The 1968 NHRA Winternationals (commonly known as the Winternats) were a
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is a governing body which sets rules in drag racing and hosts events all over the United States and Canada. With over 40,000 drivers in its rosters, the NHRA claims to be the largest motorsport sanction ...
(NHRA)
drag racing
Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, mos ...
event, held at
Auto Club Raceway,
Pomona, California
Pomona ( ) is a city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's population was ...
on 4 February.
Results
Top Fuel
Top Fuel
Top Fuel is a type of drag racing whose dragsters are the quickest accelerating racing cars in the world and the fastest sanctioned category of drag racing, with the fastest competitors reaching speeds of and finishing the runs in 3.641 second ...
hosted several well-known racers, including
Don "Big Daddy" Garlits (in ''
Swamp Rat XIIA'',
Jerry "King" Ruth,
Tom "Mongoo$e" McEwen (who qualified #2),
Mike Snively
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documenta ...
(who qualified a
Roland Leong
Roland Leong (1945 – December 29, 2023) was an American drag racer from Honolulu, whose "Hawaiian" brand cars achieved many victories. He later went on to act as crew chief in Funny Car races.
"Hawaiian" cars Top Fuel Dragsters
Leong's "Hawaii ...
-owned fueller #3),
Don "The Snake" Prudhomme (
1965 champion), and
1966 champion Mike Snively
Mike may refer to:
Animals
* Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum
* Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off
* Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documenta ...
.
Round One
Jim Warren, who qualified #4, eliminated #20 qualifier "King" Ruth.
Round Two
Bob Downey lost to Warren.
Round Three
Conrad "Connie' Kalitta, #27 qualifier, was overcome by
Ron Rolsted, and #24-qualifier Garlits fell to Warren.
Semi-final Round
Rolsted was eliminated by Dwight Salisbury (in the
Rocky Childs
''Rocky'' is a 1976 American independent sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and also stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weath ...
car), while Dave Beebe lost to Warren.
Final Round
Warren defeated Salisbury, taking home a US$12,500 prize.
Altered
The
Altered class win went to
William "Wild Willie" Borsch, at the wheel of the AA/FA
''Winged Express''.
Top Gas
In
Top Gas Top Gas (T/G) is a former NHRA drag racing professional class.
Analogous to Top Fuel, Top Gas was a pro class, and allowed dragsters (T/GD) as well as bodied cars.
Several noteworthy cars ran in Top Gas. One of the early streamliners, ''Scud ...
, eventual winner
Gordon Collett
Gordon may refer to:
People
* Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters
* Gordon (surname), the surname
* Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War
* Gordon Heucke ...
qualified #16. On the way to his win, he eliminated
Gary Cochran,
Rico Paris, and
Norm Wilcox, before meeting
Jack Jones in the final. The win earned Collett a US$8000 prize. It was Collett's third class win in a row at Pomona.
[Burgess, Phil, ''National Dragster'' editor. "Danica who? What about Shirley ... and Shirley? And Judi. And Judy?", written 21 April 2008, a]
NHRA.com
(retrieved 20 September 2018)
Ultimateracinghistory
(retrieved 20 September 2018)
Competition Eliminator
Middle Eliminator
Little Eliminator
Super Stock
The 1968 Winter Nationals Super Stock final was a match-up between Dave Wren driving his old school 1963 Plymouth Savoy vs. Al Joniec in his 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet. When Dave Wren triggered the red light at the start, the Title went to Joniec and his Mustang, clocking an ET of 11.56 at 120.64 mph. This was the first National win for the Ford Drag Team's new 428 Cobra Jet Mustang.
Stock
Notes
{{Authority control
1968 in motorsport
NHRA Winternationals
1968 in California