Showers Force Postponement of First-Day Qualifying for Winternational Drag Races

Intermittent showers Thursday caused postponement of the opening day’s qualifying for Sunday’s Chief Auto Parts Winternationals drag races at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona.

Several hundred sportsman cars managed to get in qualifying runs between showers, but the pro categories--top fuel, funny car and pro stock--were rained out.

Competition director Steve Gibbs rescheduled double sessions for the pros today at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The postponement delayed the return of Shirley Muldowney, three-time world top-fuel champion, to National Hot Rod Assn. competition after an absence of 19 months because of injuries she suffered in a 1984 accident in Canada.