Route 66 Raceway – Syndication Server

Brown powers back to victory at NHRA Route 66 Nationals

Three-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown picked up his 75th career win on Sunday at Route 66 Raceway, powering past Shawn Langdon in the final round of the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK …

Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the sixth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Brown went 3.838s at 324.75mph in his Matco Tools/Toyota dragster in the championship round, winning for the first time in 2024 and the 75th time overall. Brown picked up wins against Jasmine Salinas, points leader Justin Ashley and Steve Torrence to reach the finals, leading wire-to-wire against Langdon, who went 3.869s at 322.04mph in the finals, to claim his sixth overall Chicago victory and fourth in Top Fuel.

“This weekend, this track was medieval,” Brown said. “It was tricky. We didn’t get down in Q1 so we had to be safe in Q2 because that was Friday night where all the good numbers came up. We ran quick enough to get in the show. Now today was hot, and a lot of cars weren’t making it down. We just had to focus on what we were doing.

“In the final, we had to step it up. We figured we needed to go 3.82-83s because that’s how [Landgon] ran in the semifinals. We got down from start to finish and that was the key. I just try to stay humble and stay hungry. That’s my game. The race here has a lot of special meaning and it was a total team effort to get the job done. I always love racing here in Chicago.”

Langdon advanced to the final round for the third time this year and 41st time in his Top Fuel career, picking up wins against Cody Krohn, Shawn Reed and Dan Mercier. Ashley remained in the points lead.

In Funny Car, defending world champion Matt Hagan became the first two-time winner in the category, taking down John Force in a thriller of a final round with a run of 3.998s at 323.31mph in his Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat for Tony Stewart Racing. It’s also the second straight victory for Hagan, who won in Charlotte, and now appears to have found his groove, moving into the points lead in the process. The Charlotte victory was the 50th in his career and he added to that on Sunday, getting to the final round with wins against Ron Capps, Paul Lee and Blake Alexander.

Remarkably enough, the pass in the finals was the first 3s run of the weekend for Hagan, but it came at the perfect time, as the four-time world champion held off Force’s 4.096s at 311.05mph to win in Chicago for the fourth time, taking plenty of momentum into the summer.

“This was a tricky track but I think the thing I’m most proud of is how we got down it every time today,” Hagan said. “We qualified 11th which meant we got stuck in the left lane. Usually one lane is just a bit better than the other and today it was the right lane, but my guys did a great job. They killed it today. At the end of the day, we had a good car and I felt like I was seeing the light great today.

“I’m honored to race John Force. He’s the GOAT. He’s the best there’s ever been. We’ve had our moments but I have nothing but respect for him. Overall, this is the toughest the class has been since I remember.”

John Force made his second final-round appearance of 2024 and the 268th in his legendary career, taking down Buddy Hull, Alexis DeJoria and Daniel Wilkerson.

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Dallas Glenn remained perfect in his Pro Stock career at Route 66 Raceway, claiming his second straight victory at the facility with a run of 6.567s at 208.20mph in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro to defeat Aaron Stanfield in the championship round. Glenn also moved into the points lead after his impressive day, driving away with his second win this season and the 10th in his Pro Stock career. He made his first Pro Stock appearance in Chicago last year and made strong improvements on Sunday after qualifying in the seventh spot.

He beat Eric Latino, Troy Coughlin Jr. and KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson to reach the final round, making his quickest run of the weekend against Anderson (6.565s) before leading wire-to-wire against Stanfield in the finals.

“I felt good today. I was nice and relaxed, and I hit the tree when I needed to,” Glenn said. “We had a good car and in Q4 when I scored a bonus point that was good for my confidence. Being the No. 7 qualifier was not representative of how good our car was. Racing Greg, you never know what you’re going to get. He might be low for the weekend and lately he’s been driving extra good.

“As for the rivalry with Elite (Motorsports), it’s good for Pro Stock and I love it. I’m not the guy leading the charge. I prefer to let my car do the talking.”

Stanfield advanced to the finals for the second time this season and 17th time overall, taking down Fernando Cuadra Jr., Jeg Coughlin Jr. and Jerry Tucker.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera found another level on Sunday in Chicago, winning his eighth straight race to tie Dave Schultz for the most consecutive wins in class history. In the final round at Route 66 Raceway, Herrera went 6.713s at 200.68mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki, holding off Chase Vant Sant to stay perfect in 2024. It’s his third victory this season and eighth straight dating back to the second race in the Countdown to the Championship a year ago, also giving the defending world champion his 14th career victory in just his 24th career start.

Herrera saw his streak of 11 straight No. 1 qualifiers snapped on Saturday to Matt Smith, but he was dominant on Sunday, going 6.694s at 200.47mph in the opening round. He added victories against John Hall and LE Tonglet to reach the championship round, leaving first on Van Sant and cruising to another memorable victory.

“First, congrats to Chase Van Sant. He did a great job today and he’s on his way,” Herrera said. “As far as tying Dave Schultz, I’m honored. I wish I’d had a chance to meet him, but I’ve heard a lot of great stories and I know what he did for this Pro Stock Motorcycle class. It’s still hard to believe I’m mentioned in the same sentence as him.

“We qualified No. 2 behind Matt, but today was a different day. The weather was consistent and that let us really work on our tune-up. I honestly thought I would be me and Matt in the final round. I was consistent and my bike was on rails. We had a very consistent motorcycle this weekend.”

Van Sant, the reigning NHRA Rookie of the Year winner, advanced to his first career final round thanks to victories against Steve Johnson, M. Smith and Angie Smith.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action May 31-June 2 with the 14th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.

Anderson wins NHRA PS Callout as Zizzo holds TF No. 1 in Chicago

Pro Stock points leader Greg Anderson drove to the win in the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout on Saturday at Route 66 Raceway, defeating Matt Hartford in the final round of the specialty event during weekend’s 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass …

T.J. Zizzo (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the sixth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Anderson, the winningest driver in Pro Stock history, went 6.595s at 208.36mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, driving past Hartford to pick up his first Callout victory. Last year, Anderson failed to qualify for the specialty race, but he more than made up for it on Saturday, getting past No. 1 seed Erica Enders, who called out Anderson for a must-see matchup in the opening round, and Troy Coughlin Jr. in the semifinals. Anderson made three standout runs on Saturday and now has a chance to double-up this weekend at Route 66 Raceway.

“This is awesome. We made three fantastic runs today and that’s what it took,” Anderson said. “A lot of teams struggled because the starting line was tricky, but my car is in a happy spot right now and we got down through there. That breeds confidence. Nine out of 10 races are won on the starting line and we get it done because I’ve got a hell of a horse under me. I didn’t get to play in this event last year but I said if I got in, I’d pick the baddest car I the class first round. The roles were reversed and Erica picked me but I’d have done the same if it was my choice.

“Right now, things are great at KB Titan. We’re not backing into wins. We’ve flat out raced the competition and we’re earning them. But wins like this just make us want to work even harder.”

Top Fuel’s T.J. Zizzo enjoyed an incredible moment on Saturday, clinching his first career No. 1 qualifier as Friday’s standout pass of 3.735s at 331.77mph in his Rust-Oleum dragster easily held up. To accomplish that in front of a huge group of family and friends at his home track meant even more for the Chicago native, and he performed well in the heat on Saturday, making a pair of solid runs. That bodes well for Sunday’s eliminations, which starts against Tony Stewart as Zizzo seeks his first career victory.

“This is a dream come true,” Zizzo said. “I told our team [last week] we have the equipment and the knowledge, the people and the personnel to be No. 1 qualifier and that’s what we’re going to do. That, to me, is a dream come true. It’s pretty amazing.”

Defending event winner Clay Millican qualified second with a 3.746s at 332.84mph and defending world champion Doug Kalitta took third with a 3.750s at 332.84mph.

In Funny Car, Austin Prock kept rolling along, claiming his fourth No. 1 qualifier in the first six races of 2024 on the strength of Friday’s run of 3.907s at 332.43mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS. Prock, who is the current points leader, will open eliminations against Jack Wyatt, looking for his second victory of the season. Just as important, the young standout and former NHRA Rookie of the Year has a chance to pick up his first career win at Route 66 Raceway.

“We got a lot of confidence going into tomorrow after making it down the track [in Q4],” Prock said. “It almost made it on the third run, but it knocked the tires loose. The big thing is that we made it, got down and picked up bonus points. Our car is good in the heat. We won Phoenix on a hot, tricky track and we can do that again here. It’s a tough business being a crew chief but I’ve got faith in mine (father, Jimmy). Besides, the track will get better tomorrow and I think you’ll see some better runs.”

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Bob Tasca III took second with Friday’s run of 3.913s at 329.91mph and Paul Lee qualified third after going 3.922s at 323.13mph.

Saturday didn’t start the way Pro Stock’s Erica Enders wanted, but she closed it out with a strong run, following up Friday’s pass of 6.548s at 209.69mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car to cement her No. 1 position. It’s the second top qualifier this season and 36th in her career and she was pleased with the 6.595s to finish out qualifying in the heat. It was a strong turnaround after an opening-round loss to Anderson in the Callout, giving Enders confidence she can earn her 50th career national event win on Sunday at the same place where her first Pro Stock win came.

“After we ran so well on Friday, that first round of the Callout was not ideal,” Enders said. “T.J. [Coughlin] soldiered on but the rest of us [Team Elite drivers] did not. We didn’t get down the track. Afterward, we had a huge meeting with our crew chiefs and went back the drawing board. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. As much as I wanted to win today, race day and winning that Wally is what it’s all about.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. qualified second with a 6.554s at 209.75mph and Anderson starts raceday in third looking for a double-up win.

Matt Smith broke Gaige Herrera’s record streak of 11 straight No. 1 qualifiers in Pro Stock Motorcycle, as his 6.708s at 201.40mph was more than enough on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell was more than enough to stay at the top. Herrera’s No. 1 string had dated back to last July, but Smith impressed immediately on Friday, claiming his 53rd career top spot. He’ll begin eliminations against Lance Bonham, looking for his first win of the season.

“I’m really excited. I have a good bike. We’ve been testing a lot and getting better and better,” Smith said. “Honestly, I don’t know if lane choice means anything. Both sides are really good. This place has always been good to me. I normally come up here and run really well. This track will take everything you can throw at it. I think we’re back to where we think we should be. A win would be huge. We had the best bike for three runs this weekend and I think we’ll have the best bike tomorrow.”

Herrera can win his eighth straight race on Sunday and qualified second with a run of 6.745s at 200.17mph. LE Tonglet took third thanks to a run of 6.772s at 200.44mph.

Eliminations for the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance begin at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday at Route 66 Raceway.

Zizzo takes shock hometown provisional NHRA No. 1 in Chicago

Chicago native T.J. Zizzo made the quickest Top Fuel run in each session on Friday at Route 66 Raceway, taking the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the 24th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance. Austin …

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the sixth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Zizzo powered to a run of 3.735s at 331.77mph in his Rust-Oleum dragster, putting the part-time racer in line for his first career NHRA No. 1 qualifier. Clay Millican went 3.746s earlier in the session before Zizzo closed out the day with an impressive pass in front of a host of family and friends. Zizzo was a provisional No. 1 qualifier in 2019 in Gainesville, but it didn’t hold. This time, he’ll look to keep the No. 1 spot at his home track.

“Today has been a dream,” Zizzo said. “You have the opportunity to do all kinds of things in this world, but to do this with friends and family is really special. We have worked really hard to get this done and it means a lot.

“I have to say that Don Schumacher was riding along with me today. He was instrumental in the success of this team. We don’t race as much as I’d like but I have confidence that when the car runs, every nut and bolt is right. My crew is all volunteer, but they’ve all been with me for a long time and I have complete confidence in them.”

Millican’s 3.746s at 332.84mph has him second, while defending world champion Doug Kalitta sits third after going 3.750s at 332.84mph.

Funny Car points leader Austin Prock is searching for his first career victory at Route 66 Raceway and that journey got off to a good start on Friday, going 3.907s at 332.43mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to take the No. 1 spot. Prock made the best run in each session, slipping past Bob Tasca to close out the evening in the Funny Car category. Should that hold, Prock would pick up his fourth No. 1 qualifier in six races this season, another impressive mark in Prock’s first Funny Car season.

“It definitely feels good, especially after Charlotte where we weren’t happy,” Prock said. “We didn’t race smart in Charlotte and it cost us. Here, we made two great runs. I’m getting more seat time and we changed a few components on the car as far as steering. This is just my sixth race, but I’d say I’m more comfortable in the Funny Car. From day one, I’ve been saying I’m oddly comfortable in there. Don’t get me wrong. This thing is a beast and anyone who tells you otherwise is crazy, but I feel really good right now.”

Tasca is currently second thanks to a run of 3.913s at 329.91mph and Paul Lee’s 3.922s at 323.13mph has him third.

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Looking for her 50th career national event victory this weekend, Pro Stock’s Erica Enders took back the provisional No. 1 spot to close out the day at Route 66 Raceway, going 6.548s at 209.69mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. Should that hold, Enders would earn her second No. 1 this season and the 36th in her career. The defending and six-time world champ also made her selection for Saturday’s GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout, selecting longtime rival and No. 2 seed Greg Anderson.

Dallas Glenn called out Troy Coughlin Jr., followed by Aaron Stanfield selecting Matt Hartford as his first-round opponent. The other matchup features Cristian Cuadra against Deric Kramer, and Enders is excited for Saturday’s bonus race.

“We went to Tulsa to test this week because it’s no secret that we’ve been struggling a bit and this race is very important to me for a number of reasons,” Enders said. “I have a lot of great memories here. Obviously, it’s where I got my first win and to think I could also get my 50th would be amazing. I know it’s a tall order but it’s what we’re shooting for.”

“Our team talked strategy [for the Callout]. We eventually decided to take Greg, and our thinking was go big or go home. When you think about it, Greg and I have battled for the top spot for the last ten years or more and I expect we’ll go back and forth until the end of our careers.”

Coughlin is currently second in qualifying with a 6.554s at 209.75mph and Anderson is right behind after his run of 6.554s at 208.78mph.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith impressed during both sessions to kick off the weekend, making the quickest run each time, including a Friday-best 6.708s at 201.40mph on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell. It was a solid step forward for the six-time world champ, who is looking to snap Gaige Herrera’s class-record streak of 11 No. 1 qualifiers. Smith is off to a strong start with that, getting close to the 6.60s with his second run on Friday. It would also be Smith’s 53rd top qualifier if it holds up.

“I think we’re running well and we’ve made this bike very competitive,” Smith said. “Our goal is to just keep getting better and hats off to this whole team for the progress we’ve made. We’re learning and we’ll keep trying to improve.

“We’ve been working hard and testing to get out sixty-foot times better. I had a 1.05s in Charlotte and the bike wouldn’t shift and I had a 1.05s here on Q1. We put some power in it and it stuck. Really, our goal is just to make our program better.”

Herrera, who has won seven consecutive races, is current second with a run of 6.745s at 200.17mph, and LE Tonglet is third thanks to a run of 6.772s at 200.44mph.

Qualifying continues at 11:40 a.m. CT on Saturday at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway. The first round of the GETTRX Pro Stock All-Star Callout starts at 11:30 a.m. CT on Saturday, with the semifinals to follow at 1:45 p.m. and the finals at 2:55 p.m.

Millican, Wilkerson, Glenn, Herrera win NHRA Route 66 Nationals

Top Fuel veteran Clay Millican powered to his first win in five years, claiming the victory over Josh Hart on Sunday in the final round of the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway. Tim …

Tim Wilkerson (Funny Car) Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the sixth of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. It was also NHRA’s first race at Chicago’s Route 66 Raceway since 2019.

Millican delivered a run of 3.801s at 328.94mph in his 11,000-horsepower Parts Plus/Rick Ware Racing dragster to slip past Hart’s 3.808s at 324.28mph, handing the driver his first victory since 2018, which also took place in Chicago, and Rick Ware Racing its first NHRA win. It’s the fourth career win for Millican, who entered the weekend without a round win in 2023 but knocked off Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta and defending world champ Brittany Force to reach the final round.

Chicago and Route 66 Raceway continued to be a special place for Millican as he enjoyed every moment of his memorable victory on Sunday.

“I still love my job. I’ve been doing it a long time and I’m not done yet,” said Millican, who was 12th in points entering the weekend. “This is huge for this team. We’ve been struggling and it’s been tough. We got all new parts and pieces from Rick Ware, and they believed in us. For a little while, it looked like we were better with the old stuff, but I think we’ve got it figured it out and hopefully we can go out and get some more of these this year.

“My very first (NHRA Top Fuel) race was at this racetrack and 20 years later I won this race. Now 25 years later, we did it again. This group of people never quit and never stop, and they turned this car around flawlessly today.”

Hart reached the final round for the first time this season and fifth time overall with wins against Antron Brown, Jacob McNeal and T.J. Zizzo. Steve Torrence stayed in the points lead in the class.

In Funny Car, Wilkerson picked up his first victory in 33 races, with his run of 3.966s at 325.14mph in his 11,000-horsepower SCAG Power Equipment/ Levi Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang enough to get past defending world champion Ron Capps in the final round. It’s the 23rd career win for the fan-favorite veteran and first since the fall Charlotte race in 2021. The thrilling win also gave JCM Racing its first Funny Car win after Wilkerson joined the organization in the off-season.

He reached the final round by racing past Blake Alexander, Alex Laughlin and John Force, making his best run of eliminations in the final round against Capps. The victory also bumped him to fifth in points, with Matt Hagan maintaining the points lead despite a first-round loss.

“I was just thinking I didn’t need to screw this up again,” Wilkerson said. “We made some nice runs all weekend long and my team did a great job, so I can’t really complain about a thing. We’re very excited about this team.

“To be this close to home; I have so many people out there, so this is very exciting. I didn’t have the best car – Capps had a better car than I did all day long – but it worked out better for us in the finals. I did a lot better job tuning than I did driving, but I was consistent, and that’s what we needed to be able to win this race because the track was tricky.”

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Capps, who won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday, defeated Terry Haddock, Bob Tasca III and Chad Green to reach the final round before his chutes deployed at about half-track against Wilkerson. It’s the third final round appearance for Capps in 2023 and the 143rd in his career. He also moved to second in points.

With his car continuing to perform at a high level, Glenn again made the most of it during Pro Stock eliminations, as the points leader got past Deric Kramer in the final round with a pass of 6.562s at 209.95mph in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro. That gives Glenn three wins this season for his KB Titan Racing team and the seventh in his career. After setting a track record to qualify No. 1, Glenn got past Chris McGaha, teammate Greg Anderson and Jerry Tucker on Sunday to reach the final round.

He put together another consistent performance in the final round against Kramer, cruising to another victory and strengthening an already commanding points lead in the loaded Pro Stock category.

“You get a car this good, you just want to capitalize on it,” Glenn said. “I definitely feel like I’ve got a really good car. I didn’t feel like I drove my best today, but luckily it was good enough. It feels good now, but it can change in a heartbeat in this class. We’re just going to try to keep improving because I know all these other teams are trying really hard. We definitely need to step up and keep the hammer down, but I’m definitely enjoying this moment.”

Kramer advanced to his second straight final round this year on the strength of round wins against Mason McGaha, Cristian Cuadra and Aaron Stanfield.

Herrera stayed perfect on the season in Pro Stock Motorcycle, going 6.717s at 201.25mph in the final round on his Vance & Hines / Mission Foods Suzuki to beat Chip Ellis and claim his third straight win. As impressive as his first two winning weekends have been, Herrera was on another level in Chicago, putting together a dominant weekend that included shattering the track record by a huge margin with a run of 6.672s, qualifying No. 1 and winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge.

On Sunday, he finished things off with four strong performances, riding past Ron Tornow, Marc Ingwersen and teammate Eddie Krawiec to reach the final round. He raced past Ellis in the finals, building on his points lead and claiming the victory at his home track, where Herrera was making his first career appearance.

“It gives me a whole lot of confidence having a bike like this,” said Herrera, who made the second, third and fourth-quickest runs in class history this weekend. “This whole Vance & Hines team has this bike on rails and it takes a lot of weight off my shoulders. To get a third straight win and do it in front of these friends, it means a lot. I’m so excited about this.

“You couldn’t draw it up any better than this. We’ve got a lot of friends and family here, and it’s a special one. It’s just a dream right now for us.”

Ellis advanced to his 15th career final round thanks to wins against Chris Bostick, rookie Chase Van Sant and Hector Arana Jr.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action June 2-4 with the 10th annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.

Salinas, Hight, Glenn, Herrera qualify No. 1 at NHRA Route 66 Nationals

Camrie Caruso drove to the win at the first NHRA Pro Stock All-Star Callout, claiming the victory over Aaron Stanfield on Saturday as part of the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway. In …

In the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Justin Ashley (Top Fuel) Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won the bonus event in Chicago. Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car) Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the sixth of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Caruso, who was seeded eighth in the eight-car field specialty race, went 6.524s at 211.03mph in her Tequila Comisario Chevrolet Camaro in the final round to slip past Stanfield’s 6.525s. The 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year claimed her first career Pro Stock win earlier this year, following with an impressive performance in her first appearance at Route 66 Raceway, which is hosting its first NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series race since 2019.

“I told the guys at the beginning of the year I want to win all the specialty races this year, as well as obviously as many races as possible,” Caruso said. “This Pro Stock All-Star Callout gave us another chance to bring home a trophy at a racetrack I’ve never been to before. This was a whole bunch of new and first-time excitement for us this weekend. We managed to get it done. I’m excited and I couldn’t be more thankful.

“After the first round we had to change engines. We hurt the engine pretty good and couldn’t continue with it. We won and we didn’t really have a whole lot of time to come back up for the final, but the guys pushed through and made it happen. They gave me a great car and it all worked out in the end.”

Glenn claimed his first No. 1 qualifier with a track-record run of 6.510s at 210.70mph in his RAD Torque Systems Camaro. It came in the opening round of the Callout, but Glenn left the starting line too soon, ending his shot at a double-win weekend. Still, the points leader was enthused about his car in what is Glenn’s first Pro Stock appearance in Chicago.

“That run had extra pressure with the Callout race, but I went red. I knew I was red before red light came on,” Glenn said. “I just knew I was letting go early but the run just felt awesome. I was kicking myself the whole time but somehow, I accidentally managed to hit every shift absolutely perfect and keep it dead straight. It was a very nice run and it definitely should be some good momentum going into tomorrow.”

Charlotte winner Deric Kramer jumped to second in the final session with a pass of 6.515s at 210.11mph, while Bo Butner’s 6.519s at 210.21mph in the last qualifier sent him to third.

In Top Fuel, Ashley became the first two-time winner in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, going 3.728s at 331.12mph in his 11,000-horsepower Phillips Connect Toyota dragster to knock off Austin Prock’s 3.742s. Ashley won the bonus event in Pomona and followed it up with another fantastic performance in Chicago, getting past Antron Brown in the opening round on a holeshot on Saturday and following with a victory against Prock thanks in part to an outstanding .046 reaction time.

“It’s very exciting, this deal does mean a lot to us. It’s a new deal and we’re really grateful for Mission Foods and how they’ve put on this challenge,” Ashley said. “Anytime you add an additional opportunity to race and collect bonus points along the way I think it’s special and I think it means a lot. It was a really exciting day, a great day, and I think we did a good job of running well and setting the tone for ourselves going into tomorrow. This place is beautiful and to be able to see the attendance today was really encouraging.”

Salinas’ 3.686s at 333.41mph from Friday in his Gerber Collision & Glass/Scrappers Racing dragster held up for his first No. 1 qualifier this year. He will open eliminations against Chicago-area native T.J. Zizzo. Prock’s 3.694s from Friday has him second, while Doug Kalitta bumped up to third in the final session after going 3.702s at 329.75mph.

“This is really big. Some of the higher ups at Gerber were on the line with us and they’re very pleased with what we did,” Salinas said. “It’s packed here. It’s pretty cool to be back here with all the fans. I was No. 1 qualifier here in 2019 so it’s pretty cool. I just want to finish it better than I did then (when he was runner-up in 2019).”

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Capps picked up his first win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, going 3.941s at 328.30mph in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra. The reigning world champion was set to face Terry Haddock in the finals of the specialty race, but Haddock’s car broke on the starting line, helping hand the victory to Capps, who was thrilled to win the bonus event for the first time.

“Every driver and crew chief and team that I talked to about this Mission deal was pumped,” Capps said. “They turned Saturday qualifying and made it insane. It really drives you and gets you going, so it’s a great program. When we saw the first one happen and we weren’t in it, we were bummed. Those points are so important and it’s such a great program, and I’m so excited we were finally able to win one.”

Hight maintained the top spot in Funny Car thanks to his impressive 3.831s at 335.07mph from Friday in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools/Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS. It gave Hight his first No. 1 qualifier of the year as he also closed Saturday with the quickest run of the day during the final session. He’ll open eliminations against Dale Creasy Jr., looking for his second straight win this year. Cruz Pedregon’s 3.889s at 327.59mph gave him second and J.R. Todd’s 3.906s at 333.00mph was third.

“We’ve been changing some combinations around a little bit and we’ve qualified No. 2 a couple times this year. We’ve been right there this year,” Hight said. “There’s a lot of great cars. It’s great timing to be No. 1 at the first race with Cornwell Tools. It’s going to be a battle tomorrow but it’s going to be fun. The fans are the ones who win in deals like this.”

Herrera continued to be nearly unstoppable in Pro Stock Motorcycle, crushing the Route 66 Raceway record books and earning the first Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge victory in the category as well. He easily held onto the No. 1 qualifier with another massive run in the final round of the challenge, dispatching Chase Van Sant with a run of 6.672s at 200.32mph on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki. It’s the quickest run in Route 66 Raceway history in the category, eclipsing the mark he set on Friday.

He added another 6.677s in his opening-round win against Jianna Evaristo in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge before his standout run against Van Sant. It also gave the points leader his third straight No. 1 qualifier to open the season as he looks to win at his home track in his first appearance at Route 66 Raceway. Herrera will face Ron Tornow in the opening round.

“It means a lot. Obviously, Mission is a big sponsor for us, and for Mission to put this on and to be part of it is just a big deal alone,” Herrera said. “But to be able to get the win means a lot to the whole team and myself to be able to do that for Mission. (Crew chief) Andrew (Hines) has this thing on rails and it’s the baddest bike out here. It’s showing. They’re flexing their horsepower for sure.

“It would mean a lot to win here (on Sunday). It’s my first time racing here, having a lot of friends and family here. It’s special. The amount of support I have and everything. If I’m able to get a win here tomorrow, it would definitely be a special one.”

Chip Ellis took the second spot with a 6.756s at 200.68mph and Hector Arana Jr. qualified third thanks to his 6.759s at 201.85mph.

Eliminations for the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance begin at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday at Route 66 Raceway.

Salinas, Hight, Butner, Herrera fastest Friday at NHRA Route 66 Nationals

On a day filled with track records, Robert Hight set two in Funny Car, powering to the provisional No. 1 position on Friday as the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returned to Route 66 Raceway for the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 …

Mike Salinas (Top Fuel), Bo Butner (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the sixth of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

The opening round is also set for the first NHRA Pro Stock All-Star Callout after the drivers made their selections on Friday. Points leader Dallas Glenn, who is seeded first, got the opening pick and selected five-time world champion Erica Enders. Matt Hartford followed by picking Troy Coughlin Jr. and Kyle Koretsky tabbed Aaron Stanfield as his first-round opponent. That set Cristian Cuadra and Camrie Caruso as the final first-round pairing, as four KB Titan Racing cars will take on four Elite Motorsports cars to kick off the callout.

Debuting a new look on his car, Hight made the quickest Funny Car run in 2023, going 3.831s at 335.07mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools/Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS and shattering the previous track record he set in 2017. If it holds, it would be his first No. 1 qualifier this season and 78th in his career at the NHRA’s first race in Chicago since 2019. Coming off a victory at the most recent event in Charlotte, Hight turned in an incredible performance on Friday.

“That actually surprised me,” Hight said. “(Crew chief Jimmy Prock) kept saying in Charlotte there was so much more left in this car and sure enough there was. It was such a smooth run and when it’s that smooth it doesn’t feel that fast. What’s amazing is to come back to a track we haven’t raced at in that many years and to pick up right like that is pretty impressive.”

Cruz Pedregon’s 3.889s at 327.59mph put him in the second spot and J.R. Todd’s 3.906s at 333.00mph was third best of the session.

Salinas dipped into the 3.60s to lead the way in Top Fuel, rolling to the No. 1 spot with a pass of 3.686s at 333.41mph in his 11,000-horsepower Gerber Collision & Glass/Scrappers Racing dragster. If it holds, it would give Salinas his first No. 1 spot of the season. The veteran has enjoyed success at Chicago over the years, qualifying No. 1 at NHRA’s last appearance at the track in 2019 and also finishing as the runner-up.

“It was really good. We’ve worked really hard on the car the last few weeks,” Salinas said. “The last time we raced here, we were the No. 1 qualifier and the run we made tonight, we did that three times in testing. We know we have a great car, and we just have to carry this over to tomorrow and then Sunday. I think there’s going to be some really good runs tomorrow because the track is really, really good.”

Austin Prock went to second with a 3.694s at 331.20mph and Justin Ashley’s 3.717s at 332.10mph has him in the third position.

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Butner came into the weekend looking to turn around his 2023 Pro Stock season and the former world champion took a big step on Friday, going 6.522s at 207.94mph in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet Camaro. It set the track E.T. record and also puts Butner in line for his first No. 1 spot this season and 13th in his career. Currently ninth in points, Butner could make a big move if his weekend follows Friday’s performance.

“This is one of my favorite tracks and it’s good to be back here,” Butner said. “I missed this place, and it didn’t miss a beat. We haven’t been on it in four years and to go out and get a track record, that was great. The Elite team worked really hard in testing this week and that really paid off. It was a great run, and we were excited about it. I think the team found something in the cars.”

Cristian Cuadra is second after he went 6.529s at 210.31mph and Stanfield’s 6.534s at 210.14mph puts him third.

Herrera laid waste to both ends of the track record in Chicago while also continuing his dominant season in Pro Stock Motorcycle, delivering a stunning run of 6.677s at 202.45mph on his Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki. After winning the first two races of the season, Herrera kept up his torrid pace on Friday, just missing out on the quickest run in class history. But he stayed on track for his third straight No. 1 qualifier with an unbelievable run to kick off qualifying.

“I live about an hour away from here, so this is my home track and it’s really cool to be back here in Joliet,” Herrera said. “I’ve got a lot of friends and family here, so to go out here and be No. 1, it means a lot to me. I’ve been here many times to watch, but that was my first pass down the track, so do that on my first run was pretty cool. The people at the shop put in a lot of work and I’m just glad to be part of it.”

Chip Ellis is currently second with a 6.756s at 200.68mph and Hector Arana Jr. took third after a run of 6.759s at 201.85mph. In the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday, Herrera will take on Jianna Evaristo, while Angie Smith will race Chase Van Sant in the semifinal rematches from Gainesville.

Qualifying continues at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK Performance at Route 66 Raceway.