Erica Enders – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Wet NHRA Winternationals finals postponed to Phoenix

Inclement weather forced the postponement of the final round of the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. The final rounds in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will now be completed at the upcoming …

Inclement weather forced the postponement of the final round of the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

The final rounds in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock will now be completed at the upcoming NHRA Arizona Nationals, which is the next event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series circuit and takes place April 5-7 at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix.

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher and defending event winner Justin Ashley both advanced to the final round on Sunday. Schumacher reached his first final round this season after defeating Terry Totten, Gainesville winner Shawn Langdon and Billy Torrence. Ashley, meanwhile, is after his third straight win at the Winternationals and reached the finals thanks to victories against Shawn Reed, Steve Torrence and No. 1 qualifier Brittany Force. Ashley has reached the final round at the Winternationals for four straight years.

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Funny Car’s John Force and reigning world champion Matt Hagan powered to the championship round at the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Force will try to pick up his first victory in two years in Phoenix, taking down Jim Campbell, Bobby Bode and Ron Capps. Hagan is after back-to-back Winternationals victories and his 50th career Funny Car win, reaching the finals on Sunday in Pomona with round victories against Buddy Hull, Jeff Diehl and Gainesville winner J.R. Todd.

Defending world champion Erica Enders and No. 1 qualifier Dallas Glenn will meet up in the finals in Pro Stock in Phoenix. Enders, who won the season-opener in Gainesville, took down Fernando Cuadra Jr., Brandon Foster and Greg Anderson to reach the championship round. She will attempt to pick up her 50th career national event win in two weeks at Firebird Motorsports Park. Glenn, the defending Winternationals winner, got by Sienna Wildgust, David Cuadra and Mason McGaha to reach his first final round of the season.

Wilkerson grabs first career provisional No. 1 at NHRA Winternationals

Funny Car rookie Daniel Wilkerson put himself in position for his first career No. 1 qualifier on Friday, racing to the provisional top spot at the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Billy Torrence (Top …

Billy Torrence (Top Fuel) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

In a full-time ride for the first time in his career, Daniel Wilkerson made the most of his opportunity on Friday, taking the top spot with a 4.014s at 314.31mph in his Scag Power Equipment Ford Mustang. That puts Wilkerson in line for his first career top qualifier, which would be a huge moment in his career. He stepped into the driver role this year, with his father, Funny Car veteran Tim Wilkerson, calling the shots as crew chief. On Friday, it worked out wonderfully for the father-son duo.

“It was a little squirrely but I got it to the end,” said Wilkerson, who will be competing for NHRA Rookie of the Year honors this year. “It got a little loose coming out of the middle of the track and I was almost yelling at myself steering the car. But it worked out and I was happy with it. All of this, it almost hasn’t set in yet, but it’s been a lot of fun so far.”

Jeff Diehl took the second spot on Friday after going 4.050s at 306.81mph and Chad Green, who won in Pomona last year to end the season, is third with a 4.110s at 302.96mph.

In Top Fuel, Billy Torrence powered to the top on Friday, going 3.745s at 330.47mph in his Capco Contractors dragster. If that holds, Torrence would earn his sixth career No. 1 qualifier, as both Torrence cars made strong runs during the lone qualifying session of the day. His son, Steve, is currently second after the four-time world champ went 3.750s at 328.30mph, giving the team plenty of momentum for the weekend. They also meet tomorrow in the opening round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.

“I was very impressed with that run,” Torrence said. “I thought we could make a good run on the track. The guys have worked really hard on that setup and I really thought Steve would sneak around us and pick our pocket, but he just missed us. Performance-wise, I think the cars are really close. I think we’ve got a good set-up for a solid year.”

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Former world champ Brittany Force is in the third spot thanks to a run of 3.783s at 330.30mph and Gainesville winner Shawn Langdon is right behind with a 3.788s at 318.24mph.

A strong start continued for reigning Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders on Friday in Pomona, as she went 6.556s at 211.69mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. If it holds, it would give Enders her second straight No. 1 qualifier to start the season. Enders, who also won in Gainesville, is after her 50th career national event victory this weekend, which would add another incredible milestone in her stellar career. Two years ago, Enders won at the Winternationals in what was the 900th race in Pro Stock history.

“It was a little bit of a hairy ride. It made some big moves, but I’m thankful for all the runs I have in these cars,” Enders said. “We’re big on numbers and going after that 50th win is very important to us. Winning my first Winternationals two years ago for the 900th Pro Stock race was pretty spectacular and we’re glad to be back here. Coming off a win at the Gatornationals, we’re just going to try to carry that momentum, but we definitely have a good race car right now.”

Matt Hartford is currently second with a 6.568s at 210.31mph and Jeg Coughlin Jr. is third with a 6.573s at 211.20mph.

Qualifying continues at 11:30 a.m. ET on Saturday at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip

Kalitta Motorsports scores nitro sweep at NHRA Gatornationals

For the first time in team history, Kalitta Motorsports doubled-up in the nitro categories on Sunday at Gainesville Raceway, as Shawn Langdon and J.R. Todd picked up wins in Top Fuel and Funny Car, respectively, to kick off the 2024 NHRA Mission …

Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the first of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

After 18 previous attempts to win in both Top Fuel and Funny Car in one weekend, Langdon wrapped up the successful nitro sweep for Kalitta Motorsports on Sunday, picking up his first victory in Gainesville with a run of 3.711s at 335.40mph in his Kalitta Air Careers Toyota dragster in the final round against Billy Torrence.

Langdon qualified No. 1 with new crew chief Brian Husen and rolled off a string of strong runs on Sunday to collect his 18th career victory and first since 2020, knocking off Cody Krohn, Justin Ashley and Antron Brown to reach the final round. There, he quickly tracked down Torrence, setting off a memorable first-time celebration for Kalitta Motorsports.

“It feels really good,” Langdon said. “You keep your head down and keep working hard, and I’m just with a great group. J.R. and I are out here having fun and living our dreams. I can’t say enough [about] Brian. It’s his first race as a crew chief and he gave me an absoluty flawless car.

“There were so many pressure situations going into the final round: going for my first Gatornationals win, the first double-up for Kalitta Motorsports. But I just took a deep breath and told myself, ‘Don’t screw this up.’ We’ve had a rough time [in recent seasons], but we’ve just kept our heads down and kept working.”

Torrence reached his 13th career final round by knocking off Brittany Force, Mike Salinas and his son, Steve Torrence.

Before Langdon finished the job for the nitro sweep, Funny Car’s J.R. Todd picked up his second Gatornationals victory with a run of 3.889s at 329.10mph in his DHL Toyota GR Supra to knock off No. 1 qualifier Austin Prock. Todd struggled to make a clean run through the first three rounds but found himself in the final round after getting past Blake Alexander, Ron Capps and Bob Tasca III.

Todd, though, and the team delivered in the championship round, making their best run of the weekend with the Wally and the Golden Gators trophy on the line. It gave Todd his 21st career victory and special moment being part of the Kalitta Motorsports double-up.

“It’s probably the most bizarre day I’ve had in drag racing and the final round was the first clean run we’ve had all weekend,” Todd said. “We’ve been trying to double up for a while and for whatever reason, we couldn’t get it done. The stars just aligned here in Gainesville and it’s pretty awesome.

“I’m proud of my guys for digging deep and not giving up. You can’t take anyone lightly in this class and it’s so tough from top to bottom, but this sets a good tone and gives us momentum. All the greats have done well at this race and you want to put your name on that list [in Gainesville]. It’s always great to win here.”

Prock, making his NHRA Funny Car debut, rolled to his ninth career final round by defeating John Smith, John Force and Chad Green.

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The wait for a Gatornationals victory is over for six-time and reigning Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders, as motorsports’ winningest female won in Gainesville for the first time on Sunday after defeating Elite Motorsports teammate Cristian Cuadra in the final round with a standout pass of 6.494s at 211.93mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/SCAG Power Equipment car.

She picked up her 48th career Pro Stock win in the process, knocking off Kelley Murphy, Aaron Stanfield and longtime rival Greg Anderson to reach the final round. After qualifying No. 1 with a 6.549s, Enders dipped into the 6.40s three times during eliminations, including a stunning 6.483s at 211.96mph to defeat Anderson in the semifinals. That helped set up a memorable final round for Enders, who claimed Gatornationals glory on Sunday, as well as the special Golden Gators 55th anniversary trophy.

“We’ve been chomping at the bit to get this done,” Enders said. “I’ve been to three final rounds here and we finally got it done. It’s pretty cool to win this one. There’s certain track that have special [trophies] and to get the Golden Gator and the 55th win, it’s awesome. It will sit proudly on our shelf and seeing a packed house at the Gators, it’s so special. Being able to check off these boxes and get a win like this, it’s really special and we’re just going to keep working.”

Cuadra reached his second career final round on Sunday, taking down Larry Morgan, Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Dallas Glenn.

At the site of his first career Pro Stock Motorcycle victory a year ago, Gaige Herrera was simply dominant on Sunday in Gainesville, capping off a spectacular day with a run of 6.636s at 204.39mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki in the final round to get past Matt Smith. Herrera, who was also the No. 1 qualifier, won his sixth straight race dating back to his remarkable championship season in 2023, and earned his 12th career victory and not much was in doubt on Sunday. He put together four straight runs in the 6.60s at more than 200mph, defeating Joey Gladstone, John Hall and Angie Smith leading into the final round.

That included a track-record best of 6.629s at 204.54mph in the second round, which was the second-quickest run in class history, behind only his record-setting run last year in Dallas.

“Today was good and we ran really well,” Herrera said. “The weather was really close to Dallas [last season], where I set the national record. Everyone kind of picked up in the class and we expected to as well. Overall, I had a very consistent motorcycle. We actually hurt the motor in the semifinals, so we had to swap motors for the finals. Overall, I had a very consistent, smooth motorcycle all day. As long as I didn’t miss a beat, the bike didn’t miss a beat. Even though I didn’t do any testing during the off-season, it felt like I didn’t even have an off-season and I’m glad to come home with a win.”

Matt Smith went to the finals for the 76th time in his career thanks to round wins against Chris Bostick, Mark Ingwersen and LE Tonglet.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action March 21-24 with the 64th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif.

Brown wins TF All-Star Callout as Langdon goes No. 1 at NHRA Gatornationals

Antron Brown picked up the victory in the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday at Gainesville Raceway in front of a capacity crowd, knocking off Brittany Force in the final round of the specialty race as part of this weekend’s 55th …

Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all qualified No. 1 at the first of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Brown went 3.709s at 332.43mph in his Matco Tools Toyota dragster, taking down Force’s 3.730s at 328.70mph. It gave Brown, who defeated Langdon and Steve Torrence earlier in the day, his first Pep Boys All-Star Callout victory, a big payday in the specialty event and a stellar way to start his 2024 NHRA season.

“Our guys had a chance to keep picking at it, and keep picking at it, and we knew it was going to be a tough round against Brittany, another world champion,” Brown said. “Everyone we raced today was a world champion. We knew we had to step it up against her, but we had the added pressure of qualifying. So to go out there and do what we did and run that 3.709s and move up to fourth on the ladder and get this Pep Boys All-Star Callout win is pretty special.

“It’s going to be tough competition tomorrow on race day. The field is tight, but hopefully we can parlay that and get better tomorrow. We’ve been getting better and better with each lap, and that’s when you get dangerous. I’m focused, and my boys are giving me a hot rod that can do the job, and that’s what it takes. We have an incredible team and we’re looking forward to this 2024 season.”

Langdon earned his first No. 1 spot since 2020, closing out qualifying with a 3.682s at 334.15mph under the lights in his Kalitta Air Careers Toyota dragster. After naming Brian Husen crew chief heading into the season, Langdon is already off to a great start, making a pair of runs in the 3.60s this weekend. He’ll now look to pick up his first win since the 2020 NHRA U.S. Nationals as well.

“That just shows the changes we’ve made, with Brian coming in, the changes have shown great rewards so far,” Langdon said. “Brian has a really good control of the car right now. It’s really cool to see and I’m really proud of him. I’m excited that he has this opportunity and I’m really lucky to be his driver. We know what this team is capable, so we’re looking forward to a great year.”

Torrance took the second spot with a 3.690s at 333.08mph and defending event winner Mike Salinas qualified third after going 3.705s. Tony Stewart qualified ninth in his Top Fuel debut with a 3.725s at 310.34mph.

In Funny Car, Prock maintained the No. 1 spot on the strength of Friday’s track-record run of 3.820s at 334.65mph in his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. It was a sterling qualifying performance in his first NHRA Funny Car race, as Prock made three strong passes heading into eliminations, where he’ll face off with John Smith in the opening round.

“I’m very excited for tomorrow. We really couldn’t have done much better,” Prock said. “I’m happy with this No. 1 qualifier and we’re really going to have to see what it looks like in the morning. If the track is like what it was today or Friday, you’re going to be throwing Hail Marys. I’m really looking forward to getting out there in my first NHRA Funny Car start and get this car in the winner’s circle.

Bob Tasca III stayed second with his 3.829s at 337.75mph, also setting a new track speed record on Saturday after going 338.09mph. Ron Capps took the third position with a 3.871s at 333.00mph.

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Erica Enders stayed No. 1 in Pro Stock, picking up her 35th career top qualifier, after going 6.549s at 208.10mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/SCAG Power Equipment car. She’ll open up eliminations against Kelley Murphy and has a great opportunity to win the Gatornationals for the first time.

“We’ve got a really great race car this weekend, so it seems to be translating very well,” Enders said. “But there’s a lot of really great cars out there and great drivers, so we just have to put our heads down and go to work, and hope for no parts failures or weird things happening. But I feel good and I feel confident in the cockpit.”

Enders’ Elite Motorsports teammate Cristian Cuadra stayed second after a run of 6.552s at 209.10mph on Friday and Dallas Glenn’s 6.556s at 208.59mph gave him the third slot.

Gaige Herrera improved on Friday’s two runs, taking his 10th straight No. 1 qualifier on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with a run of 6.746s at 200.50mph. It continues a remarkable run for the defending event winner, who won his first race in the class a year ago in Gainesville. He’ll look to repeat that on Sunday, opening eliminations against Joey Gladstone.

“I’m very pleased and we were happy to improve a little bit,” Herrera said. “I’m feeling comfortable and confident going into tomorrow. It’s very cool to come back here and start off where we left off to end last year. I’ve got to give all the credit to my team. They haven’t missed a beat, so it feels good to come back here and basically start like we did last year.”

Matt Smith improved to a 6.768s at 202.45mph to stay second, while LE Tonglet qualified third with a 6.771s at 197.88mph.

Eliminations for the 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals begin at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday at Gainesville Raceway.

Prock fastest at NHRA Gatornationals in Funny Car debut

Austin Prock set the Gainesville Raceway track record in his Funny Car debut on Friday for John Force Racing, powering to the provisional No. 1 position at the 55th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Steve Torrence (Top …

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the first of 21 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Prock, the 2019 NHRA Rookie of the Year, moved from Top Fuel to Funny Car before the season and enjoyed an impressive start to the 2024 NHRA campaign, going 3.820s at 334.65mph in his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. If that holds, it would be his fourth No. 1 qualifier and first in his new class.

“When you’re running this quick, it’s right on the ragged edge and you have to be perfect,” Prock said. “It’s been a lot to take in, but the way this car is running and the way my dad (crew chief Jimmy Prock) is feeling, it’s definitely been a fun experience. We’re all on the same page and my whole family has the same passion for this sport. To be successful is one thing, but to do it with your family is really special. I’ve really been looking forward to this season and this was a heck of a way to start.”

Bob Tasca III was right behind, going 3.829s at 337.75mph, with the speed mark setting a track record. Ron Capps took the third position with a 3.871s at 333.00mph.

Torrence made the quickest run in both Top Fuel qualifying sessions on Friday, as the four-time world champ went 3.690s at 333.08mph in his Capco Contractors dragster. If that holds, Torrence would earn his 38th career No. 1 position and sets him up nicely for Saturday’s Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout. Torrence is the No. 1 seed in the specialty race and will get the first selection for his opening-round opponent. The eight-car shootout features a big payout and bragging rights and also includes Doug Kalitta, Mike Salinas, Brittany Force, Justin Ashley, Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon and defending Callout winner Josh Hart.

“It gives me more confidence going into tomorrow,” Torrence said. “The car is performing like we want and we’ve got a good car right now. Those two runs are a product of the last [one to two] years coming to fruition. It gives my team confidence as well and it says a lot to be No. 1 [in the Callout]. In this field, you’ve got some of the toughest competition out there. This place was packed today and I look forward to putting on a show in front of these fans tomorrow.”

Langdon posted an impressive run to close out his day, jumping to second with a 3.697s at 332.43mph. Salinas’ 3.717s at 321.19mph puts him third after two sessions. Racing legend Tony Stewart, who is making his Top Fuel debut this weekend, went 3.739s at 327.82mph.

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Looking to conquer Gainesville Raceway for the first time in her stellar career, defending and six-time Pro Stock world champ Enders enjoyed a strong start on Friday, going 6.550s at 207.88mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/SCAG Power Equipment car. That closed out the day and sent the reigning champ to the No. 1 spot. If it holds, it would be Enders’ 35th career top position, but motorsports’ winningest female is more interested in winning in Gainesville for the first time.

“We’ve obviously not had a lot of great luck here,” Enders said. “We qualified No. 2, we got beat out by our teammate Troy Coughlin for the No. 1 spot last year. I went to hit the start button for first round and she did not crank so the gator bite continued, but we’re determined to change that this weekend. This is one of the last tracks on the circuit we have left to accomplish so it’s high on our to-do list. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, but it definitely means we’re going to give it every bit of effort we have.”

Enders’ Elite Motorsports teammate Cristian Cuadra is second after a run of 6.552s at 209.10mph and Dallas Glenn’s 6.556s at 208.59mph currently puts him third.

Herrera picked up right where he left off in Pro Stock Motorcycle, both from his championship-winning 2023 season and last year in Gainesville, going to the No. 1 spot with a run of 6.752s at 198.64mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Herrera dominated the 2023 campaign, winning 11 races and grabbing 14 No. 1 qualifiers – both single-season records in the category – and showed no signs of slowing down Friday in Gainesville. The defending event winner made the quickest runs of both sessions as he looks to repeat at the site of his first NHRA win.

“We started where we left off and all the credit goes to my team,” Herrera said. “They’ve worked really hard in the off season. I’m very happy with how I ran today. Everybody in this class has been working and it shows. This season is going to be very exciting and I’m really looking forward to it. Andrew (Hines, crew chief) works day and night in the shop and that’s where we shine. He keeps pushing and pushing, and this team never stops working.”

Matt Smith went 6.785s at 199.55mph to go into the second spot, while Steve Johnson is currently third after going 6.804s at 195.70mph.

Qualifying continues at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

NHRA podcast: Erica Enders on 2023 and beyond

Erica Enders is now a six-time NHRA Pro Stock champion and the winningest woman in motorsports. Enders is also unapologetically brash and obsessively competitive. On this week’s edition of The Racing Writer’s Podcast, Enders provides insight into seemingly having a chip on her shoulder, puts 2023 into perspective and the competition being quick to write her off, and then looks ahead to this week’s Scag Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park, which will feature more than 40 professional drag racing teams slated for competition across Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock. Plus much more.

Kalitta, Hagan, Enders race to titles at NHRA finals in Pomona

Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta claimed his first career NHRA world championship on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, knocking off Leah Pruett in a winner-take-all final round, while Funny Car’s Matt Hagan gave Tony Stewart Racing its first …

Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also secured the championship on Sunday at the 21st race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the last of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Gaige Herrera earned the Pro Stock Motorcycle world title on Saturday.

Kalitta powered to a Sunday-best run of 3.673s at 334.98mph in his Mac Tools/Toyota dragster in the final round, driving past Pruett’s run of 3.720s at 326.16mph to pick up his third win of the season. After six runner-up finishes in his 26-year career, Kalitta finished the job on Sunday to win a world title for the first time.

On a pressure-packed Sunday, Kalitta knocked off Dan Mercier, Josh Hart and Justin Ashley to set up an incredible final round with Pruett. Kalitta led wire-to-wire, setting off a raucous celebration on the starting line as the veteran had finally achieved the ultimate goal in the sport.

“It’s incredible the way the points thing worked out to come down to that last run,” said Kalitta, who won for the third time this season and 52nd time in his career. “I just stay focused. It was obviously a big round for us and it played out just perfectly. It’s just one of those deals get to the end of the track and I cannot believe these guys are cheering and high-fiving as I get around the corner because I missed seeing the win light.

“When we got to semis with the cars still in, you’re just wishing and hoping for the best really. This is one of the coolest places to run, with the museum and just the history of the NHRA, and I’ve heard all the stories back in the day with Connie (Kalitta), and this is just like the pinnacle for me. It’s hard to believe. I’ve always dreamed about this opportunity over the years and thanks to my guys for making it happen. I appreciate all the support I’ve gotten from the fans and we’re taking this trophy back home.”

Hagan clinched his fourth world championship in his Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat during a wild second round on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. With Hagan, Robert Hight and Bob Tasca III separated by just 17 points entering race day, all three won the opening round, but each lost during the quarterfinals. Tasca fell first, then Hagan and it came down to Hight’s matchup with Chad Green. But Hight also smoked the tires, handing the championship to Hagan.

It’s the fourth world title for Hagan, joining John Force, Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme as the only drivers to win four or more Funny Car world championships in NHRA history. To get there, Hagan was consistent throughout, picking up six victories and advancing to eight final rounds. He held the points lead for the bulk of the regular season and then got hot at a key time in the Countdown to the Championship, winning back-to-back races in St. Louis and Dallas to take the points lead for good. That proved critical during the wild turn of events on Sunday, one that gave Hagan his place in history.

“It’s just one of those things, you hate to have to stand there and watch someone go out to win a championship,” Hagan said. “That’s just not my style of racing and not how I want to win one. But it’s really about the body of work we did all year and coming in here and being ahead in points and being able to have that opportunity. I just can’t say enough about every single one of my guys that wrench on the car. They’re all coming back next year and everyone’s excited about that. Tony Stewart, to get his first championship out here in second year in NHRA, it’s unbelievable.

“I think it speaks volumes to the group he’s assembled and the people we put around and the leader he is as a team owner and just as a guy. It’s unbelievable we were able to do that this year. It’s super special for me, and it puts you in a caliber of drivers, you look up and you go, ‘How is it possible, I’m not that good.’ I know I’m not that good because I’ve surrounded myself with people who are better than me. That’s the only reason I’m in this position. It’s pretty incredible.”

Erica Enders’ path to a sixth world championship in Pro Stock was simple on Sunday: simply win the opening round of eliminations. After qualifying third, the winningest female in NHRA history took care of business, knocking off Fernando Cuadra with a run of 6.502s at 210.80mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. It gave Enders her sixth world championship, much to the delight of the crowd, tying her with Warren Johnson for the second-most in Pro Stock history.

It was also a resounding bounce back for Enders, who struggled mightily to open the 2023 campaign. But Enders and her Elite Motorsports team turned things around at the perfect time, as she moved into the points lead at the halfway mark in the Countdown to the Championship and then added to her lead with victories in Dallas and Las Vegas. That put her in command and Enders finished with her fourth world title in the past five years and four victories this season. Her victory in Dallas also gave her the most wins by any female in NHRA history and a sixth championship will only add to her legacy.

“On the heels of a career-best season last year, anything is going to be challenging,” Enders said. “It took us seven races to figure out our issue and I owe my guys all my credit in the world. The message this year is tenacity and consistency, and digging through all of it prevailing when it matters. I have to thank my guys for that.

“It was a dogfight and I’m really thankful for the position we were in. When my guys’ back are against the wall, they perform and we execute and makes me so proud to be their driver. I think word that describes this year is tenacity. Every championship has its story and this season is another reminder of why you don’t give up. You doubt yourself and it’s digging yourself out that ditch and that’s what this season is about.”

The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 7-10 with the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Enders, Herrera look to close out championship NHRA seasons in Pomona preliminaries

As the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series comes to a close at this weekend’s 58th annual NHRA Finals, the Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle championships have a chance to be decided before eliminations at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. …

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera (pictured above) has been nearly perfect in the class this season with 10 wins and 13 No. 1 qualifiers to his credit on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. He has led the points all but one event of the 2023 season.

To claim his first NHRA championship, Herrera must make a qualifying attempt at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. With his 181-point lead of his teammate Eddie Krawiec, Herrera can clinch his first career world championship during qualifying.

“It doesn’t feel real. Like I told Andrew (Hines, crew chief), I haven’t even woken up from the beginning of the season,” Herrera said. “I think it started to sink in leading up to Vegas. I posted a year ago that I was looking for sponsors, to basically make it out there. I didn’t plan to do more than Indy, Reading and St. Louis last year and I was able to find some funding to come out West so that was a big deal.

“It’s hard to believe me being out here and getting a ride with Vance & Hines. I can’t thank Andrew and Eddie enough for seeing what they did for me and putting faith in me that I could ride the motorcycle to their standards.”

Herrera’s championship will give the Vance & Hines racing team its 14th championship. Herrera joins the likes of Krawiec, a four-time champion, and brothers Andrew Hines, a six-time title holder, and Matt Hines, with three championships, under the Vance & Hines umbrella.

“It really is unbelievable,” Herrera said. “Terry (Vance) and I were talking, and he said just don’t change, just keep being yourself and have fun with it. It’s awesome working with all of them: Terry, Byron (Hines), Andrew and Eddie. It’s like a family. Everyone says it’s all business but at the end of the day, they’re almost like big brothers to me.”

After a tough start to the year, Enders has built the inside line to another Pro Stock title…but she’s staying wary.

In the Pro Stock ranks, Enders is on the verge of her sixth NHRA title in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro, holding a 114-point lead over longtime rival Greg Anderson. To clinch her championship in qualifying, she needs to gain seven more points in qualifying than Anderson, who also has five titles. If Enders is able to gain that advantage in qualifying, she’ll secure the title on Saturday for Elite Motorsports. If not, she’ll need to win first round on Sunday to clinch her fourth world championship in five seasons.

“They asked me about having one hand on the trophy and I definitely don’t feel like it’s ours,” Enders said. “We have to go out there and continue to earn it. If they asked me that 12 races ago, I’d told them they were nuts if they said we were going to contend for our sixth championship this year because we were absolutely horrible.”

Early this season, Enders suffered three first-round losses but has rebounded in the second half of the year in a major way and especially in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. She has four wins on the season, including back-to-back wins in the playoffs in Dallas and Las Vegas. Already the winningest female in NHRA history, if she is able to clinch the title, she’ll tie Warren Johnson for second most championships in the category at six, behind Bob Glidden at 10.

“Pomona is points and a half and a lot can happen, and a lot can change,” Enders said. “I just try to put that out of my mind. I know that sounds silly and cliche, but I just try to focus on what’s right in front of me. I don’t want to get the bigger picture in my mind too far ahead but at the same time, I believe that we can do it and we’re capable.”

The In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals will also crown champions in the nitro categories. Top Fuel’s Steve Torrence leads Doug Kalitta by only 15 points with Leah Pruett just behind in third at 34 points back. The Funny Car class is even tighter with Matt Hagan leading Bob Tasca III by 15 and Robert Hight by 17.

Austin Prock (Top Fuel), Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Anderson (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won last year’s event, while Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed world championships. The event will air on FS1, including eliminations at 4pm ET on Sunday.

NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 12 and 3pm PT on Friday, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday at 12 and 3pm. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11am PT on Sunday. Television coverage begins with qualifying action on FS1 at 2pm ET on Sunday, leading into eliminations at 4pm.

Hight, Salinas, Enders and Herrera take Vegas NHRA wins

Robert Hight pulled to within 17 points of the Funny Car points lead on Sunday, finishing off a dominant weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the victory for John Force Racing at the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals. Mike Salinas …

Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Hight went 3.851-seconds at 326.79 mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Bob Tasca III in the final round, earning his fourth victory of the 2023 season and the 65th in his career. He now trails Matt Hagan by 17 points with one race remaining, with Tasca just 15 points out of first.

Hight’s day also included a track-record run of 3.816 at 332.67 in the opening round, which was the quickest run in Funny Car since 2017. He followed with round wins against Alexis DeJoria and Blake Alexander to reach the final, staying in the 3.80s throughout eliminations to set up what will be an incredible finale in Pomona.

“It’s really been a strong weekend at the races,” said Hight. “I’d like to know if anybody in a Countdown race in Funny Car has swept every single point possible. That just goes to my team. You know, they gave me a race car that was perfect this weekend, and we had good conditions where 3.88 was our worst run.

“I feel really good [going into Pomona]. We just have to stay steady and stay focused. Nothing we can do about what the conditions are going to be at Pomona, but I’m going to pray every night that they’re great like we had this weekend. I feel like my team’s got a good handle on this race car, and we just have to go get it done.”

Tasca reached his 30th career final round and the fourth this season with wins against Steven Densham, Cruz Pedregon and Hagan before falling to Hight.

In Top Fuel, Mike Salinas put together one of the most complete weekends in his career, finishing it off with a run of 3.673 at 331.36 in his Valley Services/Scrappers Racing dragster to get past Justin Ashley in the championship round. Salinas powered to his second victory this season and the ninth in his career, also remaining in the championship hunt in the process. He’ll head to the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals 76 points out of first, giving himself a fighting chance with a spectacular weekend in Las Vegas.

He qualified No. 1 and then dispatched Rob Passey, Tony Schumacher and Josh Hart to reach the final round. There, he put together his fourth straight run in the 3.60s as Salinas felt his team took an impressive step forward in the process.

“We came into this race and I told my guys, we need to win this race and the next one to even matter,” Salinas said. “We were badass today, we were the best car out here, but we think there’s more.

“We’ve been working on this car since Gainesville and it has shown signs of greatness, but the consistency has been evading us, so we were trying to get more consistent. We have come across some stuff that we were working on, it seemed to work and today is the best day we’ve had all year and the car’s showing amazing signs. If we can continue to do what we’re doing here, it’ll be a great weekend in Pomona.”

Ashley reached his eighth final round in 2023 and 19th overall by defeating Dan Mercier, Austin Prock and Steve Torrence, who took over the points lead in Las Vegas. He leads Doug Kalitta by 15 points, with Pruett now 34 points back.

The most successful driver in the history of The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway continued her winning ways, as Pro Stock points leader Erica Enders won for the 10th time in Las Vegas, defeating Greg Anderson with a run of 6.557 at 208.23 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. Enders continued her strong run in the Countdown to the Championship, winning for the fourth time this season and the 47th time in her Pro Stock career.

It’s also the second straight win for Enders, as she stretched her lead to 114 points over Anderson heading into the last race of the season. She knocked off Mason McGaha, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Jeg Coughlin Jr. to reach the final round and after defeating Anderson, Enders is on the verge of her sixth world championship.

“Today was stress-level nine million,” Enders said. “It was do or die. We needed to perform perfectly, and my guys went out there and did just that. It was a challenging day. The final round against Greg, it was pretty epic. After we both won the semifinals, we shook hands and he said, ‘Old guys to the top.’ I really enjoy racing him, but I enjoy beating him more, respectfully.

“It was a tremendous day, [but] I don’t feel like [the championship] is ours. We have to go out there and continue to earn it. If you would have told me 12 races ago that we were going to contend for our sixth championship, I would have told you that you were nuts. We have a 114-point lead, but a lot can happen. A lot can change, and I just try to focus on what’s right in front of me. I don’t want to get the bigger picture in my mind too far ahead, but at the same time believe that we can do it and that we’re capable.”

Anderson reached his 176th career final round thanks to victories against Aaron Stanfield, No. 1 qualifier Kyle Koretsky and Matt Hartford.

It won’t be official until the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, but Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera moved a step closer to his first world championship by taking down teammate Eddie Krawiec in the final round with a track-record run of 6.755 at 198.32 on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It gives Herrera his 10th victory this season, tying Matt Hines for the most in a single season in Pro Stock Motorcycle history, as well a 181-point lead heading into the finale. That means Herrera will clinch the world championship in Pomona with his first qualifying run, a fitting end to one of the most dominant seasons in NHRA history.

After qualifying No. 1 for the 13th time this year, Herrera reached the final round with victories against Marc Ingwersen and Jerry Savoie. That set up a final round matchup with his teammate for the fourth time this season and Herrera again denied his teammate of a 50th career win. He was untouchable in Las Vegas, shattering his own track record in the finals with another epic run.

“This race was really emotional to me. I have a lot of family and friends here, and I had a stellar bike all day,” Herrera said. “All day today, it was a little bit of a challenge with the headwind, riding-wise, and you could definitely feel it. But I had a very good bike all day. It was awesome being in the final against Ed. That’s the third Vance & Hines final in a row, and it was a fun final.

“We went up there, and I had a feeling he wasn’t going to stage first so I just sat there. He revved the throttle at me and I did it back. Once he did it the second time I said, ‘Oh, he’s definitely not going in first,’ so I just rolled it in. It knocked me off my game a little, but he shook the tire and I ended up going a 6.755. It felt like a very smooth, good pass, but I didn’t expect it to go faster than what I qualified with. We’re happy with that, and after this weekend, once I go to Pomona and break the beams, it’s a done deal – that’s very exciting.”

Krawiec advanced to the finals for the fourth time this season and the 95th time overall by defeating Steve Johnson and Jianna Evaristo.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series closes out the 2023 season with the 58th annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals on Nov. 9-12 at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

Hight still title hunting with Friday No. 1 at NHRA Vegas Nationals

Looking to stay in the Funny Car championship hunt, Robert Hight claimed the provisional No. 1 position at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, making the quickest run in both qualifying sessions on Friday at the 23rd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals. …

Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 20th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the fifth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Hight powered to a run of 3.851s at 327.51mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to take the top spot. If it holds, the multi-time world champion would earn his sixth No. 1 qualifier this season and 83rd in his career. He entered the weekend 69 points out of first and called this weekend a must-win situation with only two races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship.

“After Dallas, we kind of knew what we were up against,” Hight said. “You dig yourself a big hole and you have to get out of it. The only way to do that is race aggressively, try to get as many points as you can get, and it’s a must-win here and Pomona. But the way those other cars are running that we’re fighting against, you’re going to have to be a win and a semifinal to even have a chance, and we might even have to win both of them – and that still might not be enough. That’s how close this is and the caliber of cars.

“Vegas is kind of like Denver, you have to make big moves to run quicker and faster. It’s kind of an equalizer racing here. I’m proud of the guys – we did exactly what we had to do today, but I predict that if we don’t step up tomorrow, we won’t be here tomorrow night. It’s going to take more.”

Bob Tasca III, who entered the weekend second in points, went 3.853s at 335.73mph to go to second, while points leader Matt Hagan is right behind after a 3.871s at 322.58mph. Hagan has won the last two playoff races.

In Top Fuel, Mike Salinas rocketed to the top thanks to his run of 3.699s at 332.75mph in his Valley Services/Scrappers Racing dragster. He’s seeking his fourth No. 1 spot this season and the 15th in his career and is also after a strong finish to his season. Salinas, who started the weekend sixth in points and 131 points out of first, started the year with a victory in Gainesville and would love a second victory in 2023. He was also the only driver to make a run in the 3.60s on Friday.

Austin Prock went to second with his run of 3.701s at 329.99mph and points leader Leah Pruett is right behind thanks to her run of 3.707s at 331.53mph. She entered the weekend four points ahead of Doug Kalitta.

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Nobody has more wins at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway than defending Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders and her success continued on Friday, securing the No. 1 spot in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro with a 6.595s at 207.66mph during opening session. Her second qualifying run on Friday was disallowed due to a technical violation.

She’s looking for her 10th career win in Las Vegas and enjoyed a great start, making the only run in the 6.50s. It puts the points leader on track for her sixth No. 1 spot this season and 35th her career. Entering the weekend with an 85-point lead over Greg Anderson, Enders hopes to build on that this weekend at her most successful track.

“[Even with] how well we’ve done here in the past and the success that we’ve had here in Las Vegas, we sucked so bad earlier this year that we couldn’t even win here in the spring,” Enders said. “It’s been an uphill battle, but with the way the Countdown is structured, we finally got ourselves out of the ditch that we were in – and just in the nick of time. We never doubted it, we just had to identify our problem and work through it. That’s something my guys are great at; when their backs are against the wall, they perform flawlessly and they never give up. They’re very tenacious, so I’m proud of them. Having the provisional No. 1 here is very meaningful.

“We tested and I’ve said this before, you win races before you leave the shop. You’re as prepared as possible, and we want to come out here and get every single point we can. Having said that, I know all the other competitors feel the same way, but good start, I’ll take it. The six points are very meaningful.”

Kyle Koretsky’s 6.603s at 206.07mph put him in the second spot and Matt Hartford took third after his run of 6.608s at 206.26mph.

On a weekend where he has a chance to clinch his first NHRA world championship, Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera got off to a flying start on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki, shattering the track record with a run of 6.760s at 199.82mph. The points leader entered the weekend with a 156-point lead over teammate Eddie Krawiec and he opened the event by making the quickest run in each of the first two sessions. It puts Herrera on track for his 13th No. 1 qualifier – a race after he set the class record for No. 1 qualifiers in a single season – and plenty of momentum heading into the rest of the weekend.

“For the whole Vance & Hines Mission Suzuki team, we were very happy with that,” said Herrera. “With the cooler conditions in Q2, we were expecting a 6.77s, but that pass was so smooth and straight as an arrow that it felt slow. I knew it was on a good pass, but I didn’t expect it to go 6.76s and get the new track record. That’s a big deal to me and the whole team.

“I’m going into this race knowing in the back of my head that I can possibly lock it up this weekend, but it depends on how Ed does, and the rest of the guys as well. Everything I’ve accomplished this year has really been starting to set in, going to the last two races here and Pomona, just sitting back and thinking about everything, it’s hard to believe what’s been accomplished and what we continue to accomplish.”

Krawiec is currently second 6.830s at 198.85mph and defending world champion Matt Smith is a spot behind after going 6.842s at 196.53mph.

Qualifying continues at 12:00 p.m. PT on Saturday at the NHRA Nevada Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.