Sunday's NHRA Finals in Pomona were interrupted when a small plane crashed in the vicinity of In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, injuring four people and causing a lengthy delay while authorities responded to the incident. The crash occurred as the plane was attempting to land at Brackett Field Airport directly across from the racetrack.
Racing activity was brought to a halt at approximately 11:10 a.m. PT when a single engine plane went down, crashing into an RV lot at the end of the dragstrip runway. The plane struck several vehicles on the ground, injuring the pilot of the plane as well as three passengers who were taken to a nearby hospital with minor to moderate non life-threatening injuries. According to authorities, no bystanders on the ground were struck or injured.
The cause of the accident is currently unknown, with the Pomona Police Department saying that the Federal Aviation Administration had been notified and the National Transportation Safety Board would conduct an investigation into the incident.
After a two-hour delay to respond to the accident was well as to contain and address spilled fuel from the airplane, racing resumed at approximately 1 p.m. PT, with Austin Prock becoming the first driver in NHRA history to break the 340-mph barrier in his Funny Car Finals Round 1 race. Prock clinched the 2024 Funny Car Championship on Saturday, earning his first championship and the 23rd in team history for John Force Racing.
Sunday also saw Tony Stewart advance to the Semifinals in Top Fuel competition, just hours after he and wife Leah Pruett welcomed their first child, son Dominic James. Stewart, a former NASCAR and IndyCar champion, took over for Pruett in Top Fuel competition for this season as the couple prepared to start a family.