Photos by Alex Owens, Auto Imagery
SATURDAY NOTEBOOK – IT’S A SELLOUT! MOTHER NATURE KEEPS THE LEADERBOARD THE SAME
1 – YEP, DRAG RACING IS IN TROUBLE (THAT’S SARCASM) – A capacity crowd packed World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday, and the NHRA and track officials announced a sellout at the 14th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals. The event highlighted both the momentum of the Countdown to the Championship and the facility’s recent upgrades.
“Today’s sold-out crowd … showcases the unmatched passion of our drag racing fans,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “World Wide Technology Raceway’s significant investments in expanding the facility, upgrading grandstands and suites, and elevating the fan experience have transformed this venue into a premier destination for motorsports. Today’s enthusiastic turnout is a powerful testament to the value of our fans and the strength of this track within the NHRA community.”
St. Louis marks the midpoint of the NHRA Mission Foods Countdown to the Championship, a six-race playoff that often reshapes title hopes. Drivers have long said, “Everything changes in St. Louis,” and the track’s reputation continues to back that up.
World Wide Technology Raceway recently added an East Grandstand that opened just before the event, improving capacity and sightlines. Additional video screens across the Nitro 2 and West Grandstands also gave fans better access to the action.
The facility improvements played a role in drawing the strong turnout. Track officials said the changes are part of a long-term commitment to building the venue into one of the premier destinations for drag racing in the Midwest.
The Midwest Nationals have historically produced dramatic shifts in the championship standings. Saturday’s sellout confirmed the race’s continued importance to both fans and competitors at a crucial stage of the season.
Eliminations are scheduled to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. CDT.
2 – LEADERBOARD UNCHANGED – Reigning NHRA champion Austin Prock earned his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season Saturday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals, leading the Funny Car portion of the four pro categories at World Wide Technology Raceway. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Eric Latino (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also secured top positions heading into Sunday eliminations.
Prock, the Funny Car points leader, seeks his first St. Louis victory and second straight playoff win.
“We figured out what not to do today and we’ll be able to get after it tomorrow,” Prock said. “I never have a doubt in my mind – even when we stumble – that we can’t just get right back to running low E.T. the next round.” He will open against Bobby Bode.
Kalitta’s 3.675-second run at 334.82 mph held for the top spot in Top Fuel, giving the 2023 champion his eighth No. 1 of the season. “We’re in great shape,” Kalitta said. “In the end, it’s cool to get these low qualifiers, and it’s just a lot of pride for the guys coming out of Saturday with the quick times.” He faces Will Smith in round one, while Antron Brown and Tony Stewart qualified second and third, respectively.
Latino scored his first Pro Stock No. 1 with a 6.515, 209.75 burst in his GESi Chevrolet Camaro. “This is a big deal,” Latino said. “If it wasn’t for the whole team of KB Titan Racing, I’d be qualifying 20 out of 20. It’s really tough, and if you can’t partner with a team who’s been doing this for 25 years and has a whole collection of data, you’re not going to do it.” He opens against Troy Coughlin Jr. with Dallas Glenn qualifying second.
Herrera, the reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champion, claimed his seventh No. 1 of the year with a 6.741 at 200.41 mph on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.
“My head is down, I’m focused, and I have to go out there and do my job,” Herrera said. “Hopefully the bike carries me the rest of the way. I love challenges, and this is definitely a challenge.” His qualifying spot was rewarded with a bye in round one, while teammate Richard Gadson qualified second.
Eliminations begin Sunday at 11 a.m. CDT at World Wide Technology Raceway.
3 – A VICIOUS RUMOR – A rumor making its way around World Wide Technology Raceway is that the 2026 season will feature a four-wide race in the Countdown. Adding to the complexity of the limited stretch of playoff races is that it will be the Las Vegas race, the penultimate event. Adding to the complexity is the rumor the Countdown will be only five races with the scheduled TBA event reportedly in question; the reason being, the facility slated to host the race may or may not be an NHRA facility in 2026.
4- TWO, MUCH NEEDED WINS – No two drivers needed victories in 2024 more than Jack Beckman and Tony Schumacher. Both former Don Schumacher Racing teammates delivered in St. Louis, scoring monumental wins in the nitro categories at the NHRA Midwest Nationals.
For Beckman, the Funny Car final marked a comeback nearly four years in the making. After replacing John Force behind the wheel, he defeated Ron Capps to earn his first victory since November 2020. Beckman called it the most meaningful win of his career.
“Keep in mind that in November of 2020, I drove my last race and went back to fixing elevators and I didn’t have any prospects for hopping back in a nitro car,” he said. “Fast forward three years and nine months, and I got the offer to jump in John’s car. I hadn’t even thought about ever winning a race again. And then to actually stand in the winner’s circle, that was really the full circle moment.”
The final round came with drama. Beckman’s car dropped a cylinder and drifted toward the wall before he saw the light. “Not only did I see my win light, I practically drove over my win light,” he said. “It was a moment of disbelief because you look for your win light, you don’t always get to see it.”
He said the reality only settled in once the car came to a stop. “That was the final round. That means they’re going to have a winner’s circle with our car in it, and I get to go hold the trophy,” Beckman said. “Satisfying beyond belief is probably the best description.”
For Schumacher, the Top Fuel victory ended a Countdown drought dating back to 2014. His win over Steve Torrence was his second of the season and the 88th of his career.
Schumacher said the win carried weight because of the road it took to get there. “We went through a heck of a lineup,” he said. “Shawn Reed first round, then Tony Stewart, and Torrence in the finals. Those are always the ones you can look back on and go, we earned that one.”
He also pointed to the value of experience.
“John Force was winning when he was in his mid-70s. This is not an age thing, it’s a knowledge thing,” Schumacher said. “There’s people that are born to drive these cars and that will always drive them well, no matter how old they get. And Beckman coming back and performing like he’s performing?”
5 – NOT YOUR EVERYDAY OILDOWN – Betting on drag racing is now legal, but there’s no doubt predicting a Pro Stock Motorcycle oildown would bring longshot odds. “Flyin’” Ryan Oehler did the deed during Saturday’s Q3 session, leaving a trail of oil from the eighth-mile to the shutdown area. It appeared the engine slung a rod, splitting the bellypan.
6 – SAFETY, NOT SCOREBOARDS DETERMINE VALUE FOR ZIZZO – For Top Fuel driver T.J. Zizzo, the value of a racing season isn’t found in the points standings. He defines success by safety, teamwork, and returning his dragster to the shop in one piece.
Zizzo and his Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster are closing out their 2025 season this weekend at the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway. The Illinois veteran is making just his third start of the year, part of a limited schedule his team has long embraced.
“When you run limited like this but you have a lot of good equipment, you just want to return everything at the end of the season into the shop in the same condition you got it,” Zizzo said. “So being safe and having everyone happy is a good season for us, truly.”
Though he admits “win lights bring us happiness,” Zizzo insists victories aren’t the only measure of progress. “Every time I go whizzing by and I see a yellow light up there, that’s enjoyable, and it’s fun, and it’s important to us. But at the end of the day, when you’re all volunteer and you have all these guys pouring a heart and soul into this deal, it’s going home safely.”
Zizzo has yet to record a round win this year, one season after he qualified No. 1 at St. Louis last season. He views incremental improvement as equally important. “We’re always improving. We go to the next race better than the race before. We have better parts, we have better everything. We have people; all of us get better.”
The challenge, he said, is opportunity. “We need to go to more events to have a better chance of winning. If we could go to six or eight races a year, that makes a better season.”
Even with limited appearances, his priorities remain steady. “Putting this thing home and away safe and working towards our next year would be all I could ask for. A win is a win, right? Everyone here is here to win. But we really want to make sure that we’re doing it well.”
Zizzo admits Top Fuel racing is grueling. “We used to say going to the racetrack was fun. It’s work. This is work. So fun to us would be winning this event. That would be fun.”
7 – PAWUK SEALS A SECOND TITLE – Mark Pawuk clinched his second straight Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series championship Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway, securing the title at the conclusion of qualifying before adding a first-round win. The Dodge Challenger Drag Pak driver built his run on midseason victories and consistency that carried him through the stretch.
Backed by Empaco, Pawuk scored wins in Norwalk and Bristol, plus a runner-up in Charlotte, creating a points lead that challengers could not overcome. Flexjet executive David Davies II presented him the championship trophy and medal after eliminations began.
“I kind of knew I had it locked coming into St. Louis,” Pawuk said. “The guys that were right on my tail both got knocked out early at a couple races, and we were consistent all year. I have to take my hat off to David Barton and Ray Barton Racing Engines.”
For Pawuk, the repeat was a testament to preparation and execution. “We made consistent runs all year. I drove well when I needed to, and we won a couple of races. I really can’t believe I’m up here. I just wanted to come back and try to repeat and here I am. I just can’t even believe it,” he said.
Pawuk raced more than a decade in Pro Stock before switching to Factory Stock Showdown in 2018. His rookie season included runner-ups at Norwalk and the U.S. Nationals, with a St. Louis victory in 2023 marking his rise.
His first championship came in 2024 after early wins set up a late-season duel with Stephen Bell and Scott Libersher. Pawuk won the finale and the championship. This year’s title came earlier but against stout competition from Jason and Taylor Dietsch, who combined for four victories, including Taylor’s two-race streak entering St. Louis.
“Norwalk was on my bucket list,” Pawuk said. “I started racing there in the ’70s. Bristol was another special win, and to clinch the championship in St. Louis again is special. Somebody’s looking over me. I just thank everybody for their support.”
Although the championship is decided, Pawuk continues eliminations Sunday at the Midwest Nationals. He advanced past Josh Hart in round one and faces Richard Hord in round two.
8 – ANOTHER WRINKLE IN THE TETHER ISSUE – Ron Capps’ race day at the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals ended in the second round with a violent engine explosion that destroyed the body of his Toyota GR Supra. For Dean “Guido” Antonelli, crew chief for Capps’ NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, the incident highlighted the ongoing debate over NHRA’s Funny Car tether system.
Antonelli said the blast was so violent the body disintegrated despite the tethers holding firm. “So the explosion was so violent that it disintegrated the body, so the brackets all pulled through the body,” Antonelli explained. “The lanyards were strong enough, but it just pulled right out of the body.”
Unlike other incidents this season where intact bodies remained tethered and blocked drivers’ vision, Capps’ Supra shredded into fragments that landed behind the car. Antonelli said the largest piece was about six feet long, landing roughly 10 feet past the retaining wall.
The tethering system was introduced in 2013 after Robert Hight’s Funny Car body detached and floated over the fence at Charlotte. NHRA mandated ballistic tethers and dual front latches to keep bodies secured during catastrophic failures, but the design has since faced criticism.
Antonelli said the reinforced setup often prevents explosions from venting naturally. “Most of these issues have all come with the dual front-latch system,” he said. “It is so robust that it doesn’t let any of the explosion out. The body doesn’t lift an inch, and so it doesn’t let any energy out.”
Capps’ Charlotte explosion produced the opposite effect, with the body disintegrating and sparing him from a blocked cockpit. While destructive, the unusual outcome prevented the visibility issues that have plagued other drivers.
Antonelli is working on possible solutions to balance fan safety with driver protection. He is studying a system that would allow bodies to rise slightly during an explosion, releasing energy before returning to place. “It’ll have like a 24-inch lanyard,” Antonelli said. “So if it blows up, it’ll either come up, but it won’t let it get too high and it’ll let some of the energy out and then come back down.”
Capps walked away unharmed, though his Supra was left in ruins. Antonelli said the goal remains clear: “There’s going to be bad ones, but mostly this will eliminate the body coming up and going back, and the drivers can’t drive, but it should let it not buckle the body.”
9 – PLEASANT SURPRISE FOR LAUGHLIN – Alex Laughlin never expected to drive a Funny Car in NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship this season. But after Buddy Hull suffered a hand injury at the DENSO Sonoma Nationals, Laughlin was named his substitute at Jim Dunn Racing.
The assignment reunited Laughlin with the team for the first time since 2023, when he finished 10th in Funny Car points and posted a semifinal finish at the Carolina Nationals. Now, he is earning points on Hull’s behalf under the medical replacement policy while continuing to race Pro Modified.
“I will tell you that people would come by the Pro Mod pit all the time and ask when I’m getting back in a nitro car,” Laughlin said. “And I said, ‘I don’t know, but crazier things have happened. It could be tomorrow and it could be never.’ And here we are, St. Louis. I guess this is going on four races now, and the car’s really turned around.”
The team showed progress at the most recent Countdown stop in Charlotte, recording passes of 4.026, 4.000 and 3.987 seconds. For Laughlin, the consistency marks a welcome step forward. “We’ve made eight runs all consecutively to 300 miles an hour plus, full pulls to the finish line, and the motor’s happy, the guys are happy. Everything just seems to be jiving right now.”
Laughlin said the return feels familiar after his first Funny Car stint two years ago.
“My very first event in this car in 2023, we went 3.95 at 324 miles an hour, I think. We dipped into the threes a couple of times later on in the season. I think 3.98 was the best again. And so it definitely feels good to be able to have this opportunity to get back in the car with everything right and being consistent and making these clean runs.”
Switching between Funny Car and Pro Mod is not something he overthinks. “If I start trying to compare how you stage and put it on the two-step with one car before the tree drops, or just sit here and do nothing in the nitro car until the tree drops, I just let the instincts take over and just wing it.”
Laughlin admits he wasn’t missing nitro racing but couldn’t ignore the chance. “I love Pro Mod. It’s such a happy medium. It’s fun. It’s 10 races. I don’t have to be gone the entire season. But as always, the right opportunity comes along, then I’ll jump on it. What am I supposed to do, just let them pass?”
10 – HE KNOWS WHAT YOU’RE DOING – A prankster went on a decal-making spree with a friendly jab at the NHRA’s technical department. The decals are intended to bring a humorous twist to last weekend’s controversy of unapproved parts and run disqualification.
The more popular of the decals was the one with NHRA’s Tech Director Ned Walliser’s face photoshopped onto a Jesus graphic with the warning, “I saw that.”
The other popular decal pays homage to Shawn Langdon’s missing bellhousing bolts at Virginia that resulted in a post-race disqualification, following what appeared to be a Top Fuel victory. It reads, “Gone but not forgotten.”
FRIDAY NOTEBOOK – FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS YIELDS BATS AND EXCELLENT STORYLINES
1 – BAT MAN! – If there’s a Friday night gimmick to be had, Austin Prock remains the closest thing to a safe bet. The reigning NHRA Funny Car champion delivered another primetime run at World Wide Technology Raceway, posting a 3.845-second pass at 337.60 mph to lead Friday qualifying at the NHRA Midwest Nationals.
The effort earned Prock a commemorative Rawlings “Top Hitter” bat, part of a promotion celebrating St. Louis’ baseball heritage. For Prock, it was another addition to a growing list of Friday night trophies.
“It seems like anytime there’s anything on the line on Friday night, we’ve been good enough or lucky enough to take home the award,” Prock said. “So to add another one to the list, that baseball bat’s really cool.”
Prock’s run topped a strong Funny Car field, with Matt Hagan second at 3.868 and 329.91 mph, Daniel Wilkerson third at 3.871 and 332.10, Bob Tasca III fourth at 3.877 and 337.33, and Chad Green fifth at 3.886 and 334.07.
Prock said the lap came from careful preparation on a racing surface that had challenged earlier drivers. “That was a nice clean pass,” he said. “Felt really smooth leaving the starting line, and that lane seemed very difficult to drive tonight. So I was a little bit clenched going up there – didn’t want to make that mistake – and went right down the center of the racetrack.”
St. Louis is known for a bump near half-track, a feature Prock compared to hitting a wake in a speedboat at more than 270 mph. “It literally feels like the car comes off the ground, it lands, gets into the racetrack again, and then recoils back up out of the racetrack,” he said.
Prock also credited his approach of watching the track closely before climbing into the car. “I like to watch what other race cars are doing in front of me,” he said. “I usually get in about four pair before I’m supposed to run, so I’ll watch up unto that point, and then hustle back and hop in the race car.”
Whether the run holds through Saturday will depend on conditions, but Prock said he was proud to deliver when it mattered.
“I’ve been a racing addict my whole life, but to have something like that baseball bat in the collection is really cool,” he said.
2 – KALITTA POWER DELIVERS FRIDAY NIGHT – Doug Kalitta delivered a 3.675-second pass at 334.82 mph Friday night to take the provisional No. 1 in Top Fuel qualifying at the NHRA Midwest Nationals. The run at World Wide Technology Raceway also earned him a commemorative Rawlings bat in a baseball-themed promotion.
Kalitta admitted the lap carried some nerves as he waited his turn in a fast session. “I was sitting back there thinking, ‘I sure hope my car goes down the track because everybody is really running well,’” he said. “I got down there and it felt good.”
Antron Brown was second at 3.688 and 337.41, followed by Tony Stewart at 3.690 and 335.15. Shawn Reed landed fourth with a 3.703 at 332.10, and Brittany Force posted a 3.709 at 340.47 for fifth. The results underscored the tight margins that have defined Top Fuel competition this season.
Friday night qualifying has become one of the most popular sessions for fans, with nitro flames lighting the night sky. Kalitta said the atmosphere makes the experience unique for fans and drivers alike.
“These cars at night, it’s definitely a fan favorite opportunity,” he said. “For driving the cars at night, it’s pretty cool as well.”
Kalitta picked up three bonus points for the effort, but said he’s nit looking at the little points. With the Countdown to the Championship in full swing, he knows consistency on race day matters most.
“It’s all about Sunday and going rounds and trying to get to the final,” he said. “It’s going to take every point you can get probably, but I probably won’t start watching the points close.”
The veteran pointed to crew chief Alan Johnson and his team as a major source of confidence heading into the rest of the weekend. Johnson’s reputation for adjusting to changing track and weather conditions remains unmatched, and Kalitta said that gives him reassurance for eliminations.
“Alan has got a hell of a reputation for being able to get the most out of a car on any given track, temperature and day,” Kalitta said. “I’m in a good spot, I think. So we’re just going to have to see, just try to do the best we can and see how it comes out.”
3 – FATHER LATINO GETS HIS – Eric Latino delivered his strongest performance since moving from Pro Modified to Pro Stock, running 6.515 seconds at 209.75 mph Friday night to claim the provisional No. 1 spot at the NHRA Midwest Nationals. If the time holds, it will mark his first career No. 1 qualifier in the class.
Latino, a principal owner in KB Titan Racing, paced a four-car sweep by the powerhouse operation at the top of the order. Dallas Glenn was second at 6.516 and 209.14, Cory Reed slotted third with a 6.523 at 209.10, and Matt Hartford followed with a 6.529 at 209.72. Erica Enders was the quickest non-KB Titan driver in fifth at 6.538 and 210.44.
For Latino, the moment carried extra significance.
“I was a little bit in disbelief because it’s really tough to be No. 1 qualifier in this class, and I’ve been waiting a long time,” Latino said. “I’ll say I’m pretty excited.”
Latino said his team’s philosophy has always been about parity, with identical equipment spread across its roster. That made Friday’s run a validation of execution as much as horsepower.
“When you run them and you hit those shift points perfect, you run numbers like we just did,” he said. “It’s all in the driver, absolutely, for sure.”
One storyline hovering over the ladder was the possibility of Latino facing his son, Matt, who entered as the No. 16 qualifier. Latino admitted he wanted no part of that matchup.
“I do not want to face him because last time [in the first round at] Pomona, I was up against Matt and he put me on the trailer,” he said. “So [Saturday], Matt’s car’s going to advance, and he will not be running me, I hope.”
Confidence has also grown with more seat time. Latino said his equipment has improved with updates to his engine program, but he acknowledged that sharper driving has been just as important.
“I’m getting more confident in the car and driving better,” he said. “My friends joke that I’ve got the same car as everybody else, and if it’s not running as quick, it’s the driver. So it’s definitely the whole combination.”
Whether his time will hold until Sunday remains to be seen, but Latino’s crew believes the cooler Friday night conditions provided an edge.
“It should stick,” he said. “We won’t run as quick as we did tonight on Sunday, but we’re going to run quick enough to hopefully win the race.”
4 – REBOUNDING HERRERA STYLE – Gaige Herrera rebounded from an early Charlotte exit with a 6.741-second pass at 200.41 mph to claim the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot Friday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals. The run at World Wide Technology Raceway placed the defending series champion back atop the Pro Stock Motorcycle field.
Herrera’s lap led a three-bike sweep for Vance & Hines. Richard Gadson followed close behind at 6.759 and 200.02, while rookie Brayden Davis posted a 6.767 at 198.47. Behind them, Matt Smith Racing locked down the next three positions with Matt Smith, Angie Smith, and John Hall. The result showed how two powerhouse operations have defined much of the 2025 season.
For Herrera, the quick run provided both relief and opportunity. He arrived in St. Louis fourth in the points, a rare position for a rider more accustomed to leading the championship chase. Rather than see it as a setback, Herrera said he embraced the chance to compete from a different perspective.
“I’ve been in a normal situation where the bull’s-eye has been on my back, everyone has been chasing me, and now I get to be the one chasing them,” Herrera said. “So we had a little setback last race, but as far as racing, you have highs, you have lows, it’s just about how you bounce back from them.”
That bounce-back mentality has become part of Herrera’s approach. He said he was frustrated after his bike shut off in Charlotte but wasted little time moving forward.
“Honestly, I was kind of over it once I made the turnoff,” Herrera said. “You’ve got to learn to lose before you could ever win.”
The ability to reset quickly comes from experience. Herrera pointed to motocross and years of drag racing outside the NHRA as preparation for moments like this. The lesson, he said, is to avoid dwelling on mistakes and to focus on the next pass.
Herrera also credited his team, led by Andrew Hines, for putting him in position to recover. “Andrew’s like, ‘That’s a 1.02 60-foot track out there. So go out there, do your job,’ and hopefully I did mine,” Herrera said. “A 6.741 was good.”
Looking ahead, Herrera said he is ready to keep pressing in a championship fight that remains wide open.
“You just got to go round by round,” he said. “Like I said, you have highs and you have lows. We’re good.”
5 – THE MONEY PIT, MILLICAN EDITION – You know stuff is messed up when Clay Millican sits out a qualifying session.
That happened at the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals last Saturday when Millican and Rick Ware Racing teammate Tony Schumacher skipped Q4. The move followed Millican’s violent Q3 engine explosion, which sent debris flying and forced Doug Kalitta to take evasive action.
Millican said the decision was about safety. “Well, you know what? It was the smart thing to do because we didn’t quite know why Tony’s car and my car both had a major issue – explosions, a sneeze, whatever you want to call it.”
The team suspected valve train problems, but hadn’t fully solved them. “We thought we had it figured out,” Millican said. “We made our way to the final round last week, and then in the final we had it happen again. And we now do believe we got it figured out.”
The setbacks drained parts inventory late in the season. “We had three superchargers, three intakes, three injectors, three short blocks, and it’s not the normal way that Jim O [Oberhofer] and Rob Flynn operate,” Millican said. “Anybody that knows this business knows that’s not normal.”
The shortages came with championship hopes still alive.
“It was pretty rough on the ol’ inventory, that’s for sure,” Millican said. “Especially this late in the year and especially when we still have a shot at winning this championship. So skipping Q4 was the absolute right thing to do.”
Help poured in from suppliers and other teams.
“Unbelievable. I got in here yesterday, and to hear the stories and to see the parts that had shown up, unreal,” Millican said. “Darren Mayer essentially shut his shop down to nothing but getting us parts for this weekend. Had one of his employees actually drive it from Michigan down here.”
The Q3 explosion caused additional damage.
“Our blow up on Q3 last week was so violent that it actually threw the clutch and flywheel assembly off the crankshaft,” Millican said. “Chris Nachtman [‘Cupcake’] from CNC Performance Engineering literally stopped what he was doing and built us new parts for this weekend.”
Tasca Racing, Aaron Brooks, Bobby Lagana Jr., and Kalitta Motorsports also pitched in.
“You hate to blow up cars,” Millican said, “but when everybody rallies to get you back on track, it reminds you why this is the greatest sport in the world.”
6 – DON’T PINCH ME, GADSON EDITION – Richard Gadson left zMAX Dragway with more than a race win. His victory at the NHRA 4-Wide Carolina Nationals made him the Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader in the Countdown to the Championship.
The milestone was one Gadson said he always believed was possible.
“I’d have said, ‘I hope so,’” he said when asked if he expected to lead the standings this late in the year. “I always knew we had this kind of potential. I knew what I could do, but I knew that we had a bike that had the potential to do great things. We just had to get all those things gelling. It was only a matter of time.”
The early part of the season brought challenges, but Gadson’s confidence never faded.
“I wasn’t discouraged at the start of this season. We just knew we had to keep digging until we found it, and here we are.”
Charlotte also brought a surprise with Gaige Herrera, the defending champion, being eliminated in the first round.
“Definitely Gaige going out first round is unbelievable,” Gadson said. “He don’t usually miss at all. Me leading the points is you have a couple good races in a row and you found yourself in this position after the reset, but he ain’t going to stay where he is at. I’m expecting him to bounce back with a vengeance. I expect us all to have hell to pay.”
Gadson knows the margin is thin with riders like Herrera and Matt Smith still in contention.
“If I could just keep going round one round at a time and go the distance, hopefully I can fight him off, and ol’ Smitty, too,” he said.
Leading the class has put Gadson in a new position, one that comes with added weight.
“I don’t know if anybody knows what that feels like,” he said of having Herrera chasing him. “He is always in the front. It makes you think … just wash, rinse, repeat. Just keep doing the same thing I’m doing and he’s going to do what he does.”
The key, Gadson said, is staying steady.
“We got a bike that’s been really fast lately and I’ve been at the top of the heap some here lately, too,” he said. “It’s not like I need luck, I just need to keep doing what we doing.”
7 – GOT TO GET RID OF THE BOMB – If Tim Wilkerson had his way, he would return to a safety approach he used on his Funny Car more than a decade ago. The veteran driver said his 2013 setup was explosion-tested and proved effective, even if it was eventually outlawed.
Wilkerson believes the old system could offer insight into the current tethering issue that has left Funny Car drivers temporarily blinded after engine explosions distorted the bodies at high speeds. He has welcomed the involvement of Hall of Famer Jim Head, who has joined other crew chiefs in searching for a safer path forward.
“Back when we first got tethers on and off, we actually came to a point where it was still blowing the cars in half when we held onto the front without tethers on it, when they let us take the tethers off,” Wilkerson said.
At the time, Wilkerson and chassis builder Murf McKinney developed an alternative.
“We had a stove pipe going through this and … when it blew up, it would blow the air through the stove pipe. But it had a V dash in it and Murph said, ‘Well, why don’t we just make a V dash, and then we’ll try to figure out if that helps it or not,’” Wilkerson recalled. “And I said, ‘Well, if we’re going to do that, why don’t we give the explosion somewhere to go, just like the stove pipe?’”
Their solution was to raise the tinwork halfway up the side window, venting pressure through the body panels.
“The car was extremely fast like that, and a couple of races in a row I had top speed of the race,” Wilkerson said. But rival owners questioned whether the venting gave him an unfair advantage, and NHRA officials stepped in.
“One of the multi-car team owners decided that that was the only reason why my car was fast. So NHRA made me close the windows up so the air couldn’t get through there anymore. So we did that, and I was still the fastest car.”
When NHRA required more changes, Wilkerson modified the design.
“They come back and they said, ‘Well, now you got to close up the V dash.’ So I took and put a hinged deal in the V dash, so if it blew up, it would actually just blow the V out of the way. And we ran it like that,” he said.
Wilkerson eventually tested the concept in a real-world failure.
“Finally I got to test it. It had a valve fall out of the head, and it coughed really bad, just like a normal explosion was. Blew the left-side window out of the car, blew the right-side window out of the car, and about a three foot by two foot piece of the body out. Body never fell off the car.”
For Wilkerson, the principle remains clear. “So you just got to get rid of the bomb,” he said.
8 – HYDE DOMINATES ROOKIE OF THE YEAR TALK – There’s a bit of Spencer Hyde that feels like a country boy staring up at the skyscrapers of the big city. The rookie Funny Car driver has spent 2025 adjusting to a life he once only dreamed about while proving himself in the Jim Head owned and tuned Mustang.
Hyde, who sits eighth in points, has emerged as a consistent threat while chasing the NHRA Rookie of the Year award. For a driver who began the season without a Funny Car license, the rise has been fast.
“It kind of all happened so fast when Jim called me last fall, and he was gone away to New Zealand and I didn’t have a license,” Hyde said. “So he had to come home early, and we went to Gainesville and licensed the week before” the Gatornationals.
From there, Hyde juggled a Pro Mod appearance at the DI World Series of Pro Modified before making his Funny Car debut at Gainesville. It wasn’t until several races later that the scope of the opportunity hit him.
“Man, this is the stuff I’ve been dreaming of for 20 years,” Hyde said. “And it’s like it all just came together and happened so fast.”
His breakout came in mid-April at Las Vegas, when he won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge.
“I’m at [Las] Vegas Motor Speedway in front of a grandstand full of people at the NHRA with a trophy in my hand,” Hyde said. “This is so cool.”
Now, with only a handful of races left, Hyde said he felt conflicted about seeing the season wind down.
“I’m sad it’s coming to an end,” he said. “But I’m also happy with how we did this year, and just really hoping we can put something together for next year and stay out here.”
Hyde has embraced the role of overachieving rookie, saying Rookie of the Year would be “a great feather in the cap.” He pointed to competitors like Pro Stock’s Cody Coughlin and Matt Latino, and Pro Stock Motorcycle rookie Brayden Davis as talented company he must overcome.
“My goal is to finish top five,” Hyde said. “They finished sixth last year, so coming into this deal it was top five. We’re only a round out of sixth place, so a top five is not really out of reach.”
9 – BATTER UP – Three of drag racing’s veterans didn’t need a bat to deliver an upper-deck performance at the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway Park outside of St. Louis. This year, however, when they pulled it off, they received a bat to show for it.
Friday night’s qualifying session carried more than points and position. NHRA and World Wide Technology officials partnered with Rawlings to present a special “2025 Friday No. 1 Qualifier Top Hitter” bat to the quickest drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle during the primetime session.
The award was unveiled as part of a baseball-themed celebration at the top end of the racetrack. Along with the commemorative bat, Rawlings provided additional gear to help reinforce the tie between St. Louis’ baseball heritage and the NHRA’s playoff stop under the lights.
Friday’s qualifying featured two night-time sessions, and also marked the first time since 2019 that the facility hosted two Friday qualifying sessions.
10 – BROGDON TOPS SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – Rodger Brogdon topped Comp Eliminator qualifying, Mark Pawuk paced Factory Stock Showdown, David Barton led Super Stock, Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. was first in Stock, and Darian Boesch earned the No. 1 spot in Top Sportsman as sportsman qualifying wrapped up at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Brogdon, of Tomball, Texas, guided his ’34 Chevrolet B/SR to the Comp Eliminator pole with a 7.710, .670 under his index. Scott Linder of Hedrick, Iowa, followed at 6.506, while Clint Neff of Arvada, Colo., claimed third with a 7.640. Robert Bailey of Wabash, Ind., and Sean Dodd of Double Oak, Texas, rounded out the top five.
In Factory Stock Showdown, Pawuk secured the top spot with a 7.710 at 178.10 mph in his 2021 Dodge Challenger. Raymond Nash of Hinckley, Ohio, was second at 7.719, just ahead of Hicksville, Ohio’s Taylor Dietsch at 7.719. Alex Anderson of Wilmington, Ill., and Jonathan Allegrucci of Scott Township, Pa., completed the top five.
Barton of Sinking Spring, Pa., led Super Stock with a 9.213 in his 2015 Camaro, .987 under his index. Larry Hodge of La Place, Ill., posted a 10.384 for second, and Gary Stinnett of Emporia, Kan., was third at 9.992. Scott Libersher of Wilmington, Ill., and Jason DeForrest of Oak Grove, Minn., filled the remaining top-five positions.
In Stock Eliminator, Hidalgo Jr. of Donaldsonville, La., drove his 2004 Pontiac GTO to a 10.590, 1.110 under the E/SA index. Blake Hooper of Charleston, Ill., was second at 12.029, followed by T.C. Morris of New Haven, Ky., at 10.738. Brent Kopejtka of Stanton, Neb., and Billy Maddox of Sidney, Neb., also finished in the top five.
Boesch of Kenner, La., set the pace in Top Sportsman with a 6.235 at 228.04 mph in his 2018 Camaro. Jeff Brooks of Fredericksburg, Va., was second at 6.386, and Allen Firestone of Velma, Okla., was third at 6.406. Rick Sojka of North Aurora, Ill., and Richard Smith of Wentzville, Mo., completed the top five in the quick field.
