Justin Ashley – Syndication Server

Ashley, Hagan, Coughlin Jr., Herrera win NHRA Texas FallNationals

Justin Ashley moved into the Top Fuel points lead on Sunday at Texas Motorplex, holding off Clay Millican in the final round and winning in Dallas for the third time in four years at the 39th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals. Matt Hagan (Funny Car), …

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 18th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and the fourth of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Ashley went 3.773s at 327.99mph in his Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster in the final round, defeating Millican on a holeshot thanks to a brilliant 0.026s reaction time on the starting line. Millican went a quicker 3.762s at 328.40mph but couldn’t track down Ashley at the finish line. It is the fourth win this season and the 15th overall for Ashley, who defeated Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon and Tony Schumacher to reach the final round.

He qualified 12th, only make Friday’s first qualifying pass while observing Yom Kippur. But the team was prepared on Sunday with several standout runs and Ashley now has a 44-point lead over Antron Brown with two races remaining.

“This just speaks volumes of the kind of team we have,” Ashley said. “When I went up to them and told them my plan, the team rallied around me and we rallied together as a group. We’re one team and one family, and for them to understand my principles and having only one lap down the racetrack – I don’t think we had lane choice once today, our backs were against the wall, but Mike (Green, crew chief) and Tommy (DeLago) did an awesome job.

“It’s not over until it’s over, that much is for sure. You just have to keep swinging, and it’s best for us to not even look at the points. If we don’t take care of our business, it’s not going to matter anyway. It’s important to enjoy it, but once we leave here our focus has to immediately shift to Vegas. No matter what, this is far, far from over. We took a major step today, but it’s going to become more and more difficult. Just like it always does, it’s going to come down to Pomona.”

Millican advanced to the finals for the third time this season and the 25th time in his career by taking down defending world champ Doug Kalitta, Shawn Reed and Texan Steve Torrence.

Texas Motorplex continued to bring out the best in defending Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan, who won for the second consecutive year in Dallas for Tony Stewart Racing, defeating Ron Capps with a run of 3.943s at 327.65mph in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat. It is the third victory this season for Hagan and the 52nd in his career as he also moved to third in points, 168 back of leader Austin Prock.

After qualifying second, Hagan took down Bobby Bode, Cruz Pedregon and Daniel Wilkerson to reach the final round, utilizing a better 0.064s reaction time to hold off Capps’ run of 3.934s at 328.28mph. The team had struggled since Hagan last won in May in Chicago, but he was thrilled with how everyone performed in the warm conditions on Sunday, giving the team a much-needed late-season jolt.

“I was really on the chip, and I love Capps to death, but I was ready to cut his head off,” Hagan said. “You’re going in like a gladiator. You get to get on this crazy machine, and you never know what it’s going to do, but this is one of the cool things we get to do, drive something so unpredictable.

“But that’s why we love doing it. To get this win for Jason Johnson and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage, to pull down the win was huge. Life is about the people and the relationships we build along the way, that’s what really matters. We’ve surrounded ourselves with really smart people and I believe in my guys and my crew. Those core group of guys really mattered and I’ve been lucky to keep my core group together for so long.”

Capps advanced to the finals for the fifth time this season and the 152nd in his career by defeating Dave Richards, Blake Alexander and Prock. Prock will still take a commanding lead into Las Vegas, as he will lead Jack Beckman by 147 points heading into the final two races. Beckman, who has racing for drag racing legend John Force, did not compete on Sunday after waking up with vertigo-like symptoms.

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In Pro Stock, Jeg Coughlin Jr. got the better of longtime rival Greg Anderson in the championship round, picking up his first win at Texas Motorplex in more than 20 years after slipping past Anderson with a run of 6.592s at 208.10mph in his Scag Power Equipment car. Coughlin’s last win in Dallas came in 2002, but that all changed with a classic performance on Sunday. It gives Coughlin his fifth victory this season and the 69th in his career.

To get there, he knocked off Cory Reed, David Cuadra and Matt Hartford, but the performance was turned up in the final round against Anderson. It was a pair of five-time world champions, but Coughlin slipped past the veteran at the finish line. He’s fifth in points and was also thrilled to enjoy the first double-up victory for Scag Power Equipment.

“This feels fantastic,” Coughlin said. “For us, the cherry on top was for Justin Ashley and me to get our first double together as Scag teammates. I’m really eager to go celebrate with our team. It should be a big one. This Wally is going back to Mark Ingersoll. It’s quite remarkable what he’s gone through He’s on a good path to recovery, and he’s as strong as an ox for sure. We miss having him out here and look forward to him coming back more.

“Greg has always been the pinnacle since he got behind the wheel of a Pro Stock program. Today he had us outpaced, performance-wise, so we jokingly said we needed to pull a rabbit out of the hat before this final round – and fortunately we did. I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded with some amazing teams, amazing people. I think this weekend is another testament to that. I saw that win light come on, and I couldn’t have been more excited.”

Anderson, who was the No. 1 qualifier, reached the finals for the fourth time this year and the 180th in his career by taking down Fernando Cuadra Jr. and points leader Dallas Glenn. But Glenn did strengthen his points lead by knocking off Stanfield in the second round, taking a 54-point advantage over Stanfield into Las Vegas. Anderson jumped to third with his final-round appearance.

It was another dominant Dallas weekend for Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera, who won for the second year at Texas Motorplex after defeating rival Matt Smith in the final round with a run of 6.816s at 200.56mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. With the win, Herrera picked up his 20th career victory, reaching that milestone quicker than any driver in NHRA history.

Herrera, who was also the No. 1 qualifier as part of a spectacular weekend, now has nine victories in 2024, taking a 62-point lead over Smith into the final two races of the season as he seeks a second straight championship. To reach the final round on Sunday, Herrera got past Chase Van Sant and Jianna Evaristo. Smith left the starting line first but ran into trouble as Herrera cruised to his second straight victory in the Countdown to the Championship.

“Today means a lot,” Herrera said. “I had more luck on my side today than performance, for sure. I was sleeping on one of the lights and Chase went red, and in the final there, Matt would have had me. Luck was definitely on my side, and I’d rather be lucky than good any day. My bike ran well all day with the heat, considering. I made a few little mistakes, but all in all, I’m glad to go home with the win and another cowboy hat.

“This Countdown has been pretty tight. We all know there was some trash talk, so for us to not have the performance advantage and get the win, it means a lot to me. This season, it just means a lot more each round win we get. This year has been a lot more pressure for me as a rider. Each round and win means so much more this time. I’m kind of just showing my real side and not holding it in anymore.”

Smith reached his fifth final round in 2024 and the 80th in his career thanks to round wins against Malcolm Phillips Jr., Marc Ingwersen and Hector Arana Jr.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Oct. 31-Nov. 3 with the 24th annual Ford Performance NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Ashley, Prock, Glenn, Herrera go No. 1 at NHRA Nationals in Reading

Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley clinched his first No. 1 qualifier of the season on Saturday at Maple Grove Raceway, taking the top spot in front of a sellout crowd at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals. Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro …

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 15th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It is the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Ashley’s run of 3.713s at 333.49mph from Friday in his Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster stayed atop the field, giving the former NHRA Rookie of the Year his sixth career No. 1 qualifier and second straight at Maple Grove Raceway. Currently second in points, Ashley also made the quickest run to close out qualifying on Saturday and will open eliminations against Smax Smith, looking for his first career win at his home track.

“For the most part, today’s focus was going to be on getting ready for race day and collecting those bonus points. What we saw today was probably similar conditions to what we’ll see tomorrow,” Ashley said. “I think the team learned a lot, they did a great job to be able to collect a total of five bonus points today was critical for us. Tomorrow is a brand new day. It’s really important to qualify No. 1, but at the same time the competition is just so good right now, anything can happen.

“Those bonus points are very important. It’s not everything, but it does add up. You collect a point here and there and together, they could mean a lot.”

Tony Schumacher qualified second with a 3.733s at 328.70mph and points leader Doug Kalitta finished in the third spot after going 3.733s at 328.70mph.

In Funny Car, points leader Austin Prock continued his incredible qualifying run, securing his 11th No. 1 qualifier in 15 races thanks to Friday’s spectacular pass of 3.849s at 338.43mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. He’s now only two No. 1 qualifiers away from tying John Force and Tony Schumacher for the most No. 1 qualifiers in a single season in the nitro categories in NHRA history. He also added a strong run in front of the capacity crowd to close out qualifying and Prock, who won at Maple Grove Raceway in 2022 in Top Fuel, opens eliminations against Mike Smith, looking for his sixth victory of the season.

“These guys are giving me an outstanding car,” Prock said. “All I can do is screw up qualifying and I’ve been doing an okay job of not doing that. My dad, Thomas, Nate, this whole Cornwell Tools team are pretty incredible this season.

“We just have to do what we’ve been doing all year long. We have to execute exactly how we did all season long, change nothing and see how the cards fall. We’re racing lights out right now and I feel like we’re making the best runs we’re capable of making consistently. If we all do our best, that should be good enough to win.”

Alexis DeJoria qualified second with a 3.867s at 336.40mph, while Prock’s JFR teammate, Jack Beckman, took third after his pass of 3.869s at 330.80mph.

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Pro Stock points leader Dallas Glenn impressed the sellout crowd on Saturday in Reading, making a huge run of 6.530s at 209.43mph in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro, picking up the No. 1 spot for the second time this season and the sixth time in his career. Glenn made the biggest jump of the day, giving him plenty of momentum heading into eliminations, where he’ll open race day against Kenny Delco. After struggling in the Countdown to the Championship last year, Glenn is eager to try and have some early playoff success.

“Yesterday, I didn’t feel like we made that great of runs even though we were near the top and got bonus points. They were decent runs, the engine was running good and everything, but we were struggling in 60-feet. I knew if we figured out that out, we would be good,” Glenn said. “Today, when the track is a little worse and the air is just a touch worse, you go up there and as long as it 60-foots, we should be able to be really close to it. We went up there and made a really nice run.

“I feel like everybody counts all the little points, especially when you reset them with six races to go and you have this mad rush to try to go rounds and get wins. It really matters when you’re in the playoffs. It’s really important here at the end of the season that we do well, so I’m going to try to stay extra focused, try to just kick it up and grab that little bit of extra gear that I feel like we have, focus a little bit harder, and see if we can squeeze a couple wins here in the last six races.”

Defending world champion Erica Enders finished in the second spot with a run of 6.535s at 210.34mph and Greg Anderson took third with a pass of 6.537s at 209.23mph.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Gaige Herrera put on an impressive show to open qualifying on Saturday, delivering a stellar run of 6.743s at 200.20mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki, racing his way to the No. 1 position. It’s the sixth top qualifier of the season for the defending world champ and points leader and the 20th in his career, and Herrera was thrilled with adjustments his team made heading into Saturday. It paid off in a big way as only one of two riders to dip into the 6.70s, positioning Herrera well for eliminations. He’ll start race day against Kelly Clontz, looking to win at Maple Grove Raceway for the first time. It’s also the only track on the PSM circuit where Herrera hasn’t won.

“We were very pleased with that. We’re happy with that going into tomorrow,” Herrera said. “Conditions will be pretty much the same, maybe a little cooler. I’m glad to get No. 1 qualifying spot. We’re trying to get as many points as we can because now it’s going to be a lot tighter.

“Last night we stayed and looked at data for a good bit and came up with a game plan for today and it paid off. We kind of threw the kitchen sink at it, and it worked. That doesn’t always work, so that gave me confidence in the machine. It’s going to be good for racing tomorrow, and hopefully I have a very fast and consistent motorcycle all day.”

Defending event winner Matt Smith finished second, going 6.795s at 200.50mph to close out qualifying, while Richard Gadson’s 6.806s at 198.35mph puts him third.

Eliminations for the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway.

Prock runs career-best speed to go No. 1 on Friday in Reading

Funny Car points leader Austin Prock made the fastest run in his career on Friday at Maple Grove Raceway, powering to the provisional No. 1 spot for John Force Racing at the 39th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals. Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Erica Enders …

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 15th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It is also the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Prock, who has been the No. 1 qualifier 10 times in the first 14 races this season, went 3.849s at 338.43mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS, posting a career-best speed and just missing out on the track record. Prock opens the Countdown to the Championship playoffs in the points lead, looking for his sixth win of the season. He comes in on a good note after winning the U.S. Nationals in Indy and put on a spectacular show on Friday at Maple Grove Raceway.

“That was some classic Reading drag racing right there,” Prock said. “This place is always fast, lot of trees around here, the air is always pretty [good] and they gave us a great racetrack tonight. That was pretty stout to go No. 1 again and run a career-best speed. It definitely got all of it. I’m really proud of this team, and it was a heck of a way to start the playoffs today.

“I knew it left hard, and just past the Christmas tree I felt the tire just a hair and it cleared up. I probably got about 200 feet out and I started feeling it trying to make that move inside and I had quite a bit of wheel turning left all the way down the [track]. When I tossed the laundry, my brother (Thomas) got on the radio, they were going nuts and that was really special. It was great to hear and the team is really proud of that today.”

Alexis DeJoria enjoyed a strong pair of qualifying sessions, qualifying second with a 3.867s at 336.40mph, while Prock’s JFR teammate, Jack Beckman, is third after his pass of 3.869s at 330.80mph.

Racing close to home, Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley put on an impressive show under the lights on Friday, bolting to the provisional No. 1 spot with a run of 3.713s at 333.49mph in his Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster. If that holds, it would be Ashley’s first No. 1 qualifier of the season and the sixth in his career. Ashley enters the Countdown to the Championship second in points and with plenty of momentum, winning recently in Brainerd. He’s also eager to push on a show this weekend in front of plenty of family and friends.

“I think we did a good job during Q1 of positioning ourselves to a point where we could be a little more aggressive in Q2. That was the key,” Ashley said. “When you go out there that first run, you want to set that baseline so you have the ability to be a little more aggressive and go after that No. 1 spot. We stayed after Indy, we did some testing; we did some testing after Brainerd.

“The whole team has just been chipping away at it for this reason, for this very moment. We want to make sure we’re prepared when the Countdown comes. It’s day one of the Countdown, but we feel good about where we’re at with everything. Maybe it will hold tomorrow, maybe it won’t, but those three bonus points were critical.”

Tony Schumacher made a big jump to second after going 3.733s at 328.70mph and points leader Doug Kalitta is third with a run of 3.736s at 335.73mph.

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In Pro Stock, Erica Enders made a strong opening statement at Maple Grove Raceway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot with a run of 6.535s at 210.34mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. The defending world champion is after her sixth No. 1 qualifier this season and the 40th in her career, but Enders, a six-time world champ, has her eyes on the bigger prize. She’s after her first victory of the season since the opener in Gainesville – which would also be her 50th national event win – as Enders aims to win a seventh world title and third in a row.

“I’m feeling confident after Indy last week. We didn’t win. Our team went to the finals and raced each other, I lost in the semis and I was 0.014s on the tree,” Enders said. “I feel like my driving has been a lot better and we have a great race car. We’ve had one all year.

“We put a new bullet in for today and we went right to the top right off the trailer, and it held through the second session. That’s extremely encouraging. Everybody wants to start the Countdown off on the right foot. If you get in too big of a hole it’s hard to dig yourself out. There’s a lot of racing to go, a lot of points to accumulate, and a lot of tough competition, but definitely [on] the right foot and I’m proud to be there.”

Greg Anderson moved to second with a run of 6.537s at 209.23mph and points leader Dallas Glenn went to third after going 6.540s at 208.91mph.

A year after winning at Maple Grove Raceway to open the playoffs, Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith is off to a strong start this year, going 6.801s on both passes and posting a top speed of 199.49mph on his Denso Auto Parts Buell. That puts him in the provisional No. 1 position as the six-time world champion looks to claim his fifth No. 1 spot this season. Smith, who has three career wins at Reading, has come on strong at a key time in the season, winning in Sonoma, and was pleased with his first runs in the Countdown to the Championship on Friday.

“The first run was pretty good and the second run, we should have run 6.79s, maybe a high 6.78s but the bike got stuck in fourth gear out there,” Smith said. “All in all, we had a great run and I can’t say enough. We got everything turned up. We got the high-side rev limiter turned way up or I’d have hit the limiter there. It’s one of them deals, it’s the Countdown. We’re going for seven [championships], and we’ve got to throw everything we’ve got at it.

“We brought everything we’ve got for our Denso Buell and we’re going to keep digging, try to keep going, and we’ll see. I think we might put another motor in for tomorrow. We have a brand-new piece that’s really, really good on the dyno and I need to get some tune-ups on it and try to get it right for the Countdown.”

Points leader and defending world champion Gaige Herrera is currently second after going 6.804s at 198.55mph and his teammate, Richard Gadson, is in third with a run of 6.807s at 197.45mph.

Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

Ashley, Todd, Glenn, Hall win US Nationals Mission Challenge

Justin Ashley picked up his fourth victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating Ida Zetterstrom in the Top Fuel final of the bonus race as part of this weekend’s 70th annual Toyota …

J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and John Hall (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

In the final round against Zetterstrom, Ashley went 4.085s at 260.01mph in his Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster, also clinching the overall season title in the bonus race for a second straight year. Ashley has enjoyed a stellar 10 wins in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge over the past two seasons, earning 13 bonus points for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs this year.

“We feel good. We take the Mission Foods Challenge very seriously,” Ashley said. “It’s important for a number of reasons. Obviously, we want to run well because it’s a part of qualifying and help position ourselves well for raceday, but it’s also points that are going to be added on before the Countdown starts, which is super important to us.

“Anything that we could win, we want to see win lights whether it’s the Mission Challenge or even in qualifying then of course on raceday. I’m super happy for the team, happy for the guys and everybody at Scag Power Equipment. We’ll enjoy it, but then we have to shift our focus to tomorrow.”

Funny Car’s J.R. Todd made the first step in what he hopes is a huge weekend, getting his third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the year after defeating Chad Green in the final round with a run of 3.953s at 325.22mph in his DHL Toyota GR Supra. Todd is also in the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout on Sunday, giving the former world champion a rare opportunity to win three times in one weekend.

“We have to thank Mission Foods for allowing us to have the opportunity to race for those bonus points – they’ll come in handy when the Countdown comes around,” Todd said. “We’re already spotting [Austin] Prock over a full round with all the points that he’s racked up, so it’s nice to add to our reset, whatever that may be after Monday. Hopefully, we can put ourselves in a good position to maybe finish second in the regular season going into the Countdown and see where we stack up.”

Prock was the dominant overall champion of the bonus race thanks to an incredible seven victories this year. In the two-year existence of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, it’s the most wins anyone has picked up in a single season, giving Prock a whopping 23 bonus points for the playoffs.

In Pro Stock, Dallas Glenn claimed his second Mission #2Fast2Tasty victory of the year, going 6.621s at 206.83mph in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro, defeating a red-lighting Mason McGaha in the final round of the bonus race. Glenn has enjoyed a strong season in the bonus race and the points leader in the category will also take 12 bonus points into the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

“This feels good. I don’t have the greatest track record in these bonus races, so it was good to seal another #2Fast2Tasty win,” Glenn said. “I think we have good momentum going into raceday even though we have another day of qualifying ahead of us. It’s going to be pretty interesting.

“We’re figuring stuff out, we’re getting better, I’m getting the car figured out better and trying to cut better lights. I had a great light against Aaron first round, and If I was 0.017s on the tree I would have lost. We’re coming into a stride right at the right time.”

Erica Enders won the overall Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge championship in the category on the strength of three wins and two runner-up finishes in the bonus race. She’ll take 13 bonus points into the Countdown to the Championship.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s John Hall earned his first-ever win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, getting the victory when teammate Matt Smith went red in the final round of the bonus race. Hall, a former U.S. Nationals winner, has come on strong at the right time on his Denso Auto Parts Buell, making a pair of impressive runs on Saturday.

“Today was a great day. I honestly didn’t know what to expect because we didn’t get to make a run on Friday night,” Hall said. “Normally, missing the first run wouldn’t be a big deal but when you have to go right into the Mission Challenge, you don’t know what the bike will run or what kind of a light you’ll have. I did just fine in the first run with a 0.011s light and I’m not sure what happened in the second, but I have to thank Matt for going red because I was way off.”

Gaige Herrera claimed the overall title in the category, slipping past Matt Smith on a tiebreaker. Both standouts finished with 12 bonus points for the playoffs, but Herrera won the tiebreaker by virtue of his three overall Challenge wins to Smith’s two.

Final qualifying begins at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday at the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Ashley, Alexander, Glenn return to NHRA winners’ circle at Brainerd

Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley picked up his third win of the season on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway, defeating Shawn Langdon in the final round of the 42nd Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) …

Top Fuel’s Justin Ashley picked up his third win of the season on Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway, defeating Shawn Langdon in the final round of the 42nd Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.

Blake Alexander (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the 13th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Ashley led wire-to-wire against Langdon, going 3.745s at 329.34mph in his Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster to roll to his 14th career victory. Ashley defeated Billy Torrence, Tony Stewart and Josh Hart to reach the final round, earning his first career Top Fuel win at Brainerd and also getting his first victory since April.

He moved to third in points and showcased impressive consistency during eliminations, with all four runs between 3.74s and 3.76s. That bodes well for a strong performance in Indy and the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

“Everything that we’ve done throughout the entire regular season so far has been done with intent and purpose,” Ashley said. “We want to win each and every race that we go to, but ultimately, it’s about positioning ourselves well for Indy and beyond. We broke out a new car this weekend and kudos to Mike (Green) and Tommy (DeLago), they did an amazing job. The car went up and down the track every time today. There’s just something about a new chassis that feels great. There’s going to be ups and downs, it’s about staying level-headed.

“This class is so difficult, it’s so tough. The margin of error is so small, so when you’re able to be consistent like that, it just increases your chances of winning. It’s one of those sports that any given Sunday, anything can happen. It’s so hard to run in such a tight window like that, but this team came through and got it done.”

Langdon went to the finals for the sixth time in 2024 and the 44th time in his career, getting past Shawn Reed, Kalitta Motorsports teammate Doug Kalitta and Ida Zetterstrom, who made her NHRA Top Fuel debut this weekend. Kalitta now holds an 84-point lead over Langdon.

In Funny Car, Blake Alexander enjoyed a terrific redemption weekend in Brainerd after the team battled back following an explosion in Sonoma. The turnaround was impressive and Alexander ended his weekend in the winner’s circle for the first time this season, picking up the win in his Head Racing Ford Mustang when defending world champion Matt Hagan went red in the final round. Alexander would have been tough to beat, posting a 3.927s at 324.67mph in the championship round after staying in the low 3.90s the entire day.

It’s the fourth career victory for Alexander – and his second in Funny Car – and he advanced to the final round on the strength of round wins against Dave Richards, Jack Beckman and Chad Green. Working with crew chief Jim Head, Alexander has turned into a legit contender and will head to the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals seventh in points, feeling fully capable his team can compete against anyone. Alexander proved that in Brainerd, taking another step forward in his career at a track that means a great deal to him.

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“Sonoma was the hardest race I’ve ever had in my career and then to come here and have one of the best races I’ve ever had in my career, it means a lot,” Alexander said. “I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I know that when I’m on, I’m one of the top guys out here. I know when I’m not on, just like anyone else, I can be a problem for my race team. So I’m trying to keep it tight, four straight runs every single time. Saying that is really easy to do, but doing that is really hard.

“I’m really proud of this team, they worked really hard on the combination and seeing them pull the strings on it in between runs. We’re making legit horsepower now and when it turns into a horsepower game we can play that game now and I’m pretty proud of that. It’s just a nice to place to come to and when you can feel that the people who own the track and the fans care, it just makes this big difference.”

After struggling in qualifying, Hagan reached the finals for the fourth time this year and 91st time in his career, getting past Ron Capps, Daniel Wilkerson and J.R. Todd. Austin Prock remains in the points lead, holding a 218-point advantage over Bob Tasca III heading to Indy.

Pro Stock points leader Dallas Glenn got back to his winning ways in impressive fashion, picking up a repeat win in Brainerd after defeating Mason McGaha in the final round, going 6.613s at 206.95mph in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro. It’s the third season of the season for Glenn – and his first since Chicago in May – and the 11th in his career. Brainerd also continues to treat Glenn very well, defeating Eric Latino with a 6.598s, defending world champion Erica Enders and Aaron Stanfield, who had won three of the past four races, to reach the final round.

McGaha left first but ran into trouble as Glenn cruised to a victory. It opened up his lead over KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson to 184 points heading to the regular-season finale in Indy and gets Glenn back on track, also snapping the six-race winning streak of Elite Motorsports in the process.

“It feels really good,” Glenn said. “I went to three finals in that six-race streak where they kept winning. It was definitely good to finally seal the deal. We made a really nice run there in the final, even though I kind of got caught with my pants down on the tree. I kept flickering it all day and had really long trees, then all of a sudden I get a quick one and it caught me off guard.

“Everybody on the crew did an awesome job. You go up second round against Erica and you know she’s going to be tough, and then you follow it up with Aaron Stanfield, who’s won three out of the last four – yeah, it was a tough day. This is a big Pro Stock area, the Zoo is always a good time, and people around here definitely show up for this race. They support it, and it’s really great seeing the stands packed and everybody up against the fence cheering every run you go up and down.”

McGaha reached his first final round of the season and third in his career thanks to victories against No. 1 qualifier Jerry Tucker, David Cuadra and Fernando Cuadra Jr.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action Aug. 28-Sept. 2 with the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Hagan grabs 50th NHRA Funny Car victory at Charlotte 4-Wide

Reigning Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan picked up his 50th career victory on Sunday, driving past John Force, J.R. Todd and Daniel Wilkerson at zMAX Dragway to get the win at the 14th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. Justin Ashley …

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the fifth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Hagan went 3.946s at 332.34mph in his Tony Stewart Racing Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat in the final quad to power to his first win this season, defeating Wilkerson on a holeshot to pick up his milestone victory. Hagan was 0.029s on the starting line, holding off Wilkerson’s 3.923s at 327.50mph at the finish line for the win.

Hagan won his opening-round quad with a 3.918s at 331.61mph and then made the second-quickest run of eliminations with a 3.879s at 334.24mph to advance to the final round. That led to his fourth victory at zMAX Dragway, which is less than two hours from home for Hagan.

“This is obviously a massive achievement to win 50 races and to have Dodge sponsoring us for so many years,” Hagan said. “To see so many people come and go out here, you just don’t realize that it’s you, you know, you’re like, ‘Wow, I’ve been out here little bit over 15 years now,” and it’s just a huge accomplishment in my book to be able to be around a group of guys that have been nothing but the best out here, and I think that’s why we won four championships.

“To put us in an elite group of drivers with John Force and [Don] Prudhomme and Kenny Bernstein is pretty crazy. I’m very blessed to still be out here, surrounded by a great group of guys. They gave me a great race car and now we’re going to celebrate.”

It was the first career runner-up for Wilkerson, while Todd took third, going 3.978s at 320.36mph. Austin Prock retained the points lead in the category.

Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley capped off his stellar weekend with his first career four-wide win, holding off Clay Millican, Doug Kalitta and Antron Brown with a run of 3.710s at 328.06mph in his Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster. It’s the second victory this season for Ashley, who swept the weekend by also winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday. He’s been dynamic with double-up wins — Sunday marked his third in the last two seasons — and Ashley did it again on Sunday, winning the first two quads to get to the final round, going 3.711s at 333.58mph in the second round.

In the finals, Ashley left first with another great 0.046s reaction time, holding off the hard-charging Millican, who went 3.722s at a strong 337.92mph, to claim his 15th career victory. Charlotte is where Ashley debuted, so racing at zMAX Dragway will always be special to him and he was thrilled to claim his first four-wide win on Sunday.

“For whatever reason, we’ve struggled a little bit before in four-wide races. We’d go to the traditional format and have a lot of success, but we struggled when we go four-ride racing,” Ashley said. “When you come out here and you race four-wide, the quads are so good. It really doesn’t matter who you’re racing, especially with depth of the Top Fuel field now. The quads are going to be stellar each and every time, and you saw it even in that final round. There was a lot of really good reaction times a lot of really good E.T.s and it made for some close racing.”

Kalitta, the No. 1 qualifier, finished third in the final quad with a 3.725s at 326.00mph.

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In Pro Stock, No. 1 qualifier Greg Anderson added another impressive Charlotte victory to his resume, driving past a loaded final-round quad with a standout pass of 6.502s at 210.77mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson ousted KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn, Aaron Stanfield and Cristian Cuadra to pick up his second victory of the season and the 105th in his career, extending his all-time lead in the category.

It’s been a banner season thus far for Anderson, who won both quads leading into the final round and making the quickest pass each round. He was also 0.011s on the starting line to advance to the finals and then chased down runner-up Stanfield and Glenn, who were both 0.011s in the final round, to pick up another meaningful victory. It’s the fifth Charlotte win for Anderson, who won the fall race last year but had not won the four-wide race at zMAX Dragway since 2012 – until Sunday. Anderson also took over the points lead in the class.

“This feels fantastic,” Anderson said. “There is so much talent out here and I’m so proud to be a part of it. We’re in a spot where anyone can win so you’ve got to dig deep to find it and I had it today. We didn’t back into it and it feels good to win a race at zMAX Dragway. It’s my home track and I love it here.

“You have to find a way to get your heart beating and get those butterflies in your stomach and get your nerves going. You can’t artificially create that. I can’t properly explain what it means to win a race for [Rick Hendrick]. I met Mr. H 20 years ago and we’ve stayed in touch and he obviously know a thing or two about winning and he knows how to motivate people. It’s just an honor to have those colors on my race car.”

Stanfield finished second, going 6.551s at 209.75mph and Glenn was third after his 6.551s at 209.75mph.

A prolonged break did nothing to slow down the dominant defending world champion in Pro Stock Motorcycle, as Gaige Herrera rolled to his second straight win this season on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with a run of 6.684s at 202.73mph in the final round. Dating back to last season, Herrera has now posted seven consecutive victories, putting together another incredible weekend in Charlotte.

Herrera qualified No. 1, setting the track E.T. record, picked up the victory in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday and then made the quickest pass of each session on Sunday, defeating John Hall, LE Tonglet and Richard Gadson in the finals to earn his 13th career victory and extend his points lead in the process. Herrera also defended his four-wide win from a season ago at zMAX Dragway.

“After Q1 and Q2 I was a bit worried. On the first run we had a malfunction in our wiring, and then after the second run, Matt [Smith] held on to the top spot and that’s because of the rule change,” said Herrera, referring to a recent NHRA rules revision that mandated the same fuel type for both V-twin and inline four-cylinder bikes. “It has created parity and made for better racing. We still had three Vance & Hines bikes in the final [quad].

“In the end, me and [crew chief] Andrew Hines and the bike bond so well. We’re a hard combo to beat. This is just the beginning. It’s all the haters that make us push that much harder and we’re out there to prove them all wrong. I hear people say it’s the bike and that I can’t cut a light, and today my worst light was a 0.021s, so I was here to prove a point. We had three fast bikes and almost everyone is running the same.”

Hall’s 6.758s at 202.12mph gave him the runner-up finish, while Gadson was third with a 6.767s at 198.41mph.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action May 17-19 with the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago.

John Force scores first win in two years at postponed NHRA Winternationals in Phoenix

Funny Car legend John Force picked up his first victory in two years, powering past Matt Hagan of Tony Stewart Racing to win the postponed Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, which was completed on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd at Firebird …

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also won the postponed Pomona race on Saturday at Firebird Motorsports Park, which was the second of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Force, the winningest driver in NHRA history, went 4.033s at 318.24mph in his PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS, slipping past Hagan’s 4.048s to claim his 156th career victory and first since April of 2022. Force now has eight Winternationals wins to his credit and this marked another special one in his iconic career.

“I’m just facing the truth in life, that, you know, time’s running out, and I’m trying to hang on,” Force said. “This morning, I was talking about, ‘You know, maybe this is it. Maybe I should just walk out the gate and go to the casino,’ and then all of a sudden you win and your weight and your personality just changes.

“I was mad, mad at myself [for losing in the Mission Challenge earlier in the day], and I started saying, ‘You just need to get out of the seat, you’re just too old for this stuff,’ or, ‘Get out there and fight the fight.’ And I did, and things went right, and I got the win, so I’m excited.”

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley kept his Winternationals winning streak alive, even in a new location, winning the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals for the third straight year and defeating Tony Schumacher on a holeshot with a pass of 3.802s at 330.15mph in his Scag Power Equipment dragster. Ashley posted an impressive reaction time of 0.023s to hold off Schumacher’s run of 3.772s at 326.00mph.

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It is Ashley’s 12th career victory and first this season, and certainly one of the more unique ones in his young career.

“It’s very special. Even though is not in Pomona, the NHRA Winternationals is a very prestigious race so to win it once is extraordinary. To win in three times in a row is an incredible blessing,” Ashley said. “This event, the way everything played out, it was a test for our team and they came through just as they seemingly do every time. I think we needed this as a team.

“This was a huge round win. It’s just so special because you never know when you’ll be in another final and you want to try to take advantage of that opportunity and you never know when you’re going to win your next race so you just have to try and enjoy it. This one feels a little bit different and a little bit different in a good way.”

In Pro Stock, Glenn defended his Winternationals victory with a second straight win, this one coming in Phoenix and on a holeshot against reigning world champion Erica Enders. Glenn went 6.537s at 209.14mph in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro, using a 0.024s reaction time to hold off Enders’ 6.531s at 209.52mph.

It’s the ninth career win for Glenn and his first in the 2024 campaign, giving the young standout some much-needed Phoenix success.

“I was just thinking that the last two times I’ve raced here in Phoenix, I’ve lost first round both times, so Phoenix hasn’t been the best place to me,” Glenn said. “I definitely wanted to finish that last one in Pomona. We tried some new things and kind of took a few runs to get it dialed in, but it definitely came around in the final. I just tried to do everything I can to hit everything I could on that one. I’m just glad to be able to get it done because I was feeling really good in Pomona.”

Eliminations for the 39th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at Firebird Motorsports Park.

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.

Tasca rockets to the top of NHRA qualifying in Reading

Bob Tasca III ended Funny Car qualifying in style on Saturday at Maple Grove Raceway, powering to the No. 1 position at the 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, the first race in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Justin Ashley (Top …

Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 16th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. It was the seventh sellout crowd of the 2023 season. Sunday’s eliminations were also moved up to 9:30 a.m. ET at Maple Grove Raceway.

Tasca, who entered the weekend fourth in points, raced to his fifth No. 1 spot this season with a standout run of 3.866s at 328.30mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Ford Mustang. It’s the 14th career top spot for the veteran, who is seeking his second career win at Maple Grove Raceway and third this season.

He impressed in every qualifying session, making the quickest run in the last three sessions, including both on Saturday. That netted him 11 bonus points, giving him plenty of momentum going into race day, where he’ll take on Cory Lee in the first round.

“The car performed flawlessly,” Tasca said. “As a driver/team owner, that’s what you ask for from your team. They give you a car that can go out there and compete, and you put yourself in a position to win. We have a lot of unfinished business here this weekend, and tomorrow is a big day.

“I think it’s going to be a very challenging day early in the rounds. We’re going to be here at 9:30 (a.m.), and the track is estimated to be somewhere around 75 degrees. You can shake really easy. You could see some big-time upsets, but we just want to go up there and do the best we can. We’ll manage the conditions as they go. As the day progresses, I think you’re going to fall into the conditions that we’ve run really well in. That gives you a lot of confidence going into Sunday.”

Defending world champion and points leader Ron Capps jumped up to the second spot in the final session, going 3.879s at 333.99mph. That bumped Robert Hight, who went 3.879s at 329.34mph on Friday, to third.

Justin Ashley, a New York native, stayed on top in front of a capacity crowd at his home track, with his run of 3.687s at 335.57mph from Friday in his Phillips Connect Toyota dragster handing him the No. 1 spot for third time in what has been a banner 2023 season. It’s also the fifth career top qualifier for the Top Fuel points leader, who has already picked up six victories this season. He made another strong run to close out qualifying and Ashley will open eliminations against Scott Farley.

He’s also had plenty of success at Maple Grove Raceway in his young Top Fuel career, advancing to the final round last year. Ashley would love to set the tone for the Countdown to the Championship with a victory on Sunday and he remains confident in the mentality of the team.

“We feel great. You’re trying to put yourself in the best position to win the race on Sunday and I feel like we accomplished that,” Ashley said. “We went down the track three out of four times, and we had that 0.68s in the quickest session, but tomorrow is going to be different in a lot of ways. It’s going to be faster than what we’ve seen.

“Inherently, there’s more pressure because the playoffs are on, but it doesn’t change our approach. Our mentality is to continue to do the same thing that we’ve been doing since the start of the year. There’s a reason we’re in the position that we’re in now. I think it’s easy to get wrapped up in it being the playoffs and changing what you’re doing or focusing more intently. But we take every race the same way, playoffs or regular season. There is more pressure, but as a group, we’ve stuck to our guns that we’re to have fun, we’re here to have a good time, we’re here to win. I feel confident in the group that we have and I feel confident that we’re not going to let the pressure get to us.”

Defending world champion Brittany Force stayed second with her 3.689s at 336.57mph from Friday and Doug Kalitta took third with his 3.696s at 331.45mph.

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Defending Pro Stock world champ Erica Enders seems poised to defend her event victory from Maple Grove Raceway, qualifying No. 1 for the third time this season thanks to Friday’s 6.494s at 211.13mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. It’s the 32nd career No. 1 spot for the six-time world champion who moved up to second in points standings on Saturday on the strength of her qualifying performances in Reading. After making the quickest run of 2023 in Pro Stock on Friday, Enders had two strong showing on Saturday, including the quickest run in the final qualifying session.

She’ll open eliminations against Val Smeland, aiming for her third win of the season. A victory on Sunday would also make her the winningest female in NHRA history as she looks to open the Countdown to the Championship in style.

“It was definitely cool to follow up today with two really great runs,” Enders said. “Super proud of my team, we made some changes this morning to try to pick up a little bit and it went in the opposite direction, so we fixed it and were able to outrun the field. It was pretty substantial, but it’s a challenging race day ahead of us tomorrow and we have to make sure everything goes right. I’m excited and proud of my guys. We’ve really turned this season around. I’m stoked and ready to go.

“We were waiting for that pendulum to swing back in our direction after our really sorry to start for the year, but we knew with hard work and determination. My guys have this awesome never-quit attitude and just amazing tenacity. I’m proud of them. It’s not something that’s easy to go through as a team. We’ve been through the trenches before, but this was a tough one. We rallied together and we’re doing well. A lot can change in the next six Sundays, but we’re going to ride this wave as long as we can.”

Troy Coughlin stayed second but improved his performance with a 6.497s at 211.23mph. Aaron Stanfield also bettered his qualifying mark, going 6.500s at 211.13mph, to qualify third. Points leader Dallas Glenn qualified ninth.

Gaige Herrera ended qualifying on another massive note in Pro Stock Motorcycle, tying his mark for the quickest run of the year with a strong 6.672s at 202.94mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. That lowered the track E.T. record he set on Friday and the points leader also set the track speed record with a pass of 203.00mph earlier in the day. Not only did Herrera, who is making his first appearance in the Countdown to the Championship, claim his ninth No. 1 qualifier in 10 races this year, he also picked up the most possible points in qualifying.

Herrera made the quickest run in all four sessions, giving him plenty of confidence heading into the first of six playoff races on Sunday.

“I’m very confident. I have to give all the credit to the whole Vance & Hines Mission Suzuki team and Andrew (Hines, crew chief) and all the guys back at the shop,” Herrera said. “We’re basically just showing off their hard work and to go out there and run that, I’m very happy with it, Andrew is very happy with it. We’re definitely happy with it and I’m going into tomorrow with all the confidence in the world. I’m glad to get as much points as I can so far going into the Countdown. My whole goal is to try to get as many as I can again. That was my goal, and Andrew is always shooting to be No. 1 so he was all for it.”

Chip Ellis made a big jump to qualify second thanks to his run of 6.741s at 200.17mph and Hector Arana Jr. took third with his 6.747s at 201.85mph.

Eliminations for the 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway.

Ashley opens NHRA Countdown with early No. 1 in Reading

Points leader Justin Ashley started the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs in impressive fashion at Maple Grove Raceway, powering to the provisional No. 1 spot in Top Fuel on Friday at the 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals. Bob Tasca III …

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 16th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Ashley put together a run of 3.687s at 335.57mph in his Phillips Connect Toyota dragster at his home track, vaulting to the No. 1 position after struggling during the opening session. If it holds, it would be Ashley’s third No. 1 this season and fifth in his career. Seeking his first world championship, it’s already been a banner season for Ashley, as the points leader has six wins heading into the playoffs. But he’s only focused on the task at hand during the Countdown to the Championship.

“That was a great run for this Phillips Connect Toyota team,” Ashley said. “We didn’t have a great run in the first session. This is basically a home race for me since I am from New York and we have a lot of friends and family here. You want to do well to start the Countdown and this was a great start. That run felt really good and it was a great way to wrap up the first day of the Pep Boys Nationals.

“It was good to have fans congratulate us for being No. 1 in the Countdown, but we are putting that behind us starting with this race. We have six races to try and win this championship. It will be exciting and I am looking forward to driving this Phillips Connect Toyota Top Fuel dragster on race day here in Maple Grove Raceway.”

Defending world champion Brittany Force closed out the night with a strong 3.689s at 336.57mph that puts her second and Doug Kalitta is third thanks to his 3.696s at 331.45mph.

In Funny Car, Bob Tasca III stole the show to close out qualifying, putting together an impressive blast of 3.874s at 334.90mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. That puts Tasca on track for his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 14th of his career, giving the veteran a pair of strong qualifying runs to open the Countdown to the Championship. Starting the playoffs in fourth, Tasca is right in the mix of championship contention for a second straight year and was eager to make a big move on Friday under the lights at Maple Grove Raceway.

“Every point matters right now, every run now through the end,” Tasca said. “I think we got five bonus points, and that’s big. But to be here at Maple Grove – the Koretskys are like family to us — this is the track I debuted professionally in my alcohol Funny Car. I’ve won here in my nitro car. We have great memories here, and to see what they’ve done to this facility, see these fans on Friday night, and run low E.T., it’s a lot of fun.

“I love being here, and a win here is critical. We’re a couple rounds out of first place, and a good weekend really changes the game for us as we march on in this championship. To do it, you have to go toe-to-toe with the best. You saw that Mustang banging heads with Robert Hight [and] I think you’re going to see a whole lot of that from now until the end of the year.”

Running right next to Tasca, Robert Hight went 3.879s at 329.34mph, which is good enough for second at the moment. Chad Green went 3.887s at 330.07mph for third and points leader Ron Capps is right behind after a 3.888s at 335.65mph.

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Maple Grove Raceway continued to bring out the best in defending Pro Stock event winner Erica Enders, as the defending world champion made the quickest run in both sessions and, ultimately, the quickest run of the season in Pro Stock with a standout pass of 6.494s at 211.13mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. Enders has repeatedly put up big numbers at Maple Grove Raceway over the course of her stellar career and that continued on Friday, making the first Pro Stock run in the 6.40s of 2023. As she chases her sixth career world champion, Enders made a strong impression on Friday, putting her on track for her third No. 1 spot of the year and 32nd in her career.

“That was good. Being able to secure our first win here last year changes that whole feeling of rolling through the gates,” Enders said. “We came off the trailer and went to the No. 1 spot that first session, and we nitpicked the run and felt like we could have gone high 0.48s, low 0.49s. We came back second session and did just that. I’m really proud of my team. We had plenty of pep talks going on last the week and just getting our minds in the right position, because these last six are the ones that matter.

“We just have to put our heads down and go to work. This is a position we’re extremely familiar with. This is my 20th year in Pro Stock and we’re battling for our sixth championship. My dad told me, make it count, make every single run count and don’t leave anything on the table, from reaction times, to shift points, to keeping it in the groove. It sounds simple, but it’s way more challenging than that. That’s our mindset, just be positive, put our heads down and go to work because we can do this.”

Troy Coughlin is currently second after going 6.605s at 210.21mph and Aaron Stanfield took the third spot after the first day with a 6.507s at 211.46mph.

Gaige Herrera made a major statement in his first career appearance in the Countdown to the Championship, shattering the track E.T. record in Pro Stock Motorcycle on both runs Friday, including an incredible 6.678s at 202.45mph on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki to close out the day. Should that hold, Herrera, the points leader, would grab his ninth No. 1 qualifier in 10 races in the class this season, with the time just off the 6.672s he ran in Chicago earlier this year. It’s the third-quickest run of the season for Herrera, who was thrilled with how his bike ran to open the playoffs on Friday.

“I was kind of shocked it ran 6.67s, but Andrew [Hines, crew chief] isn’t,” Herrera said. “He said all the conditions are there to do it. To come out and be able to get the provisional No. 1 qualifier in the start of the Countdown and get as much points as we can – all those little points add up – I’m happy with today.

“It’s just qualifying so far, but we’re off to a good start. This definitely takes some pressure off. I think everyone kind of flips a switch when the Countdown starts, and I kind of expected all the other teams to step up. For us to have that little step forward in front of everyone, I’m definitely happy with that and the whole team.”

Hector Arana Jr. is currently second with a pass of 6.747s at 201.85mph and rookie Chase Van Sant ran 6.754s at 200.02mph, putting him third.

Qualifying continues at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.