Ryan McClanahan wins Super Comp at Pomona

Ryan McClanahan captured his first Super Comp National event Wally at the Auto Club NHRA Nationals in Pomona, California.

POMONA, CA- Ryan McClanahan earned his first Super Comp Wally after defeating Allison McKoane in the final at the Auto Club NHRA Finals. This was McClanahan’s ninth career Wally.

McClanahan was thrilled to visit the winner’s circle in Pomona for the second time this year. He also took home the Super Stock Wally at the Winternationals in February. For the NHRA finals, Val Torres Jr. offered McClanahan his Super Comp ride for the weekend and it made it even sweeter that it ended with a victory.

McClanahan was stellar all weekend on the tree with only one light worse than .015. He averaged a .014 light throughout six rounds, which is crucial in Super Comp.

In the first-round of eliminations, McClanahan let go with an .015 reaction time and ran an 8.928 to take the first-round victory over Damon Bustamante. Bustamante was .037 and ran an 8.922.

McClanahan took the second-round win after Mike Cornelius turned on the red-light by -.007. McClanahan was .028 and posted an 8.881 to move into round three.

With an .021 package in the third round of eliminations, McClanahan took the round win as he had the starting line advantage, .011 to an .016. But, Dean Hall took too much stripe to break out.

It was a battle of the Ryan’s in the fourth round of eliminations, with McClanahan taking the win. McClanahan put together a .008 package to put Ryan Mangus on the trailer, who was mathematically ineligible from the start. Mangus was .031 on the tree and ran an 8.902.

McClanahan and Travis Theobald staged up for the fifth round of eliminations with McClanahan taking the double-breakout win. With an .010 to an .015 advantage on the tree, McClanahan ran closer to the index posting an 8.877 to Theobald’s quicker but losing 8.864. The win sent McClanahan to his 16th career final round.

There, he met Allison McKoane who was appearing in her first national event final round. McKoane reached the final after rolling through a murderer’s row of talent racers. This included Dan Fletcher, championship runner-up Brian Preszler, Gabriel Torres, Marky Perivolaris, and Jason Kenny. McKoane was .020 or better in every round and only dipped below the index in her round four win over Perivolaris.

Experience prevailed in the final round after a near even start. McClanahan was just .001 better at the tree, .013 to .014, but drove the finish line to perfection to collect win #9. McKoane took .035-stripe to go under the index by -.003 while McClanahan grab the brakes posting an 8.933 for the win. Ryan celebrated his first Super Comp victory with friend and car owner Val Torres Jr.

Congrats to Ryan McClanahan and Val Torres Jr. on their victory!

Click here to find more NHRA Lucas Oil Sportsman race results from the Auto Club NHRA Finals.

An avid racer herself, Megan Strassweg, 28, sees her two worlds collide with DragChamp – journalism and drag racing. Megan resides in Evansville, IN, and she pilots a 2015 American Dragster in the NHRA North Central Division 3 Super Comp series, along with some local bracket racing on the side. Her passion for racing began early, having grown up at the racetrack, and she remains committed to the sport.

You can reach Megan on Facebook or email at megan@dragchamp.com

You can reach Megan on Facebook or email at megan@dragchamp.com