick your chops" air. But a mistake in the clutch can kept us from
being able to capitalize. Westerfield
and DeVour made the pass of their career and landed their first low qualifying
effort. Being #9 set the stage to run
four Southern California drivers, we all live within 20 minutes of each
other. As great as it is to race our
pals, lining up against Bellemeur, Westerfield, Gasparrelli, and Rupert really
put the pressure on us. These are solid
cars and all four of these guys can go .025 on the tree while adjusting their
face shield! As cliche as it sounds,
need to give credit where credit is due: Jeff, Tim, Russ, Mike, Dolph, Alan,
LuAnn, our sponsors, crew at the store, and my family contributed to give me a
car that went 5.53, 5.51, 5.53, and 5.55, low e.t. of each round, each would
have set low e.t. of the event and the event win. To say it has been a pleasure to drive would
be an understatement.
All of the rounds were interesting in
different ways. Bellemeur is an ace at
the starting line and had gone 5.65 pedaling it in qualifying. Westerfield is so quick I swear he's able to
bend the beams until the green comes on and was low qualifier with a 5.56. I went .020 in round two and left
second! Gasparrelli has years of experience,
has won this race multiple times, and went 5.58 the round prior. Rupert's worst light of the day was around an
.030 and they went 5.63 in the semis.
There was no room for any mistakes.
I'm staring at book ended Pomona Wallys at my NAPA Store and it feels
fantastic! Thank you Jeff Lirones, Tim
Ebbett, Russ Pottenger, LuAnn Bishop, Mike Rios, Jim Adolph, Alan Gillis for
all you do, and our corporate partners for believing in us, it's our pleasure
to represent you.
Thanks very much to our sponsors:
NAPA Auto Parts
NAPA Legend Batteries
Lucas Oil Products
NAPA Power Starters and Alternators
CP Pistons
Mountain View Chevrolet
NAPA Belts and Hose
Hoosier Tires
NYNY Hotel and Casino
NGK Spark Plugs
Twin Palms
Raymond's Trophy
Best,
John
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