To mark the milestone 50th running of the iconic Winternationals this weekend, NHRA has scheduled a series of "events-within-the-event" that will transform Auto Club Raceway at Pomona into a virtual hot-rodding amusement park for the weekend.

In addition to what fans have come to expect at an NHRA race – the open pit access, interaction with drivers and crews, witnessing the quickest-accelerating vehicles on the planet – among the scheduled events specific to the 50th running of the Winternationals include:

• The Golden 50 Corral Car Show, effectively a museum displaying the cars including Roland Leong's Hawaiian and Don "The Snake" Prudhomme's Hot Wheels Funny Car that laid the foundation for today's 7,000-horsepower, 300mph dragsters

• Daily Cacklefests, featuring top cars from the last 50 years in one of the oldest traditions in drag racing

• Autograph sessions with NHRA legends, including Shirley Muldowney, "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Bob Glidden, Kenny Bernstein and many, many more

• Exhibition runs by legendary tribute cars on the Auto Club Raceway track

• The unveiling of the Greatest Moment in Winternationals history

SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled for 3 p.m. on Feb. 11-12 and at noon and 3 p.m. on Feb. 13. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 14.

TICKETS: Tickets are available for the 50th annual Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline. Call NHRA at (800) 884-NHRA [6472] or visit nhra.com or ticketmaster.com.

ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 11 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Feb. 13. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute pre-race show, at 10 a.m. (ET) on Sunday, Feb. 14. ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of eliminations coverage beginning at 8 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Feb. 14.

LUCAS OIL SERIES: The 50th annual Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline also will feature competition in seven categories in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, where the future stars of the NHRA Full Throttle Series earn their racing stripes. Lucas Oil Series qualifying begins at 8:15 a.m. on Feb. 11. Lucas Oil Series eliminations begin at 8:15 a.m. on Feb. 12.