While Southern California experienced some of its worst wildfires in history, the show went on at the 2003 MAZDA World Finals Presented by Toyo Tires. In actuality the show went on for the professional heads-up class racers, but the NHRA officials sent bracket racers home on Sunday morning. The adverse conditions, with ash falling like snowflakes, meant that there was a good chance that track time would be limited thanks to the Pomona's Sunday curfew. As the day unfolded, oil downs, crashes and fires seem to justify the unpopular decision.

Ready to Run

Sunday's eliminations were almost "ashed out" because the overnight drizzle of ash had become a slick surface on the Pomona Raceway track. NHRA officials and Pomona Raceway crew ended up working for the better part of two hours to clean up the track and return it close to Saturday's record-setting condition - which George Ioannou (6.77@206.70 Pro RWD), Lisa Kubo (8.04@185.68 ProFWD), Vinny Ten (7.87@173.64 Modified), Marty Ladwig (8.64@167.50 Hot Rod), and Leslie Durst (10.00@134.44 All Motor) had all used to full potential to qualifying at the top of their respective ladders.

Pro RWD Class

The ProRWD Championship was already decided before the final race, as George Ioannou and his Street Glow Bullish Solara dominated the class all year long. The runner-up spot, however, was up for grabs at Pomona. Coincidently, the identically-prepared Solara of teammate and team-owner Ara Arslanian would be in contention, along with Matt Scranton for the runner-up position. Coming in with a twenty-point advantage, Arslanian had qualified third with a 6.98@203.43 and needed to at least keep pace with Turbonetics Celica driver Matt Scranton, who qualified fourth with a 7.02@190.47.

In round one, a major upset occurred when Champion Ioannou would lose to Hiroshi Shiobara in the Escort 300ZX. A failed engine management connection allowed the number eight qualifier Shiobara to advance.

In the semifinals, it appeared Scranton would advance as he would come up against Shiobara. The Escort Racing 300ZX had not been run for an entire season and they were faces major problems with their engine management. However, a little of something would to prove to be better than a lot of nothing as Scranton's Celica blew up its engine on the line and gave the underdog Japanese team a free pass to the Final. For Ara, the Scranton misfortune would be crucial, as Arslanian lost to Steph Papadakis in the other semifinal.

Steph would face Shiobara in the finals. Shiobara must have stepped in crap as his luck would continue. Papadakis would get overzealous and disqualified himself after he crossed the centerline in the Final.

PRO FWD

In the ProFWD Class, the championship chase was also long over thanks to the dominance of Nelson Hoyos and his Bothwell Chevy Cavalier. However, the ultimate trophy, of running the first seven-second pass was still on the table for the taking. Over the last part of the season, import-racing veterans Lisa Kubo and Shaun Carlson emerged as the forerunners to break the barrier. Kubo ran an 8.04@185.68 qualifying pass to top the ladder.

Carlson has struggled with continuing powertrain development and clicked an 8.45@173 pass for the fourth spot on the qualifying ladder. Kubo eventually ran an 8.08@187.93 to back up a new National Record E.T. and clicked an 8.10@188 to defeat Shaun Carlson's 10.39@97.33 in a semifinal matchup to advance the final with Nelson Hoyos but never ran closer to the record. Carlson only managed a best 8.19@178.32 in his first round victory against Chris Rado's World Electronic Celica (8.44@180.46).

Ed Bergenholtz piloted his Mazda 6 to an 8.32@177.72 third round qualifying spot and singled again to the semifinal before relighting against Hoyos. Hoyos singled in the first round as well and advanced to his tenth straight final of the year. Unfortunately, the Cavalier blew its primary engine in an earlier round and could not muster its backup motor to outrun the Saturn Motorsports Ion Coupe of Kubo - Hoyos lost the round 9.50@146.22 to Kubo's 8.70@161.43 but still took home the Championship trophy for the year. While Hoyos will remain the driver on the GM Racing-backed team, Bothwell Motorsports is reportedly not returning to field the two-car GM team in 2004. For Kubo, it was her first NHRA victory since moving to the ProFWD class from the Hot Rod Class earlier this year.

For complete coverage on the NHRA Finals grab a copy of DRAG Sport on newstands and tuning shops nationwide.