How NHRA Calculates Points for Auto Club Finals at Pomona, Updated Standings

Here's how to follow the points and who's still alive for a championship as NHRA heads to final weekend.

• Pomona Points
• Points Standings

• NHRA Camping World Drag Racing contenders head to Pomona and the Auto Club Finals hoping to make the most of points-and-a-half opportunity.
• Brittany Force has a seven-point lead on Justin Ashley in Top Fuel.
• Robert Hight has Ron Capps and Matt Hagan chasing him, 61 and 63 points back.

NHRA title contenders Brittany Force and Justin Ashley in Top Fuel and Robert Hight, Ron Capps, and Matt Hagan in Funny Car all are hoping they can make the twice-a-year points-and-a-half system work in their favor this weekend at the NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Calif.

The NHRA already had manipulated points for the start of its Countdown to the Championship (bunching the top 10 title-eligible drivers in 10-point increments but giving the No. 1 seed a 20-point advantage). Then in 2015, it introduced more points-scheming, first at the U.S. Nationals, with the points-and-a-half format and carried that over to the season finale.

That means a racer in the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, or Pro Stock Motorcycle class can earn the maximum of 191 points: 150 for winning, 10 for being the No. 1 qualifier, 16 for the most qualifying bonus points, and 15 for simply showing up to the event.

Pomona Points

Event Win: 150 points

Event Runner-up: 120 points

Third-Round Loser: 90 points

Second Round Loser: 60 points

First Round Loser: 30 points

Bonus Points

Contestants Who Make a Qualifying Run: 15 points

Lowest ET Each Qualifying Session: 4 points

Second Lowest ET in Each Qualifying Session: 3 points

Third Lowest ET in Each Qualifying Session: 2 points

Fourth Lowest ET in Each Qualifying Session: 1 point

Points for Final Qualifying Position: 10 (first), 9 (second), 8 (third), 7 (fourth), 6 (fifth), 5 (sixth), 4 (seventh), 3 (eighth), 2 (ninth), 1 (10th).

(Note: Event has four qualifying sessions, meaning most bonus points in qualifying is 16 points).

At the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, where Countdown fields are finalized, the extra points might or might not make a difference among the leaders, depending on how the previous regular-season races—15 this year—have played out. In the Countdown, by the time the Finals roll around, contenders have had only five races in a fixed-points context to make their moves.

At Indianapolis this September, Force and Hight retain their points leads, although both were robbed of sizeable leads (Force’s busted from 94 to 20, Hight’s from 250 to 20). And aside from No. 3 Steve Torrence and No. 4 Steve Torrence trading spots and Antron Brown leaping from 10th place to sixth, the lineup wasn’t jumbled much. The same happened in Funny Car, as Capps moved up to second and relegated Hagan to third. The slight movement was a help to those who gained one position and an annoyance to those who lost one but otherwise didn’t move the needle much for those above ninth place.

Robert Hight is seeking his third NHRA Funny Car championship.

NHRA/National Dragster

At Pomona, points and a half could be much more significant. In Top Fuel, Force has a mere seven-point edge on Ashley, and No. 3-ranked Mike Salinas is a sleeper, only 66 points off the pace. Hight still commands the Funny Car standings. Capps is second, 61 points behind, with a two-point margin on No. 3 Hagan.

Looking back at the Indianapolis race that closed the regular season, Capps said, “Well, Robert had like a 300-point lead [250, for the record] going in there, so, yeah, it wouldn’t have mattered there. And Indy’s Indy—you just go to win the trophy there or move yourself in position. But, yeah, it’s way different because actually you have a chance going into Pomona. Indy, they were so far out on everybody, there was no chance going into Brainerd, really.”

Hight said, “I think there was some shuffling in Indy, some of the number 10 spots, so it was a big deal, but with only six races leading up to points-and-a-half and basically a complete reset, it changes the game big-time.”

Until 2016, the NHRA also awarded 20 points for a national elapsed-time record (but not for a speed record). That has gone away, and Capps said he wishes he had the chance to gain 20 additional points.

“The only bummer about going into this weekend is NHRA took away the bonus for a national record being set,” Capps said. “That last time that we were allowed to do that was crazy. I mean, there were three or four cars throwing down record runs. So we’re just going to try to get it in qualifying if we can, which is a tough task against the AAA car [Hight’s]. We can get it under two rounds. You never know what’s going to happen in Pomona.”

Qualifying begins Friday with two afternoon sessions and closes with two sessions Saturday. Eliminations begin Sunday morning.

Matt Smith hopes to cap his season with the Pro Stock Motorcycle championship this weekend at Pomona.

NHRA/National Dragster

Points Standings

(Drivers Still in Contention)

Top Fuel

1. Brittany Force 2,468
2. Justin Ashley 2,461 (-7)
3. Mike Salinas 2,402 (-66)
4. Antron Brown 2,390 (-78)
5. Steve Torrence 2,381 (-87)
6. Austin Prock 2,342 (-126)

Funny Car

1. Robert Hight 2,592
2. Ron Capps 2,531 (-61)
3. Matt Hagan 2,529 (-63)

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Matt Smith 2,484
2. Joey Gladstone 2,380 (-104)
3. Jerry Savoie 2,348 (-136)
4. Angie Smith 2,336 (-148)

Keyword: How NHRA Calculates Points for Auto Club Finals at Pomona, Updated Standings