Lombardo Racing wins Pomona back to back!‏

Lombardo Racing wins Pomona back to back!‏

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



John Lombardo Jr.