Dan started his racing career in 1968 when he was 15 at Atco Raceway. Dan's first race car was a '57 Chevy. He bracket raced with this car until the early 1970's. At that point he went into a partnership with a friend who had a '68 Camaro and continued bracket racing. In the late 70's, Dan bought out the partner and campaigned the car in Modified Eliminator, then Super Gas from the class's inception. After a successful career in Super Gas, Dan sold the car at the end of 1991. The family took some time off from racing due to school, a move, and work demands.
Dan returned to drag racing in 2004 with a Top Alcohol Funny Car. With a push from the family, this was a life long dream realized. Dan earned his license in just six passes (the minimum required) and qualified at his second competition. He made his competitive debut with a perfect .000 reaction time. He finished his first year racing Top Alcohol Funny Car at #5 in NHRA’s Northeast Division 1. Dan has consistently placed in the top 10 in the division his entire racing career.
The Pomponio Racing Team is truly a family affair. Dan and his wife’s, Beth, first date was to a drag race. Now, the team includes son, Danny as crew chief, daughter, Maureen, son-in-law, Ted, and their two children. Dan's brother, John, has been part of the team since he was 10 years old. His son, Johnny, continues the family love of drag racing as a team member, also. Rounding out the team is long time friend and Super Gas racer, Pete "Lucky" Luciano, and his daughter, Leanne.
Dan has talked to kids at local high school’s driver education classes for a safety program to stop illegal street racing. He and other area racers display the cars and try to impress on the students the dangers of street racing and the joys of drag racing.
Career Highlights:
1981 - Best Appearing Car and semi final finish - Bracket
Finals, Super Pro
NJ State Champion
National Dragster's list of Bracket Racers of the
Year
1982 - Win - Debut in Super Gas - Super Bowl of Drag
Racing, Englishtown, NJ
Win - Super Gas event, Atco, NJ
Wins - Super Pro points race, Atco Team, both 1st
and 3rd quarters.
Win - 1st Annual Atco Pro Stock Mountain Motor
Throwdown, Super Pro
1983 - Win - Super Gas Saturday Night, Atco, NJ
Finals - Super Stock Magazine Bracket National,
Englishtown, NJ
1984 - Win - Budweiser Super Stock National, Super Gas
#9 in division points standings
1985 - #8 in National Points standings
# 2 in Division Points standings
Semi Finals - Southern National
Qualified #1 - Molson Grandnational
Semi Finals - U.S. National
Semi Finals - Keystone National, Qualifying #16
Qualified #12 at Summer National
Quarter Final - NED Divisional, Englishtown, NJ
Semi Final - NED Divisional, Maple Grove, PA
Quarter Final - NED Divisional, Epping, NH
1986 - Served on Northeast Division Drivers Commission
#2 TRW Division 1 Allstars
Quarter Finals - Southern National
Quarter Finals - NED Divisional, Englishtown, NJ
Quarter Finals - IHRA Divisional, Atco, NJ
1987 - Quarter Finals - Summer National
Semi Finals - Atco Summer National
Quarter Finals - NED Divisional, Maple Grove, PA
1988 - Quarter Finals - Keystone National
Quarter Final - IHRA, Atco Summer National
Win - Super Pro, Atco
1990 - NED Win, Buds Creek, MD with perfect 9.90
Semi Finals - Super Chevy Show, Englistown
2004 - Finished #5, NHRA Division 1.
2005 - Sponsorship from Nitro Fish Ultimate Wear
LODRS 1-1 Win, Maple Grove, PA
Finished #4, NHRA Division 1
2006 - Best Appearing Crew, Maple Grove LODRS Div. 1 event.
Final round - Cecil County LODRS Div. 1 event.
Finished #8, NHRA Division 1.
2007 - Best Appering Crew, Atco LODRS Div. 1 event.
Finished #5, NHRA Division 1.
2008 - Crashed and had to sit out the season while making
repairs.
2009 -
2010 - Career best time and mph & 1st place qualifying
round - Lebanon Valley, NY.
Cover and feature article - Super Stock Magazine, 1982
Super Chevy Magazine feature, 1984
Advertising - Transmission Specialties, ATI, Super
Shops, Maple Grove Raceway, Atco Raceway
3 year sponsorship with Super Shops/Erson-Mallory
Feature in Courier-Post newspaper about extreem
sports, 2006
Feature in East Coast Drag News magazine, 2006
