Tasca Racing Eyes Comeback After Tough NHRA Winternationals in Pomona

The 2025 NHRA Winternationals proved to be a tough weekend for Bob Tasca III and his Ford Performance Nitro Mustang Dark Horse Funny Car team, as they narrowly missed the field and did not qualify for Sunday eliminations. 

Pomona threw everything at the team, from tricky track conditions to tire shake and loss of traction in the early rounds. Friday Q1 and Q2 runs ended in tire smoke, with Tasca noting, "Honestly, I think we're trying a little too hard. We smoked the tires. We were going for it just a little too much." The crew made progress Saturday in Q3 and Q4, posting improved numbers, 4.186 @ 250.27 mph and 4.057 @ 271.13 mph, respectively—but it wasn’t quite enough to crack the elite field. 

While the outcome wasn’t what the team had hoped for, the data gathered from each pass—and the steady improvement from session to session—have laid the groundwork for a strong comeback. As Tasca said after Friday’s runs, "The conditions are good out there, no reason why we shouldn't have gone down the track... The good news is tonight the track conditions should be even better." That mindset remains as the team regroups and turns its focus toward Las Vegas. 

Despite the challenges, the team remains optimistic, with sights firmly set on redemption at the next stop on the NHRA tour: the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas, April 11–13. It’s worth noting that Tasca and his team won this event last season, taking home the Wally at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The focus now is on refining the tune-up, resetting mentally, and returning to the winner’s circle on familiar ground.