Some guys get all the fun. While we’ve been stuck in Australia pumping out magazines and blowing up our cars, Mark Boxer has been in the USA, frolicking at some of the world’s best automotive happenings, starting with the SEMA Show.

While in Vegas, he hit the Optima Street Car Invitational and the Lucas Oils Drag Racing series at The Strip.

But that was just a taster! A couple of weeks later, Mark found himself trackside at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona for the NHRA FInals

Located just 30 minutes from downtown LA by car, Pomona has been providing quarter mile action since 1961 and hosts both the Winternationals and the NHRA Finals.

Now, Boxer has been to more than a few big drag meetings in his career, but the scale of the FInals event blew him away.

“It is amazing to see so many nitro funny cars and top fuelers in one spot for starters,” says Mark.

“But it isn’t just the spectacle of those cars, the racing is really intense. Look at nitro funny car. Robert Hight came into the meeting with eight wins under his belt. But he got put out in round two, giving Ron Capps a shot at the title, despite only having five wins for the season.

“All Capps had to do was complete the fiinal without incuring a points penalty for something like crossing the centre line in the final. In fact, he could have opted to not come out and he would have taken the championship. But instead of playing it safe, he did a massive burnout and a full pass. Cruz Pedregon won the race, but Capps got the championship in style. Love it!

“Watching Brittany Force set a new speed record at 3.641-seconds at 338.94mph in top fuel was something else again! And she got here second championship. And one of her two crew chiefs is an Aussie, Dave Grubnic.

“There were a few Aussies around in fact, including Shane Tucker and his dad Rob in Pro Stock. Shane was put out the the top qualifier in round one, but itw as so cool to see Aussies competing at that level.

“And the pits were insane. So much cool stuff in one place. After that and SEMA, I think I’m overstimulated! If you are coming over for SEMA Show next year, I’d defintely recommend extending your stay to see the NHRA Finals as well.”

Boxer also visited the Goodguys Arizona show, check out his coverage here: