Pomona Dragstrip was all set for a thrilling race heading into the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, with drivers chasing crowns in Top Fuel and beyond. Fans packed the stands and were ready for the 60th running of this drag racing showdown. But dark clouds rolled in fast, turning high hopes into disappointment as rain drenched Southern California.

Friday’s action got washed out first, shifting qualifying to Saturday in a desperate move to keep the show rolling. Yet the downpour didn’t stop the next day either, forcing tough calls that reshaped the weekend. In Top Fuel, it handed Doug Kalitta his second title in three years without even racing, a twist no one saw coming. But it leaves fans wondering: how badly did the weather ruin their weekend?

Persistent rain turned the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals upside down, canceling Saturday’s qualifying sessions outright. “Due to a combination of rain and cool temperatures, Saturday qualifying at the In-N-Out Burger #NHRAFinals has been canceled,” NHRA announced on X. “The ladders for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle will be set based on championship points coming into the event.”

This marked the second straight day of washouts, after Friday’s postponement echoed the same woes. “Friday racing at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona was postponed due to weather conditions,” per an earlier NHRA update. Fans fumed over the off-track verdict, especially with the ticket-exchanging scheme. Many had bought early tickets for the full weekend package, expecting four days of nitro-fueled action from November 13 to 16, only to see Friday and Saturday wiped out.

Due to a combination of rain and cool temperatures, Saturday qualifying at the In-N-Out Burger #NHRAFinals has been cancelled. The ladders for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will be set based n championship points coming into the event.

Round 1 is set… pic.twitter.com/aG9aous0fD

— NHRA (@NHRA) November 15, 2025

Now, the news is that fans can exchange their tickets for the final for Sunday, which will require a trip to the main ticket office at Pomona Dragstrip. But the catch here is even after exchanging the tickets for the finale, the forecast still looks dicey for Sunday with high rain chances of 90-100 %. Plus, an extra travel cost. This disappointing exchange offer turned the loyal supporters into vocal critics overnight.

For Kalitta, entering as the No. 4 seed in the Countdown playoffs, it locked in his lead built on wins in St. Louis and Dallas, plus finals in the first four playoff rounds, which was his strongest run yet under crew chief Alan Johnson. For crowning Kalitta, no nail-biter like his 2023 title was needed because the points alone did the job.

Kalitta soaked in the relief amid the drizzle, sharing his take with reporters. “Yeah, this is definitely a lot easier than 2023,” he said. “It’s always seemed to come down to the last race, last day, but we had a nice string of runs throughout the Countdown. Alan and my whole team have had my car going down the track… It’s a huge relief to be able to win the championship before the last round at the last race, and we’re all just super happy.”

His words capture a season of grit where he surged in mid-year surges in Sonoma and Brainerd, vaulting him from fourth to the top, dodging disasters like a Reading tire blowout that wrecked his primary car. Fans watched Kalitta celebrate early, but the joy clashed with grumbles over lost track of time and soggy plans.

While Kalitta’s team popped champagne, the stands told a different story. Supporters who’d traveled far now vented online, their raw takes painting a picture of dashed dreams.

Fan fury hits hard after the NHRA downpour

One die-hard couldn’t hide his bite right off the bat. “Why don’t you guys just wait and try again next weekend and run the whole damn event the way it’s supposed to be run? It’s not like you’re going to be doing anything after this weekend, anyway.” This call-out stings with truth, as NHRA’s schedule ends here, which leaves no easy makeup date.

Back in 2022, a similar rainout at Pomona forced a compressed Sunday. But fans who planned for these four races even before the months started are just not accepting the facts about races being washed away; they want any possible way to enjoy those races.

“All are clowns keep fu–ing over your fans… 😂 Everyone knew it was going to rain all day, and guess what? It rained all day.” That laugh hides real hurt, backed by forecasts calling for a 90% chance of rain all weekend from the National Weather Service. NHRA still went ahead with Friday’s 7:30 a.m. schedule, only to call it off hours later, echoing the 2023 Finals, where rain shortened the event but fans were still able to watch some racing.

This call-off is not only about rain washing out the event; it’s a pattern eroding trust in an organization that’s hosted 59 prior finales without such call-offs.

“200 dollars in tickets down the drain because nobody can check a weather app. Last time I buy tickets early, or ever at all,” one fan lamented. NHRA’s exchange policy lets Friday and Saturday passes swap for Sunday at the Pomona office, but not everyone can reschedule their work or distance. But the weather app jab lands perfectly because the app was showing high chances for rain, but still, fans did not check or may have ignored the update and opted for buying the tickets.

One fan wrapped up the reactions, saying, “Sunday is not looking good either. Should I drive another 2 hours, and pay parking in the hope the NHRA look at the weather correctly…” It was a mild jab at the NHRA officials who scheduled the race even after acknowledging the rain probabilities of 95 to 100 percent from Friday through Sunday.