91°µÍø

The only thing better than opening the season with a win at the Circle K Winternationals is opening the season with two wins and Utah’s Ed Olpin knows that feeling well after claiming a pair of Pomona victories in Super Gas and Top Sportsman presented by Racing RVs. 

Olpin entered Pomona with four national event victories to his credit including back-to-back Phoenix titles in 2014-15, and now, he has six after his historic feat. Oplin got the ball rolling when he drove his Corvette roadster past Robert Naber in a double-breakout Super Gas final. It was Oplin’s second straight final in Pomona after his runner-up at the Auto Club 91°µÍø Finals last November. []

After a brief delay, Olpin completed his double by defeating former Comp racer Jeff Gillette in the Top Sportsman final, which was decided by just a thousandth of a second at the finish line. Olpin is now the 21st driver to double-up at a national event, a feat that has now been accomplished 34 times since 1992.  []

Joey Severance entered the 2017 season with his sights set on a third straight Top Alcohol Dragster national championship, and he’s off to a solid start after winning his 17th national event title. Severance, the winner of the Auto Club 91°µÍø Finals last November, has won eight straight rounds in Pomona following his final-round victory against Garrett Bateman. Severance qualified No. 3 in the quick field and defeated Bill Litton, Norway’s Fred Hanssen, and Randy Eakins to advance to the final in his supercharged J&A Service entry.  []

While he prepares for his nitro Funny Car debut in Gainesville, reigning and two-time Top Alcohol Funny Car national champ Jonnie Lindberg made a guest appearance behind the wheel of Jay Payne’s Peak Camaro and nearly pulled off a victory. Lindberg reached the final round, where he fouled by two-thousandths, allowing Shane Westerfield to claim his fifth national event title. Although he slowed against Lindberg, Westerfield made three straight 5.4-second runs leading up to the final, including a best of 5.457 in the opening round. With the victory, Westerfield has five wins in 11 final rounds in Top Alcohol Funny Car. []

Every Sportsman champ crowned in Pomona was a past national event winner and most of them have at least 10 prior victories, including Comp winner Doug Lambeck, who has 12 national event wins, including five in Pomona. Driving his D/SMA Sunfire, Lambeck triumphed over a small-but-talented 12-car field with a final-round win against Clint Neff’s K/AA roadster. It was Lambeck’s second straight victory at the Winternationals, an event that his father, Bob, won in 1983. A clean index and a perfect .000 light proved to be more than enough for Lambeck, who insured the win by running more than six-tenths under his index. []

Two-time NHRA national champion Justin Lamb added a 17th national event title to his résumé after scoring the Super Stock title over Timothy Fletcher, who was driving his father, Dan’s, Peak-backed ’69 Camaro. Lamb also saved his best run for last with a .005 light and an 8.638 on his 8.63 dial. []

Texan Jerry Emmons earned his 15th national event title when he drove to the Stock title against Justin Jerome and his F/SA Duster. Emmons, who won his first national event in 1990, drove his Lucas Oil-backed ’69 Camaro to several key wins during eliminations, including a heads-up B/SA battle against Chad Loge’s ’70 GTX in the semi’s. Emmons went on to win the final with a 10.170 on his 10.16 dial after Jerome broke out.  []

Steve Williams extended his winning streak at the Pomona season-opener to three straight years following his victory in Super Comp. The leader of the K&N Filters team, Williams won the Super Gas title in Pomona in 2015 and returned last season to claim the Super Comp title. Williams capped off his latest victory with a final-round win over Dave Alves, saving his best run for last with a .008 light and a nearly perfect 8.903.  [Watch video]

The Top Dragster presented by Racing RV’s class featured a number of entries that flirted with the 6.00-second class limit, including eventual winner Mike Coughlin. The former two-time Division 3 champ decided to venture West to watch his brother, Jeg Jr., race in Pro Stock and his nephew, Troy Jr., make his Top Fuel debut. Deciding to bring along his ProCharger-equipped dragster, Coughlin was rewarded with his 14th national event victory. Already a winner in Pro Stock Truck, Super Comp, and Top Sportsman, Coughlin now joins the short list of drivers who have won in four different categories.  []