Historic Pomona Raceway Gets New Life With Meaty Track, NHRA Event Sponsor
NHRA announces meaty deal that blends nostalgia and forward-thinking business relationships to reinforce California influence
In-N-Out Burger owner Lynsi Snyder has competed in NHRA drag racing
Extension with Fairplex squelches rumors that urban sprawl will claim historic Pomona racetrack.
Hungry to keep the suddenly Midwest-centric drag-racing hub from abandoning its Southern California roots, the NHRA ordered a Double-Double from restaurant In-N-Out Burger: sponsorship of its season Final and tile-rights to the equally iconic dragstrip at Pomona.
And In-N-Out Burger delivered Tuesday, just 10 days before the Camping World Drag Racing Series will crown its champions there at the freshly renamed In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
The NHRA also announced Tuesday it has secured its partnership with the Los Angeles County Fairplex through at least the 2033 season. The partnership between the NHRA and the Fairplex originally ran through the 2028 season. The historic track has been the home of NHRA drag racing since 1953 and has hosted the NHRA Winternationals since 1961 and the NHRA Finals since 1984.
Fast food and fast hot rods long have been associated, and the multi-year agreement will start sizzling in 2023 with the 63rd annual Lucas Oil Winternationals March 30-April 2 and the season-ending 58th annual In-N-Out Burger Finals Nov. 9-12.
“Drag racing and hot rods have been such an important part of our history at In-N-Out, and a love for racing has been a big part of my family, as well,” In-N-Out Burger owner and president Lynsi Snyder said. “I have many special memories being at the Pomona Dragstrip, many of them with my dad, and I’m really looking forward to In-N-Out’s involvement there for many years to come. We’re blessed with many loyal customers who are also race fans, and we’re excited to see them at the track.”
Snyder, an avid drag racer herself and car sponsor in the past, is the granddaughter of In-N-Out founders Harry and Esther Snyder. The privately held regional restaurant chain with more than 380 outlets from Oregon to Texas, rather like drag racing itself, has attracted a cult following. But despite the company’s explosive growth, Snyder makes time to incorporate her love for quick cars into her schedule. She once was a guest on Jay Leno’s Garage, giving the history of her late father’s modified ’41 Willys.
NHRA President Glen Cromwell said Tuesday during the announcement at the SEMA Show at Las Vegas, “In-N-Out Burger is an iconic brand. To have such a terrific company as the title sponsor of both our historic track in Pomona and our season-ending NHRA Finals means a great deal to NHRA, our race teams, and our fans and shows the continued growth of NHRA Drag Racing. We can’t wait to showcase the excitement of our sport to the many In-N-Out Burger customers.”
Moreover, he said, “Pomona is the birthplace of NHRA drag racing, and it’s vitally important for us to continue that long tradition of racing at this premier Southern California location. The Winternationals and Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip are filled with such incredible history, and we’re thrilled to see that continue for years to come.
Walter Marquez, president and CEO of the Fairplex, said his team at the facility are “pleased to continue our relationship with the National Hot Rod Association. The City of Pomona and Fairplex are synonymous with drag racing and NHRA. There is so much history here, and now, we have a lot to look forward to in the future.”
