NHRA forced to cancel the finale at Ponoma and crown champions without any race

NHRA has cancelled Sunday's (November 16) In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals due to inclement weather. The sport's president, Glen Cromwell, shared that the 'difficult decision' was made with the safety of fans and drivers in mind.

The In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip was supposed to bookend the season, but unsafe track conditions made it impossible to continue, despite the efforts of the NHRA Safety Safari. Consequently, title winners were decided based on the current points standings.

NASCAR reporter Kelly Crandall reported on the matter, writing,

"NHRA has cancelled its season finale at Pomona because of the continued bad weather. Austin Prock wins his second Funny Car championship, Dallas Glenn the Pro Stock championship and Richard Gadson the Pro Stock Motorcycle championship. Doug Kalitta was crown in Top Fuel Saturday."

Cromwell, on his part, thanked the fans and said,

“We thank the incredible NHRA community - and especially the fans for braving the elements - for their unwavering support throughout this challenging weekend and during an unforgettable 2025 season.”

The weather induced cancellation led to Austin Prock's second straight Funny Car championship. The win was guaranteed anyways, since he had a 101-point lead from nine event wins and three runner-up finishes across 19 weekends.

While Dallas Glenn and Richard Gadson earned their maiden titles, Doug Kalitta won his second career Top Fuel championship, beating the likes of NASCAR veteran Tony Stewart. Shawn Langdon finished runner-up, while Brittany Force rounded out the top-4.

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John Force announces retirement from NHRA career

On thursday, November 14, John Force shared an Instagram post announcing his retirement from NHRA. The 16-time Funny Car champion endured a devastating crash during the Virginia Nationals last year, which sidelined him for the 2025 season as well. Notably, this is the first year since 1971 that Force hasn't made a pass in the Funny Car division.

With his recovery still underway, Force has admitted that a growing family takes priority. His daughter, Brittany Force, is also stepping away from racing to start a family with her husband. As such, John deemed this the right time to hang up the racing gloves.

“It’s been over a year but I’ve been under doctors’ care and I still am so if I say anything wrong, please excuse me. But it’s time for me to retire. It all made sense to me even though I knew I had medical stuff that I had to address, that, 'do I want to get back in the car and get hit in the head?' And I don’t,” he said.

NASCAR spotter Brett Griffin commented on the news, acknowledging the miraculous turnaround in Force's recovery. The 76-year-old is currently undergoing treatment for behavioral and neurological symptoms lingering from the crash, some of which include short-term memory loss and cognitive issues.

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Edited by Vignesh Kanna