Gaige Herrera – Page 4 – Syndication Server

Hight wins Funny Car Callout and qualifies No. 1 at NHRA US Nationals

Robert Hight claimed his first Funny Car specialty win at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Sunday, defeating Matt Hagan in the final round of the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout at the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. …

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also claimed No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

In the final round of the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout, Hight went 3.955s at 321.58mph in his Cornwell Tools/AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS to slip past Hagan’s 3.979s and win the $80,000 shootout at The Big Go. The multi-time world champ had fallen short in four previous specialty event final rounds at Indy, but came through in a big way on Sunday, knocking off points leader Ron Capps and Cruz Pedregon to set up the marquee matchup with Hagan.

“It’s amazing to get this,” Hight said. “Hagan really stepped up in the final round. We made the right decisions today, went out and did the job today. There’s been a lot of double-ups at this race and I’d like to add my name to it. You’ve got to win on Sunday first to even have a chance, but we’re looking forward to Monday. We’re definitely coming around and coming together at the right time.”

Hagan reached the final round in his Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat with wins against Tim Wilkerson and John Force. Hight will also try to make it a clean sweep of the weekend on Monday and starts race day from the No. 1 qualifier for the fourth time in 2023 thanks to Saturday’s run of 3.853s at 329.67mph. He’ll open race day against Paul Lee on Sunday.

Torrence’s standout Top Fuel run of 3.708s at 329.42mph from Friday in his Capco Contractors dragster on Friday held up, giving the four-time world champ his first career No. 1 qualifier at The Big Go. He put together a series of standout runs this weekend, qualifying No. 1 for the second time this season and 36th time in his career and giving him plenty of confidence going into race day. He’ll face off with Will Smith in the first round of eliminations, trying to win the world’s biggest drag race for the second time in three years.

“We’ve had a pretty consistent race car,” Torrence said. “We utilized the track conditions today to prepare for tomorrow and I feel really confident that the two runs we made today – even though we didn’t make it down the track – what we learned today will be useful for tomorrow. I enjoy coming here and we’ll see what we can do tomorrow. Being No. 1 at Indy for the first time is really special to me and now we’ll see if we can go win this thing [on Monday].”

Defending world champion Brittany Force stayed second with her 3.709s at 333.25mph and Doug Kalitta qualified third with a run of 3.717s at 328.54mph.

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Matt Hartford can now claim his first No. 1 qualifier at the world’s biggest drag race in Pro Stock, securing the top spot thanks to Friday’s run of 6.569s at 209.23mph in his Total Seal/GETTRX Camaro. That hands him his fourth No. 1 position this season, but none have been bigger than this weekend. Hartford, who is currently second in points, had never qualified No. 1 before this season, but has impressed in that area this year. He also closed out eliminations with a stellar 6.601s, adding to his momentum going into eliminations. He faces Mason McGaha in the opening round, looking to add a first Indy victory to his first Indy No. 1 qualifier this weekend.

“To come to Indy and qualify No. 1 is a dream come true, plain and simple,” Hartford said. “That 6.601s in those conditions, that’s more impressive to me than the 6.56s we ran on Friday night. I need to get focused tonight, I’m going to have to do something to clear my head before I go to bed because getting up tomorrow it’s a brand new day.

“It doesn’t matter what you did on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, what matters is what you do on Monday. It’s going to be four grueling rounds tomorrow. We’re going to be in conditions similar to this, and we have a great race day tuneup. We’re going to go up there with some strategy tomorrow and if I just do my job in the car, my crew is going to do theirs. All I have to do is my job and this car is going to go four rounds.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. stayed second with his run of 6.570s at 208.30mph and Aaron Stanfield, who won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday, took third after going 6.586s at 208.39mph.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera wrapped up his eighth No. 1 spot in nine races in 2023 on the strength of his track record run of 6.746s at 198.96mph from Friday on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. He made another strong run to close out qualifying on Sunday, setting Herrera up nicely for race day, where he’ll open up eliminations against Cory Reed. Herrera made his Pro Stock Motorcycle debut last season at The Big Go and, a year later, the points leader now has a chance to wrap up a dominant regular season with his first Indy win.

“Running the [6.74s] off the trailer, that was a big accomplishment for the whole team,” Herrera said. “They worked pretty hard the last couple of weeks from Sonoma to here. All weekend, I’ve had a very consistent motorcycle and today Andrew (Hines, crew chief) decided to play with tires a little bit. We were in full test mode today, and we’re definitely ready for Monday.

“It would almost top the Western Swing to win Indy. That was a very big accomplishment for me and the whole team, but if I’m able to clinch here at Indy, this is the big race everyone talks about. It would definitely be amazing to win here.”

Herrera’s teammate, Eddie Krawiec, qualified second with his 6.800s at 198.79mph and Hector Arana Jr. took the third spot after going 6.828s at 199.11mph.

Eliminations for the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals begin at 10 a.m. ET on Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

John Force powers to Mission 2Fast2Tasty win at NHRA US Nationals

Funny Car legend John Force claimed his first win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, defeating back-to-back world champ Ron Capps in the final round on Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as part of this weekend’s 69th annual …

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the world’s biggest drag race in Indy.

Force went 3.989s at 328.78mph in his PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat Capps, picking up the victory in the bonus race for the first time in 2023. Force knocked off teammate Robert Hight earlier in the day before getting past his longtime rival in the finals, adding another chapter to his rich Indy legacy.

“I want to win the Mission deal, but it was an opportunity that I got away with it,” Force said. “You just do what you do and attack it. I’m not saying what I do is right, it’s just what I do. Some days, the good Lord lets me get away with it, and I did today. It was good to come in here to Indy and be able to do your job at my age. I ain’t great, but I’m good enough to be here, and I’m going to get better. I have a lot of work to do, but I’m no spring chicken. I’ve won Indy five times, but it was a good feeling to do this.”

Capps was the season winner in the Funny Car Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, accumulating 14 playoff points in the process.

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley finished off his season-long success in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge with his unprecedented sixth victory in the bonus race thanks to a stellar run of 3.714s at 334.73mph in his Phillips Connect/Toyota Dragster. That gave him the win over Antron Brown in the final round, as well as the season-long title in the specialty race. Ashley was incredible in the Saturday event from start to finish and his reward – along with a number of bonus payouts – is 21 playoff points when the Countdown to the Championship begins.

“These Mission #2Fast2Tasty points really add up, especially because of when they come into play which is after the points reset,” Ashley said. “It was critical for our team to take advantage of every opportunity we had during this challenge. I feel like we did a great job with that, and it’s just a testament to the great team that we have.

“Overall, when you look at the challenge, it’s really unique, something we’ve never done as a sport. I think it’s good for the fans, good for the teams, and good for the drivers. It’s really a win-win all around. It’s just been so much fun. It’s been an absolute blast.”

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Stanfield turned in an impressive performance in the final round of the specialty race in Pro Stock, knocking off Kyle Koretsky with a run of 6.630s at 207.56mph in his Janac Brothers Chevrolet Camaro. Not only does it give Stanfield his second win this season in the bonus race, but the rising star was also overall Pro Stock season winner in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge over Dallas Glenn.

It was a thrilling moment for Stanfield, who looks to have a huge impact in the Countdown to the Championship. Saturday’s win provided plenty of momentum and Stanfield, who earned eight playoff points for the Countdown, hopes to carry it over to the rest of the weekend.

“It’s pretty cool and to be honest with you I didn’t even know I had a shot to win this,” Stanfield said. “Sometimes that’s the best way to go into something like that. I have to thank Mr. Gonzalez and Mission Foods for putting on a program for us to add a little bit of more competitive juices throughout qualifying and the race. My guys gave me a really good hot rod today, and I drove good enough to get it done. It’s always good to do it at Indy.”

Gaige Herrera cemented his dominance in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, winning for the fourth time in six Pro Stock Motorcycle races by defeating Eddie Krawiec in the finals on Saturday with a run of 6.759s at 199.11mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Much like he has been all year, Herrera was incredible on Saturday in the bonus event, posting a pair of strong runs.

It gave him 13 additional playoff points in the Countdown to the Championship, another tremendous achievement in his standout 2023 campaign.

“It’s been very exciting,” Herrera said. “Mission is a very big sponsor for us, so to be able to represent for them is big. Not only that, but to have both bikes in the final, it was awesome for the whole team and for Mission and our Vance & Hines Suzukis. I’m very ecstatic to get this overall win, I got four out of six of them, and this whole season has been incredible. It’s hard to put into words because I feel like it’s still not real.”

Qualifying continues on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. ET at the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Torrence seeking two for three after Friday No. 1 at NHRA US Nationals

Four-time Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence made the quickest run on Friday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, racing to the Top Fuel provisional No. 1 position at the 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals. Bob Tasca III (Funny …

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Torrence went 3.708s at 329.42mph in his Capco Contractors dragster, going to the top spot on the final run of the night. If that holds, Torrence would earn his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and 36th in his career. He is aiming for his second win in three years at the world’s biggest drag race and third overall at The Big Go.

“This is a huge confidence builder,” Torrence said. “You have to come to Indy and be ready to endure it, and today is the longest day. Everybody likes to see these things at night and fire coming out of them. It’s just exciting and it adds a different element to it. We all say we’re riding on fire-breathing dragons, but until the nighttime, you don’t get to see it.

“It gives us an opportunity to work on the tune-up, work on the race day setup, and adjust from there. When you go out on Q1 and make a good run, you’re comfortable. It gives us that luxury. And it is The Big Go. You want to be the quickest every time. You want to win the race, but there is some prestige to being No. 1, even if it is for the day.”

Defending world champion Brittany Force is currently second after going 3.709s at 333.25mph and Doug Kalitta took the third spot on Friday with a run of 3.717s at 328.54mph.

Tasca’s strong summer in Funny Car continued on Friday, powering to the top in the loaded category with a run of 3.864s at 324.90mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. If that holds, Tasca would earn his fifth No. 1 qualifier in what has been a strong season for the veteran. Currently fourth in points, Tasca has a chance to move into third with a strong weekend that will also include a spot in Sunday’s Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout.

“I give all the credit to the guys. We worked really hard on Monday at Brainerd testing some things we felt we needed to make a change, and you saw some of that tonight,” Tasca said. “It felt so good, it sounded good, it was smooth, and I came back to the guys and I said, ‘When you pull it up on the computer, you’re going to smile.’

“Sometimes you get all of it and it’s sketchy, but I felt it like it was planted all the way down the racetrack. Tomorrow is a new ballgame. I think you’re going to have to step up to hold onto it, but the good news is that we’ve got a package that we can definitely step up for tomorrow night.

Robert Hight is currently second with a 3.886s at 327.43mph and Alexis DeJoria’s 3.888s at 331.77mph puts her third.

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Looking to regain momentum heading into the Countdown to the Championship, Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford made a strong first impression on Friday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with a run of 6.569s at 209.23mph in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro. It puts Hartford in line for his fourth No. 1 qualifier this season as the veteran bids to win for the first time at the U.S. Nationals.

“It’s running pretty good right now,” Hartford said. “I’ve struggled the last few races driving, but we’re going to make up for it at Indy. It’s up to me to drive well because we know we’ve got power.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. is currently second with a run of 6.570s at 208.30mph and Aaron Stanfield currently has the third spot after going 6.586s at 208.39mph.

Back in action for the first time in a month, Pro Stock Motorcycle continued to belong to Gaige Herrera, as the points leader blistered the track record on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with an impressive run of 6.746s at 198.96mph. The last time the class was in action, Herrera was sweeping the Western Swing and he didn’t let up on Friday. If that run holds, Herrera would pick up his eighth No. 1 qualifier in nine races, an incredible success rate in what has been a dominant season. The points leader knows the magnitude of The Big Go and an Indy win would add another spectacular moment in his 2023 campaign.

“I was definitely anxious to get back on the motorcycle, especially after three weeks in a row on the Western Swing and then basically having a month off,” Herrera said. “That 6.74s was a perfect run for us, for the team. The guys at the shop have put in countless hours, and that pass right there showed it.

“But I have all the confidence in the world, and I’m very comfortable on the bike and with the whole team. Everything has been going smooth as can be. We’re here at Indy, this is where I made my debut last year, so it’s kind of got a special feeling to me. It’s been good. It’s Indy, it’s Friday, and there’s a long weekend ahead.”

Herrera’s teammate, Eddie Krawiec, is currently second with a 6.807s at 198.79mph and Hector Arana Jr. is third after going 6.873s at 198.76mph.

Qualifying continues at 2:15 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Herrera secures first NHRA Western Swing sweep since 2009

Points leader Gaige Herrera became the first rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle history – and the first NHRA competitor since 2009 – to sweep the three-race NHRA Western Swing, racing to the victory on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway at the 35th annual Denso …

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel) and J.R. Todd (Funny Car) also won the 12th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

In the final round, Herrera put together a run of 6.775s at 198.12mph on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki to defeat defending world champion Matt Smith, who broke on the starting line. Herrera, who was also the No. 1 qualifier, collected his sixth win in what has been a dominant 2023 campaign, rolling to consecutive wins in Denver, Seattle and then Sonoma on Sunday.

He reached the finals with wins against Ryan Oehler, Marc Ingwersen and Karen Stoffer, putting together an incredible three-race stretch in the first season Pro Stock Motorcycle ran the full Western Swing. Herrera also notched a Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge win and a victory in the Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout over the past three weeks, becoming just the eighth different competitor in NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series history to sweep the Western Swing.

“I can’t even put this into words,” Herrera said. “To be able to do this and accomplish what we have over the past three weeks, it’s incredible. The Denver win got us the momentum and the drive to keep pushing forward to get the sweep, and to do it, I never thought I would add my name to that part of history.

“I try to focus on the big picture, but as soon as go on the starting line, I’m focused on what I need to do. The class is tough, but I’ve got one bad machine right now. The team has my back and I was able to do my job today. I’m not a big person to show emotion, but when that win light came on, I was screaming and yelling in my helmet, and all that. To do what all of this, I’m out of words. I don’t talk much as it is, but this is just an incredible feeling.”

Smith advanced to the finals for the second time this season and 73rd time in his career with victories against Lance Bonham, Steve Johnson and Eddie Krawiec.

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley moved back into the points lead with his fifth victory of the season, slipping past Antron Brown in the finals with a run of 3.778s at 328.78mph in his Phillips Connect/Toyota dragster. It gives the young standout his first career victory at Sonoma Raceway and the 10th win in his career, ending the Western Swing on a positive note.

He reached the finals with round wins against Doug Kalitta, No. 1 qualifier Austin Prock and Josh Hart, defeating Brown by just 0.001s in the championship round in what was a thrilling side-by-side run. The victory gives Ashley a 32-point lead over Steve Torrence heading into the final three races of the regular season.

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“It was tough out there,” said Ashley, who also earned his 100th career round win in the semifinals. “The competition is so tough right now in Top Fuel and it feels like four final rounds every time you get up there. The margin of error is so small and it takes a real team effort to get a win like this. I was happy to win such a close race against Antron and that’s the way to close out a weekend like this at Sonoma Raceway.

“We just had a great car on race day. This team just doesn’t flinch and they’ve got such a good handle on the car. We’re just focused on what we need to do each and every time and that speaks volumes with the culture and leadership we have. We’ve got a lot of championship-winning people on this team and that makes a big difference.”

Brown reached the final round for the third time in 2023 and the 133rd time in his career, getting past Mike Salinas, defending world champ and defending event winner Brittany Force and Torrence.

Todd put together a weekend to remember in Funny Car, making a clean sweep at Sonoma Raceway with his victory over Chad Green in the final round. The former world champion also broke a 52-race winless streak on Sunday, knocking off Green with a run of 3.972s at 322.81mph in his DHL Toyota GR Supra. Todd, whose last win before Sunday came at the season-opener in Gainesville in 2021, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday and then used that momentum a day later to collect his 20th overall win and his fourth at Sonoma Raceway.

The Kalitta Funny Car started the day with round wins against Blake Alexander, No. 1 qualifier Bob Tasca III and points leader Matt Hagan, finishing the day with a victory against Green. After coming close to a victory on the Western Swing, including a runner-up last weekend in Seattle, Todd was thrilled to close the deal in Sonoma and get Kalitta Motorsports back on the winning track.

“It’s been a long road to get here,” Todd said. “We’re getting a good handle on it and the consistency is coming around. When you’re going down the track like we are, it just gives everyone more confidence. I keep saying Funny Car is the toughest class in the sport and it’s definitely not easy. When you go two-plus years without winning, you don’t know if it’s going to happen again.

“This is my favorite track on the tour. I love coming here and anytime you can win here, it’s special. I caught myself going down the track; I don’t think I’ve had the gas pushed down that hard. I was trying to shove it through the floorboard. I was just wanting those win lights to come on and when that win light comes on in the final, it’s just instant relief. To come back and win a week after a runner-up (in Seattle), it’s just awesome.”

Green advanced to his first career final round on Sunday, knocking off Cruz Pedregon, Paul Lee and back-to-back world champ Ron Capps. Hagan leaves the Western Swing with a 19-point lead over Capps.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action on Aug. 11-13 with the 34th annual Menards NHRA Nationals presented by PetArmor at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kan.

Herrera does a Saturday double at NHRA Sonoma Nationals

Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera continued his dominant season on Saturday at Sonoma Raceway, winning the first-ever NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout as part of this weekend’s 35th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals. In the …

In the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and J.R. Todd (Funny Car) both won the bonus event in Sonoma. Austin Prock (Top Fuel) and Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) each qualified No. 1 at the 12th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

In the final round of the Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout, Herrera went 6.756s at 196.42mph on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki to defeat Angie Smith and collect yet another win in a bonus event in 2023. Adding in his three wins in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, that gives the points leader four specialty race wins. Herrera’s Friday pass of 6.728s at 199.94mph held up to hand him a seventh No. 1 qualifier this season. On Sunday, he’ll also look to become the first rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle history to sweep the three-race NHRA Western Swing.

“It’s been amazing,” Herrera said. “I was out of breath after that. It was a big one and I wanted it really bad. There’s nothing like winning a Wally, but to win this first Callout for the class is pretty cool. It’s awesome for the whole team and I’m so happy right now. The amount of effort this team puts into these bikes is really amazing and it’s all paid off.

“This is special because a win like this takes a lot as a team. You get bragging rights and something like this is good for the sport and the class. We’re in a great position (to sweep the Western Swing). I’ve got all the confidence in the world in my team. I’m very excited and we’ll see what happens.”

Matt Smith qualified second thanks to his 6.729s at 200.23mph from Friday, while Eddie Krawiec’s 6.771s at 199.1mph put him third.

In Top Fuel, Torrence won his second straight Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, following up his impressive Seattle weekend by beating Clay Millican on a holeshot in the finals of the bonus race in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. Torrence went 3.7888s at 326.08mph, using a 0.067s reaction time to best Millican’s run of 3.781mph. Torrence moved back into the points lead with his Seattle sweep and will look to continue that momentum with another double-up event on Sunday in Sonoma.

“Everything is going really well for us right now,” Torrence said. “The car has showed glimmers of hope throughout last year, mainly at the end of the year and now this year. The consistency is finally coming there. To win on a holeshot, that always makes you feel good as a driver. That was the best light I’ve had all weekend. I’ve been pretty late on the tree and I was just amped up.

“When you go up there, it’s not just another round of qualifying, it’s a race win. We’re going to try to finish this Western Swing with a win and keep this momentum going.”

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Prock hung onto his first No. 1 qualifier this year in his Montana Brands/Rocky Mountain Twist Chevrolet dragster thanks to his 3.704s at 331.36mph from Friday. He also put together a strong final run to close out qualifying on Saturday as he looks for his second win this season. Torrence finished second in qualifying with a 3.706s at 329.67mph and Antron Brown’s 3.721s at 329.75mph has him third.

“The No. 1s are very cool,” Prock said. “This is only my second in my career and this is my third season. They’re very hard to come by. When you qualify No. 1, it all goes to the race team. It shows that your crew chiefs and crew out did everybody out there and that’s very special. This was the first No. 1 qualifier for Chris Cunningham and Joe Barlam as a tandem so that was really special. Everybody is really proud of how this team is working and hopefully we can turn this into four round wins tomorrow.”

Todd enjoyed his biggest moment of the 2023 Funny Car season on Saturday, picking up his first win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge with a run of 3.977s at 322.81mph in his DHL Toyota GR Supra. Blake Alexander broke on the starting line, but Todd made a solid pass to claim the victory in the bonus race – his first win of any kind since winning the season-opener at Gainesville in 2021. After racing well thus far on the Western Swing, including a runner-up in Seattle, Todd broke through in a major way on Saturday, also defeating Chad Green in the bonus race. He’ll look for a double-up weekend, which would further the team’s momentum this year.

“Any win is a good win,” Todd said. “I feel let the last two slip away from us in Denver and the final round in Seattle. It’s been a while since we’ve won anything so this is good momentum headed into race day and hopefully we can finish it off tomorrow. I feel like we’ve been building momentum since [Norwalk] with our DHL Toyota GR Supra.

“We’ve definitely been knocking on the door of a win. It just goes to show how hard it is to win in Funny Car right now. Just when you think you’ve got it where you need it and it’s going to be your day, somebody like Tim Wilkerson (Seattle winner) jumps up and snatches it from you. So, hopefully we can ride this wave of momentum into the final again at one of my favorite tracks. It would be really special.”

Tasca drove to his fourth No. 1 qualifier this season during the final session thanks to run of 3.938s at 324.05mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang, making a huge move after struggling during the first three sessions. He wasn’t able to make a run under the lights on Friday, but more than made up for to close out qualifying as he looks to defend his Sonoma victory on Sunday. Alexis DeJoria finished second in qualifying with a 3.942s at 326.56mph and Ron Capps’ 3.942s has him third heading into eliminations.

“That was critical data for us,” Tasca said. “Now we know we can push when we need to and we can pull back if we have to. I’m so impressed with what we’ve done and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I love racing here. It’s one of my top five tracks and I always seem to do well here. I’m ready for tomorrow and I know my guys are going to be ready. We can run on a hot and cool track and this team is just going to keep getting better and better.”

Eliminations for the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway.

Torrence finally grabs first NHRA win of 2023 at Pacific Raceways

Four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence moved into the points lead on Sunday at Pacific Raceways with his first win of the 2023 season, powering past Doug Kalitta in the final round of the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals. Tim …

Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the 11th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Torrence earned his 54th career win, going 3.940s at 289.26mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster to knock off Kalitta, denying the veteran his 50th overall victory. It also gave Toyota its 200th overall NHRA win.

Torrence beat Josh Hart, defending world champ Brittany Force and Shawn Langdon to reach the finals, moving four points ahead of Justin Ashley with the win. The victory, which was his first since St. Louis last year in the Countdown to the Championship, wrapped a thrilling double-up weekend for the multi-time world champ after Torrence also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday in Seattle.

“You know, it’s a great feeling and kind of a monkey off your back and a huge sense of accomplishment,” Torrence said. “The performance today, two rounds were stellar and two rounds weren’t that stellar. It’s difficult when things are not absolutely great to be as confident as you need to be to drive these things successfully. This is a great place to win and at the right time because we’re getting some momentum.

“I was pretty calm going into the finals. But it’s a good time to peak, it’s a good time to start getting ready for the Countdown. Consistency is always going to win, but for the most part, we have not felt like we’ve been good. But our confidence is back and we’re definitely moving in the right direction and now we just need to continue to move forward.”

Kalitta reached the finals for the second time in 2023 and 109th time overall, getting past Ron Smith and Clay Millican earlier in the day.

In Funny Car, consistency paved the way for Tim Wilkerson, putting together three straight 4.00s runs on Sunday and going 4.007s at 321.96mph in his SCAG Power Equipment/Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang in the championship round to defeat J.R. Todd. It is the veteran’s second victory this season and his 24th career victory, as well as his fourth overall win at Pacific Raceways. To reach the final round, Wilkerson had to knock off points leader Matt Hagan, back-to-back world champ Ron Capps and Blake Alexander, going 4.007s in consecutive rounds to close out his day.

It bumped Wilkerson to sixth in points, adding another standout performance in Seattle to his career accomplishments.

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“I accidentally went a little deep on J.R. in the final there or the thing probably would have run a (3).96s,” Wilkerson. “But I’m very, very proud of my guys today. They were flawless It’s a hot day, man. We worked hard and had the same motor in the car all the way until the finals, and I’m pretty proud of that. We really had a great day.

“I’ve had a couple of couple of rough three races here. You know, just hang in there. We’ve got that 24-hour rule: 24 hours after we win, lose or draw? Start over, because you can’t dwell on that stuff. It’ll drive you crazy. We have a chance to win every weekend, in my opinion. It’s just whether I mess it up or not.”

Todd advanced to the finals in Seattle for the second straight year, defeating Alex Laughlin, Cruz Pedregon and Chad Green. It’s also Todd’s second runner-up this year and his 43rd career final. Hagan stays in the points lead, taking a 17-point advantage over Capps into Sonoma.

The first-ever weekend in Seattle for Pro Stock Motorcycle simply meant another dominating weekend for points leader Gaige Herrera, as he wrapped up a flawless weekend at Pacific Raceways with a winning run of 6.764s at 198.99mph on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods to defeat teammate Eddie Krawiec. It gives the phenom his fifth win in seven races in the category this year, as well as a second perfect weekend after Herrera qualified No. 1 and also picked up the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory.

On Sunday, he reached the final round with round wins against Lance Bonham and Hector Arana Jr., going as quick as 6.729s at 197.36mph. After winning in Denver, Herrera now has the chance to sweep the Western Swing, a feat that has never been accomplished in Pro Stock Motorcycle and hasn’t happened for any competitor since 2009. Herrera is excited about that opportunity and was also thrilled to perform at an impressive level in his first appearance at Pacific Raceways.

“It means a lot to be the first winner and I’m glad we were able to put on a show for them,” Herrera said. “The track was smooth and one of the best tracks I’ve been on, and Andrew (Hines, crew chief) and the guys had our bike running great. That was probably one of my toughest finals, having to race the boss and one of the guys that has helped me so much. Overall, though, it was awesome racing him and it was just business as usual and I’m happy to be on top.

“I’ve had an awesome two races and I hope to do well in Sonoma. It obviously would be amazing to sweep (the Western Swing), so I’m definitely excited. Plus, we’ve got the (Pro Stock Motorcycle) All-Star Callout, so it’s going to be a busy, busy weekend. The whole field is tightening up and Sonoma is always a fast track, so it’s going to be very competitive.”

Krawiec, who was denied his 50th career victory, advanced to the final round for the 82nd time overall and first time in 2023 with wins against Ryan Oehler, rookie Chase Van Sant and defending world champion Matt Smith.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series closes out the famed three-race Western Swing with the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals on July 28-30 at Sonoma Raceway.

Force runs to 166th No. 1 at NHRA Northwest Nationals

Defending Funny Car world champion Ron Capps rolled to his third win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge bonus race on Saturday, defeating J.R. Todd in the final round at Pacific Raceways as part of the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest …

In the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Steve Torrence (Top Fuel) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the bonus event in Seattle. Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), John Force (Funny Car) and Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) each qualified No. 1 at the 11th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Capps went 3.951s at 322.65mph in his NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra to slip past Todd’s run of 3.967s at 323.81mph, giving the back-to-back world champ his third specialty event win in the past four races. He will attempt to pick up his first double-up weekend of the year on Sunday in Seattle, where Capps has two career event wins.

“This deal has really changed the way you wake up Saturday morning,” Capps said. “There’s a lot going on inside your head up there. You’re trying to win this and you’re still trying to improve your qualifying spot, too, but this deal is really cool. We’re very excited to get another win in this and it also gives us a lot of good data for tomorrow.

“I want to just say it over and over: Thank you to Mission Foods for putting this on. They really created something cool. We all saw the points is the thing that stood out for most; it’s great money, we appreciate that, too. But as you know, we won the world championship last year by less than a handful of points.”

Funny Car legend John Force put on an impressive show to close out qualifying, jumping to the No. 1 spot for the first time this season with a run of 3.915s at 327.35mph in his PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS. It’s also the 166th career No. 1 qualifier for the 16-time world champ as he looks to win at Pacific Raceways for an incredible 10th time. Bob Tasca III took second with a 3.949s at 322.81mph and Capps qualified third.

“When you’re out here, and you got four teams and so many people represent, it’s hard to make everybody happy,” Force said. “We have a race to win tomorrow, our cars are good, some are a little bit off, some are hot. I didn’t think we’d be that fast. But like Danny (Hood, crew chief) said: ‘Hang on.’ So when he does that, I know he’s pushing it. So I’m excited and I love Seattle.

“It’s funny, the days beat you up and you feel like everything’s going wrong, and then all of a sudden you run like that, you get young again.”

Four-time Top Fuel world champ Torrence made the most of his Saturday, picking up his first victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge by knocking off Shawn Langdon in the final round with a run of 3.788s at 325.61mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. It’s the first win of any kind this season for Torrence, who was second in points entering the weekend. That shows the team’s consistency this season, but Torrence has been eager to get back in the winner’s circle. He did that on Saturday, knocking off Doug Kalitta and then Langdon to win the bonus race and enjoy plenty of momentum heading into Sunday’s eliminations.

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“We had a really good race car in Denver and we should have won (in the semifinals against Kalitta),” Torrence said. “It definitely gives me a boost of confidence in my race car. I went to the Western Swing with a completely different mindset. To win that gives us a lot of confidence going into race day tomorrow. It’s the first win we’ve had in a while and I think that’s finally coming around the way that we want to. The win light came on in our side and we won the race. I trusted my guys and my race. We didn’t win four world championships by not trusting in them.”

Salinas enjoyed an impressive Saturday in the class, too, picking up his second No. 1 qualifier this season and 13th in his career with a run of 3.743s at 329.02mph in his Valley Services/Scrappers Racing dragster. He followed it up with another strong run of 3.77s to close out the day, putting him in prime position to pick up his first win at Pacific Raceways and second victory this season. Doug Kalitta qualified second with a 3.753s at 327.66mph, and points leader Justin Ashley jumped to third in the final session after going 3.760s at 325.45mph.

“We tested a lot. We just didn’t share it with anybody,” Salinas said. “We just fell on our face and tried all kinds of different things. All the stuff we did learn, we’re just applying it now, and the car seems to be responding exactly the way we want it to. Our 60-foots were amazing for the heat. I think we’re in a good place.

“We tried to run a little bit better in Q3, but I think it mowed through the clutch a little bit. We were trying to actually run the same run a little bit hotter, because that’s what it’s going to be tomorrow.”

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, the day belonged to Herrera, as the current points leader won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge and qualified No. 1 in the category’s first appearance at Pacific Raceways. He knocked off Angie Smith in the finals of the bonus race on Saturday, going 6.794s at 197.42mph on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki. It’s the third victory in the challenge for Herrera, who knocked off Chase Van Sant earlier in the day. He was eager to put on a strong performance in his debut in Seattle and Herrera certainly did that, giving him a chance to double up for the second time this season.

“I feel like we’re kind of back in the groove we had before Bristol, so to be able to come out here and get a third Mission win, it’s awesome,” Herrera said. “And to be No. 1 qualifier, it’s just an awesome start to the weekend. All the credit goes to the whole team. They really know their stuff. They’ve been doing this for many years and that gives me all the confidence in the world as a rider. The big thing for me on Sunday is to be consistent on the bike, but I feel very confident we can have a good day.”

Herrera’s 6.767s at 198.09mph from Friday gave the points leader his sixth No. 1 qualifier of 2023. His teammate, Eddie Krawiec, is second with a 6.776s at 198.82mph and Smith took third, going 6.787s at 200.29mph. It was the first 200-mph pass at Seattle for the Pro Stock Motorcycle category.

Eliminations for the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday at Pacific Raceways.

Kalitta hunts for 50th NHRA win with provisional No. 1 in Seattle

Searching for his 50th career victory, Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway. Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro …

Searching for his 50th career victory, Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway.

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 11th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Kalitta put together a run of 3.753s at 327.66mph in his Mac Tools dragster, putting him in line for his second top spot this season and 53rd in his career. The 49-time event winner will try to pick up his second win in Seattle as part of the second race in the NHRA’s three-race Western Swing and things appear on the upswing, with Kalitta advancing to the final round last weekend in Denver.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished to get to 49 wins and we’d love to get to 50, but you try not to make too big a deal out of it,” said Kalitta, who last won in 2020. “But it’s certainly getting to that point with it being (nearly) three years. We’ll just keep digging and hopefully all the stars align, and we get another win. It’s a humbling sport for sure and you’ve just got to take the good with the bad and take advantage of the opportunities.”

Clay Millican, who knocked off Kalitta in the final round in Denver, is currently second after going 3.779s at 322.88mph and Shawn Langdon is third with a run of 3.786s at 321.27mph. Points leader Justin Ashley is right behind with a pass of 3.801s at 319.45mph.

In Funny Car, Tasca is after his second straight No. 1 qualifier in Seattle and fifth this season after his run of 3.964s at 320.13mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. Tasca is still seeking his first career victory in Seattle, but even with new crew chiefs, he performed at a high level during qualifying. Currently sixth in points, Tasca is after his sixth win this season.

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“We did so good here during qualifying last year, and we got snake bit in the (second) round, but what I was really happy about this run is that I always ask the crew chiefs, what is it going to run? And Aaron (Brooks) goes ‘Around 3.96s,’ and you see John Force run (3.98s), you know 0.96 is going to be a great run out there,” Tasca said. “So good way to start.

“Tomorrow, I think you’ll see more of the same in Q2, and then Q3 will be the throw-down run, so I certainly don’t expect this to hold for No. 1 tomorrow night, but I fully expect us to pick up in the last session. So we’ll see what we can do.”

John Force, who has nine career wins in Seattle, is second with a run of 3.982s at 322.42mph and Tim Wilkerson is third after going 3.983s at 320.36mph. Points leader Matt Hagan, who won in Denver, is currently seventh.

In the first appearance for Pro Stock Motorcycle at Pacific Raceways, points leader Herrera made a great first impression, going to the top spot with a run of 6.767s at 198.09mph Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki. Coming off his impressive victory in Denver, Herrera kept rolling in his debut in Seattle as he looks to pick up his sixth No. 1 qualifier of the year. By making the first appearance in Seattle, there’s a chance for the first official sweep of the Western Swing and Herrera can be the one to do it after winning in Denver.

“For us to come out with the win (in Denver), we were definitely in awe,” said Herrera, who scored his fourth win of the season there. ‘I’m glad to be back as the provisional No. 1 and hopefully we’re going to hold on to them tomorrow.

“The run did not feel good at all. When I left a line it went left, and then I had to correct it. It felt like in third gear it kind of went left again, so I corrected again. It gives me confidence that we can go even quicker tomorrow.”

Herrera’s teammate, Eddie Krawiec, is second with a 6.776s at 198.82mph. He is also seeking his 50th career win. Steve Johnson is third after going 6.809s at 195.45mph.

Qualifying continues at 1:45 p.m. PT on Saturday at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

Millican claims second win of 2023 at Bandimere’s NHRA swan song

Clay Millican picked up his second event win of 2023 at the final NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series race at Bandimere Speedway, defeating Doug Kalitta in the final round on Sunday in front of a sellout crowd at the 43rd Dodge Power Brokers NHRA …

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the 10th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. It was also the third straight sellout crowd to close out racing at Bandimere Speedway.

Millican held off Kalitta in the final round in his 11,000-horsepower Parts Plus/Rick Ware Racing dragster with a run of 3.872s at 299.60mph in the final round. Sunday was only the second time Millican advanced out of the first round this season, but the veteran has won both races when he’s done so, picking up his first win earlier this season in Chicago. He replicated that in Denver in front of a massive crowd during eliminations, starting the Western Swing off with his first career victory at Bandimere Speedway.

He got past Tony Schumacher, Mike Salinas and Shawn Langdon to reach the final round, scoring his fifth career victory and one that will stand with him for a long time. He also moved to 10th in points.

“When you race Doug Kalitta, you can’t leave anything on the table,” Millican said. “Man oh man, what this group has done. We had not won a single round until Chicago. What do we do? We win the race. So when we won first round here, I’m like, ‘We’re winning the race.’

“It’s pretty amazing what (crew chief Jim Oberhofer) has done. When he gets it, he just does it over and over and over. I just can’t believe how good this was. It was exactly like Chicago – the only way for me to lose this race was for me to do something wrong. Thank the man upstairs, I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just incredible what happens when the first-round win light comes on. You hold a Wally.”

Kalitta, who was seeking his 50th career win, reached his first final round of the year thanks to round wins against Terry Totten, Josh Hart and Steve Torrence. Justin Ashley stayed in the points lead with a 54-point advantage over Torrence.

In Funny Car, after winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge specialty race on Saturday, Hagan made it a memorable clean sweep on Thunder Mountain, going 4.135s at 304.25mph in his 11,000-horsepower Dodge Direct Connections Charger SRT Hellcat to defeat Alexis DeJoria. It is Hagan’s fourth victory this season and 47th in his career, as well as his second career win at Bandimere Speedway.

Hagan knocked off Chris King and defending world champ Ron Capps to reach the final round, getting past DeJoria – which was the same string of opponents he beat in Denver in 2021 – to finish off a truly incredible weekend for the points leader. At his sponsor’s race, Hagan picked up his 50th No. 1 qualifier, won the specialty race on Saturday and made the final winning run down Thunder Mountain on Sunday.

“I guess I need to go buy a lottery ticket honestly, it’s one of those weekends that’s just magical,” said Hagan, whose points lead grew to 45 over Capps. “I’ve been up here close to 15 years racing a fuel Funny Car, and to think that you’re not going to come back here – and then walk away with the Wally and the extra special trophy from the Bandimere family, to have the #2Fast2Tasty check, my 50th No. 1 qualifier. Just so many milestones and things to remember.

“It’s amazing and such an emotional weekend. Just being here and seeing all these fans every time we make a run, it’s something I’ll never forget. It’s just a super special weekend and just incredible. I’m very, very blessed to be here.”

DeJoria reached her third final in 2023 and 15th in her career by defeating Chad Green, Cruz Pedregon and J.R. Todd.

Like Hagan, Coughlin also swept the final weekend in Pro Stock at Bandimere Speedway, thrilling the capacity crowd on Sunday and defeating points leader Dallas Glenn in the final round with a pass of 6.933s at 196.64mph in his JEGS.com Chevrolet Camaro. Coughlin won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday, following it up with a dynamic performance in eliminations, defeating Aaron Stanfield, Greg Anderson and reigning world champ Erica Enders to reach the finals.

He posted an impressive 0.015s reaction time against Glenn, slipping past him for his second win this season and fourth in Coughlin’s career.

“What an exciting day to come out here and get a win,” Coughlin said. “You just take it one run at a time. We’ve got the best people in the industry at Elite Motorsports. They all work together and we have excellent power. I just had to stay focused. This is one of my favorite facilities and it’s an absolute honor just to be here.

“The fun part of NHRA championship drag racing is the excitement level like that final, that’s what packs the stands and makes you come back. You hope for situations like that and you practice all the time and it’s an obsession, you love it and you can’t stop.”

Glenn reached his sixth final round this year by driving past Chris McGaha, Kyle Koretsky and Camrie Caruso. His points lead stands at 202 over Matt Hartford.

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Herrera returned to form on Sunday in Pro Stock Motorcycle, picking up his fourth win of the year on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki with a run of 7.103s at 187.73mph to beat Angie Smith in the championship round. After struggling on Friday, Herrera performed at a high level the rest of the weekend, beating Chris Bostick, defending world champ Matt Smith and rookie Chase Van Sant to reach the final round. Angie Smith went red in the finals, but Herrera would have been difficult to beat with his second straight run of 7.10s on Sunday.

After a dominant start to the season, the points leader struggled – at least by his standards – in back-to-back races. But Herrera made another strong statement in his first race ever at a packed Bandimere Speedway.

“I’m glad we bounced back here, especially in front of all these fans at Bandimere Speedway,” said Herrera, who now leads Arana Jr. by 219 points. “These fans are incredible and this whole weekend has been amazing. I’m glad I’m able to add my name to the list of people from Vance & Hines who have won here. It was an adjustment for sure, but the bike was running good all weekend. It makes my job a little easier when you have a bike like that.

“To be able to bounce back from (the last two races) here, of all places, it’s an amazing feeling. It’s a shame to see it go but I’m just glad to put my name as part of the last to ever win here in Pro Stock Motorcycle.”

Angie Smith reached the finals for the second time this year and seventh overall by defeating Jianna Evaristo, Eddie Krawiec and No. 1 qualifier Hector Arana Jr.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action July 21-23 with the second race of the famed Western Swing, the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Seattle.

Pruett, Hight, Enders, Herrera take NHRA Thunder Valley No. 1s

Gaige Herrera continued his perfect run in Pro Stock Motorcycle on Saturday at Bristol Dragway, winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge and securing his fourth straight No. 1 qualifier at the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals. In the Mission …

In the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) also won the bonus event in Bristol. Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) all qualified No. 1 at the eighth of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

In the final round of the bonus event, Herrera was quicker on the starting line against Hector Arana Jr., posting a 0.009s reaction time and a run of 6.849s at 194.83mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It’s Herrera’s second Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory this season, with his run of 6.808s at 198.61mph earlier on Saturday giving him the No. 1 qualifier. Herrera hasn’t lost a round in 2023 and will aim for his fourth straight win on Sunday as he opens eliminations against Ron Tornow in what also is Herrera’s Thunder Valley debut.

“It makes me feel better that I went out there and did my job,” Herrera said. “I had to fight the bike a little bit from going towards the wall, and I think that’s why we slowed up a little bit. But that was a good run with Hector. I was glad to get the holeshot and come out on top. Just to be a part of the whole Mission Challenge is very cool.

“It’s been a wonderful journey so far. This whole season has been a dream come true, like I’ve been saying, and to do it like we’ve been doing it is just incredible. I’m just glad to be part of it.”

Arana Jr. qualified second with a 6.839s at 199.02mph and Eddie Krawiec’s 6.855s at 198.03mph put him third.

Stanfield claimed the win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday in his Janac Brothers Chevrolet Camaro, going 6.637s at 206.32mph in his Camaro to defeat points leader Dallas Glenn. Stanfield, the defending event winner in Bristol, claimed his first victory in the specialty race on the strength of two outstanding runs, knocking off Deric Kramer in the opening round with a 6.631s at 206.80mph. The young standout will look to defend his Bristol crown on Sunday and make it a double-win weekend in the process.

“This is really cool. Qualifying is normally about just making a nice clean run, so to add a little competition in there and to turn on the win light and get a little redemption is great,” Stanfield said.

“Drag racing has a lot of highs and lows, and we’ve been struggling a little bit the beginning of the season, but they’ve been working very hard. We’ve turned it around, and I’ve just got a really good hot rod. I had a really good race car pretty much all year last year, and I think we’re getting back to that place.”

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Enders officially earned her first No. 1 of the season, as her run of 6.627s at 205.88mph from Friday in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet held up. It also gives the defending and five-time world champ her 30th career No. 1 qualifier and plenty of momentum as she heads into eliminations. She’ll open eliminations against Mason McGaha, searching for her first win of the season.

“I definitely feel a lot more confident than we have heading into the other Sundays so far this season,” Enders said. “We seem to have a race car back underneath us and that’s truly exciting, we just have to go to work tomorrow, execute the best that we can and try to park the JHG/Melling Performance car in the winner’s circle.

“We’ll see what happens tomorrow, but hopefully it’s a long, successful Sunday here in Bristol. I’m just so, so thrilled that we’re back. It’s just really exciting. No matter what happens, we’ve just worked so incredibly hard, these guys haven’t had a day off in months, and you’re seeing it come to fruition.”

Stanfield qualified in the second spot and Cristian Cuadra’s 6.632s at 206.04mph put him third heading into Sunday.

In Top Fuel, Pruett enjoyed her first No. 1 qualifier of the season for Tony Stewart Racing, as her run of 3.745s at 322.42mph in her 11,000-horsepower Rush Truck Centers dragster from Friday easily stood up on Sunday. It’s also the 14th career No. 1 spot for Pruett, who will open eliminations against Spencer Massey. Pruett has been solid for the bulk of the 2023 season, but she will be looking for her first win of the season and first victory at Bristol Dragway on Sunday.

“This No. 1 is just a testament to the consistency that this team has had all season long. It’s the culmination of our performance that has led up to this,” Pruett said. “There is nothing like racing on Sunday and racing in Thunder Valley. We got the highs and the lows and the emotions of racing in qualifying. You get the echo of the cars here, and hopefully, we echo our performance of qualifying No. 1 and bring that into race day all day. I’m eager. It’s going to be an early morning for all, but the fans will have a good long day of watching cars.”

Brittany Force qualified second with a 3.747s at 334.48mph, and Torrence’s 3.753s at 329.10mph gave him the third slot.

Funny Car’s Robert Hight earned his second No. 1 spot this season and 79th in his career on the strength of his 3.938s at 321.35mph from Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. Hight will take on Alex Laughlin to open eliminations aiming for his second career win at Bristol Dragway.

“My team has a pretty good handle on all the conditions – we’ve raced a lot of different conditions, and we have a lot of data to look at,” Hight said. “We do have a new combination, and we’re trying to get through that, but if we get the cylinder dropping fixed, this thing will have three-second runs all day tomorrow. That’s probably what it’s going to take to win, especially first round.

“Tomorrow is a new day, we’re starting from a good spot, we’re back with Cornwell for tomorrow, and we need to get them their first win.”

Capps took the second spot with his 3.962s at 318.92mph from Friday and Chad Green’s 3.969s at 322.50mph gave him third.

Eliminations for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begin at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday at Bristol Dragway.