Photos by Alex Owens, Todd Dziadosz
SUNDAY FINAL – ANGIE SMITH MAKES HISTORY AS PROCK BREAKS THROUGH, LANGDON STAYS HOT AT NHRA POTOMAC NATIONALS
The biggest story leaving Maryland International Raceway wasn’t Austin Prock’s return to the winner’s circle, or Shawn Langdon’s continued domination of Top Fuel.
It was Angie Smith.
Smith delivered one of the most meaningful victories of her career Sunday, ending a drought of nearly four years without a win, and simultaneously becoming the driver who recorded the 200th victory by a woman in NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series history. The milestone came at the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals and capped a Matt Smith Racing weekend that nearly unraveled before it ever started.
Joining Smith in the winner’s circle were Austin Prock in Funny Car, Shawn Langdon in Top Fuel and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock, as NHRA completed its first national event at MIR before a packed grandstand.
Smith arrived in coastal Maryland facing the possibility her team might not race at all.
Only two weeks earlier in Chicago, a mechanical failure on the starting line denied her a victory. Then, on Friday, husband and six-time champion Matt Smith was hospitalized with gallstones, leaving the team scrambling to keep four motorcycles race-ready.
Instead of loading up, the team regrouped.
Smith qualified No. 1 to earn a first-round bye, then raced past Brayden Davis and Clayton Howey, and closed the deal with a 6.683-second pass at 201.52 mph aboard her Denso Auto Parts Buell to defeat Ryan Oehler in the final round and secure the fourth victory of her career.
“I was just ecstatic because at 7 a.m. Friday, we were running zero bikes, we were taking the [Christmas] tree and getting our 30 points, packing up and going home,” Smith said.
“At 10 a.m. Matt said, ‘We’re running all four bikes, I believe in you, and you can do it.’ So that’s what we did. It was tough and it was not easy, and it’s one of those things when your team believes in you and your husband believes in you.”
Smith said the milestone belonged to all the women racers who visited victory circle before her Sunday appearance there.
“It means everything [to get the 200th]. From Erica [Enders] to Shirley [Muldowney] to Angelle [Sampey], to all of those ladies who have paved the way for me to come out here, and I get to call some of them my really good friends, and that’s what means so much to me,” Smith said.
“We have such a close relationship, and I will always be the 200th. I’m glad I can represent the women of NHRA.”
While Smith made history, Austin Prock may have delivered the most important win of the season for his race team.
The two-time and reigning Funny Car champion entered the MIR event still searching for his first victory since leaving John Force Racing in the offseason to join team owner Bob Tasca III. Expectations followed him to the new team, but victories did not – until Sunday.
The season started in a surprisingly dismal way when the team failed to qualify at the season-opening Gatornationals in Florida. Through the first five races, the combination never advanced beyond the second round and looked nothing like the group that won the last two championships.
Then, two weeks ago, there were crystal-clear signs of progress in Chicago when Prock notched a semifinal finish. The Tasca Racing operation put all the pieces together this weekend at MIR.
The team followed a Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory Saturday with Sunday’s win. He defeated Matt Hagan, Spencer Hyde, points leader Ron Capps, and finally Jack Beckman in the final round.
Prock’s winning pass of 3.956 seconds at 324.20 mph was his quickest run of the weekend and delivered Tasca Racing the statement victory it had been chasing since the season opened.
“It means a lot,” Prock said. “It’s like winning your first race all over again because all of the work that we put in and everything that we learned.
“To be seven races in and win the Mission Challenge this weekend and win the diamond Wally [on Sunday], I think it says a lot about this race team and what we’re capable of. I’m just very proud of this whole Ford Racing team. It was a great weekend, but this is just the beginning of the new era of the Prock Rocket.
“As a competitor, you’re just kind of beat down, and then the race car started coming alive again, and I felt like I was behind the race car at times, where the race car was performing better than I was.
“After (Chicago), I was really, really hard on myself after the semifinals. I didn’t leave good enough to even put us in contention. I wanted to come in here this weekend and prove to myself that I’ve still got it, and I feel like I did that.”
Shawn Langdon piloted the Kalitta Air dragster to its fourth win in six races – the first three-race winning streak of his Top Fuel career – by defeating teammate Doug Kalitta in one of the closest races in category history.
Langdon’s 3.762-second pass at 334.90 mph edged Kalitta at the finish line after both drivers left the starting line nearly together. The margin of victory was clocked as .0002 seconds – roughly one inch at the stripe – at more than 330 mph.
Earlier in the day, Langdon established the MIR track record with a 3.718, 338.00. He also qualified No. 1 and stretched his points lead to 76 over Kalitta.
“I knew I had to hit the tree better in the final because Doug had a little bit on me all weekend long. I mean, [Kalitta crew chief] Alan Johnson’s Alan Johnson for a reason, because in the final rounds he performs, and Doug’s been there and had had one of the best cars over the last couple years,” Langdon said.
“Three wins in a row means a lot because of all the hard work that’s gone into this team over the last couple of years. When Brian came over and revamped everything within the team, the guys just all got together and they’ve done such a fantastic job.
“It just makes my job a lot easier. I just have to go out there and hit the gas on time and hold the thing straight. When you have confidence in your team and confidence in your car, it makes it a lot of fun.”
In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson reminded everyone why KB Titan Racing is the team to beat at most every event this season. The six-time champion defeated Brandon Miller, Deric Kramer, and Greg Stanfield before stopping points leader and teammate Dallas Glenn in the final round with a 6.472, 212.46.
The victory was Anderson’s 114th career NHRA national-event win and improved his final-round record against Glenn to 10-1. Anderson’s car lived in the 6.40s throughout eliminations, including a track-record 6.464 run against Kramer.
“You can’t try to be Superman, no matter what the competition’s doing and that’s a hard thing,” Anderson said.
“It’s easy to say, but it’s hard to do when you’re going up there and you got Aaron Stanfield and Dallas Glenn, and you know the reaction time is going to start with a zero or one. It’s just the way it is, and I’m not that guy anymore.
“I told myself before that final round, ‘Do not make a mistake like you did last weekend,’ and obviously went too far the other way, and I had a horrible light. But thank God Dallas’ car didn’t make it, so just my day – my lucky day.
“My car was fantastic all day long, and it’s just a good-feeling racetrack for me.”
Maryland International Raceway spent decades building a reputation without Top Fuel and Funny Car.
On its first NHRA national-event weekend, the facility delivered packed grandstands and record performances. Fans will long remember Angie Smith’s milestone victory, Austin Prock’s return to form, Shawn Langdon’s championship march, and Greg Anderson’s latest reminder that experience still matters.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action June 5-7 for the NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.
SATURDAY QUALIFYING – LANGDON LEADS MARYLAND CHARGE AS BECKMAN, STANFIELD AND SMITH CLAIM NO. 1 SPOTS AT NHRA POTOMAC NATIONALS
Shawn Langdon arrived at Maryland International Raceway as one of the hottest drivers in Top Fuel, and by the time qualifying for the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals ended Saturday, he looked every bit the favorite heading into eliminations.
Langdon secured his third No. 1 spot of the season, leading a group of top qualifiers that also included Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Greg Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) at the seventh stop of the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
The sellout crowd that packed MIR on Saturday came expecting a showcase from NHRA’s professional ranks. The facility delivered, producing one of the better qualifying days of the 2026 tour.
Langdon’s 3.744-second pass at 336.23 mph in the Kalitta Air dragster stood as the quickest run of the weekend. It also provided another reminder that crew chief Brian Husen has developed a combination capable of winning almost anywhere the series visits.
Four victories already sit on Langdon’s 2026 resume, and Maryland only added to what is becoming a championship-caliber season. Every race team in Top Fuel knows who’s the target entering Sunday.
“It feels great to have such a strong running car,” said Langdon. “I think the best thing is that Brian was trying to go 3.74 before that run. He had said if everything goes right, maybe a high .73 on the slow side, maybe a .75 and we went right in the middle at .74 so he’s just got a really good handle on the car. He’s doing such a great job, and his gut instincts are really being showcased right now. He’s just making the right decisions.”
The reward for qualifying No. 1 is a first-round bye in a 15-car field. That’s one less round Langdon has to conquer as he chases another 75th anniversary Wally trophy.
Teammate and reigning NHRA champion Doug Kalitta qualified second with a 3.771, 333.00, followed by Leah Pruett’s 3.771, 331.12.
Funny Car belonged to Beckman, whose PEAK Chevrolet team continues to search for the consistency that carried it through much of last season.
His 3.935-second pass at 326.79 mph during the third qualifying session held for the No. 1 position and his second straight top-qualifier effort. Beckman is in search of his first win of 2026 and the 38th of his career.
The speed has been there at times this season. Converting that speed into wins during eliminations has been the challenge.
“It’s no secret, we’ve been stumbling a little bit with the PEAK car and we haven’t been ourselves like last year, when our car could do no wrong,” Beckman said. “We’re just kind of struggling this year, but it’s because we did some things to try to be quicker, and a lot of times that step backwards takes a while before you recuperate from that. But to know that every dart we’re throwing is hitting near the bull’s-eye means we could make good tune-up calls for tomorrow. This is one of those Saturdays where I’m counting down the hours till the national anthem. I can’t wait to get back out here tomorrow.”
Former NHRA Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon continued an impressive weekend by qualifying second at 3.951, 323.19. Spencer Hyde followed closely in third with a 3.952, 323.58.
The loudest Pro Stock statement of the day came from Greg Stanfield.
Driving the Janac Brothers Racing entry, Stanfield powered to a 6.482-second run at 212.39 mph to earn his first No. 1 qualifier since 2009. In a category where thousandths of a second separate much of the field, ending that 17-year qualifying drought is no small accomplishment.
The run represented another sign that Elite Motorsports has found its footing after spending much of the season trying to catch KB Titan Racing.
“It feels great to have a No. 1,” said Stanfield. “It’s just testament to all the hard work the Elite Motorsports guys have put in to get these cars faster, and we’re just the lucky ones to get to drive, so it feels good to do it. I’ll feel better if I can hold that big Wally tomorrow.”
Reigning Pro Stock champion Dallas Glenn qualified second with a 6.486, 211.73, while Eric Latino secured the third position with a 6.493, 211.30.
Angie Smith and Matt Smith Racing continued to grab the Pro Stock Motorcycle headlines through two days of MIR action.
With husband and six-time champion Matt Smith sidelined following hospitalization for treatment of gallstones, Smith continued carrying the load for the King, N.C., team. Her 6.690-second run at 202.97 mph secured her third No. 1 qualifier of the season and placed her in prime position for race day.
The performance reflected more than one rider’s effort. Crew members have been handling responsibilities they normally wouldn’t face, while the namesake team owner has remained involved from his hospital room.
“Everybody on my crew has stepped up, and they have done jobs that they have never done before,” she said, “and I couldn’t do it without every single person at that trailer, and I couldn’t do it without Matt, sitting in a hospital bed. He’s making good calls, but our MVP is down right now – but there is rumor that he might be at the track tomorrow, so we’ll see.”
Reigning NHRA champ Richard Gadson qualified second with a 6.729, 201.31. John Hall rounded out the top three with a 6.739, 201.91.
Eliminations for the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals begin Sunday at 11 a.m. EDT.
SATURDAY’S 2FAST2TASY – PROCK FINALLY BREAKS THROUGH AS LANGDON, STANFIELD AND SMITH SCORE MARYLAND #2FAST2TASTY WINS
Austin Prock finally gave the Tasca Racing team something it has been chasing since the season opened in Gainesville, Fla.
The reigning Funny Car champion defeated Matt Hagan on Saturday to claim his first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the season at Maryland International Raceway, giving a much-needed boost to a team that entered 2026 with championship hopes.
Joining Prock as Saturday winners were Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle). Their victories helped set the stage for Sunday’s eliminations at the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals.
For Prock, the victory represented more than a specialty race trophy.
After winning the 2025 Funny Car championship and making the high-profile move from John Force Racing to Tasca, Prock’s season has been marked by frustration. His campaign started with the shock of failing to qualify at Gainesville, and the struggles continued through a series of first-round losses that left one of the sport’s premier drivers searching for momentum.
The speed has surfaced at times, but consistency has been difficult to grasp. Saturday’s victory won’t erase the first half of the season, but it offered the strongest indication yet that Prock and the Tasca Racing team may be turning a corner.
“It feels great,” said Prock. “It’s been a long time and feels good. We’ve had a decent car all weekend, and good enough to win the Mission #2Fast2Tasty race today. We’ve got a lot of work to do still, but the race car’s going up and down the race track, and giving me the opportunity to get comfortable in this Ford and practice chopping down the Christmas Tree.
“I’m proud of what we’ve done so far. We’re going to be hard at it tonight, and we’re going to have a fast ‘Prock Rocket’ in the morning, I can guarantee that.”
Prock defeated Hagan in the Challenge final, and they will have a rematch in Sunday’s opening round. The duel gives Prock an immediate chance to turn Saturday’s breakthrough into an even more important race-day statement.
In Top Fuel, Langdon continued to strengthen his position as one of the hottest drivers in NHRA competition.
The Kalitta Air ace claimed the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and secured his third No. 1 qualifier of the season with a 3.744-second pass at 336.23 mph. He defeated Leah Pruett in the Challenge final and earned the 25th No. 1 qualifier of his career.
Langdon improved on Friday’s leading run and once again showed why is the favorite in Top Fuel for Sunday, when he will seek his fifth victory of the season. His performance thus far at MIR only added to the growing belief that Langdon and his team have become the benchmark.
The Stanfield family made its own statement in Pro Stock on Saturday.
Aaron Stanfield delivered the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory for Elite Motorsports, while his father, Greg, locked down the No. 1 qualifying position. Together they gave Elite Motorsports one of its strongest qualifying performances of the season.
Aaron Stanfield defeated six-time NHRA champion Greg Anderson in the Challenge final. The victory marked his first #2Fast2Tasty win of the season and continue the momentum generated by his Chicago win two weeks ago.
“It definitely feels good to beat Greg Anderson on a holeshot,” said Stanfield. “I think if we’re close enough to him, we’re going to have that opportunity. I look forward to some more of it, and I’m going to try to stay on my ‘A’ game.
“I think our whole Elite group has some momentum, and for sure it feels good to be turning on some win lights, especially against those KB Titan Racing guys. They’ve been tough to beat here lately, and it’s been nice to have some momentum rolling our way. I think everybody’s able to take a little bit of a breath, but I can promise you they’re not satisfied. I think we still got a little way to go, and they’re just keeping on working. There’s no quitting in them and I’m right there, and we’re going to keep pushing.”
Aaron Stanfield qualified 10th and opens eliminations Sunday against Cody Anderson, Greg’s son.
No victory on Saturday carried more emotion than the one earned by Angie Smith.
Less than 24 hours after husband and six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith was hospitalized by gallstones and sidelined for the weekend, Smith delivered one of the most determined performances of her career. She claimed both the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and the No. 1 qualifying position aboard her Denso Auto Parts Buell.
Smith has spent much of her career helping build Matt Smith Racing into one of the category’s dominant organizations. On Saturday, she carried the banner herself while her husband watched from his hospital bed and provided tuning advice for the second consecutive day.
The accomplishment provided a lift for the entire team and firmly established Smith as the rider to beat heading into eliminations.
“I know Matt wanted this more than anything, and I wanted it more than anything,” said Smith. “It’s been two years since I’ve won one of these Mission Challenges, so I really needed to win it, and we got it done today. Hats off to Matt and to my entire crew.”
FRIDAY QUALIFYING – LANGDON LEADS NHRA’S LONG-AWAITED MARYLAND DEBUT AS ANGIE SMITH DELIVERS FRIDAY’S BIGGEST MOMENT
For years, Maryland International Raceway built its reputation without Top Fuel or Funny Car. On Friday, the facility finally hosted an NHRA national event for the first time, and the sport’s biggest names responded in a big way.
Shawn Langdon led Top Fuel qualifying while Cruz Pedregon topped Funny Car, Greg Anderson paced Pro Stock, and Angie Smith showed the way in Pro Stock Motorcycle as MIR delivered the performance many expected – fast race cars on a fast racetrack.
Langdon’s 3.758-second pass at 336.23 mph in the Kalitta Air dragster was the quickest run of the day and continued a torrid start to the season for the former NHRA champion.
Any concerns about whether Maryland International Raceway could support a national event disappeared quickly. By the second qualifying session, crew chiefs were already talking about how much more potential the track might possess.
Langdon’s run came during a side-by-side duel with teammate Doug Kalitta, whose 3.774 at 333.91 mph placed him second after Day One. Tony Stewart was third with a 3.790 at 333.33 mph.
At this point, Langdon isn’t chasing momentum, he’s driving the car everyone else is trying to catch.
“We didn’t think we could make that kind of run here today,” Langdon said. “We actually underestimated the track on the first run, and so Brian [Husen, crew chief] realized he could get after it a little more and we were able to take the No. 1 from Doug. This is just such a great team effort from everyone at Kalitta Motorsports, starting with [team owner] Connie [Kalitta], and I’m just proud to be able to drive the car.
“Tomorrow, we’ll just have the kind of mindset that we had today. Just try to make some good runs, but also win the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, too.”
Pedregon finally had something tangible to show for a season that has tested his patience.
After enduring a difficult start to the year that included a DNQ in Pomona and six consecutive first-round exits, the two-time champion moved to the provisional pole with a 3.951-second run at 323.19 mph in his Snap-on Dodge Hellcat.
Qualifying well doesn’t erase the frustration of six difficult races. For one night, though, the team looked more like a contender than a group desperate to stanch the bleeding.
“That probably won’t stay No. 1. I think there’s a .92 or (.93) out there, and we’re going to give it a shot tomorrow,” Pedregon said. “It’d be nice to stay No. 1. It doesn’t win the race, but it gives you some confidence. We’re in the numbers game, so, you know, being in that top three or four is important.
“The thing about this place, it’s near the ocean. Anytime you get near the ocean at sea level, you’re going to get good atmospheric conditions. The challenge for our cars is we have more power than we really need, so the challenge for us is to pull it back and not get too fancy and cute. We had a good balance, and it ripped, man. It was a good run.”
Spencer Hyde was second with a 3.953 at 323.58 mph. Jordan Vandergriff, who won the South Georgia race earlier this month, sat third at 3.970, 321.88.
Anderson took one look at the weather conditions and did what he usually does when Mother Nature lends a helping hand. The six-time NHRA champion jumped to the top of the order with a 6.494-second run at 211.79 mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It proved to be the only sub-6.50 run of the opening session.
The venue may be new to the NHRA schedule, but it isn’t new to Anderson. Long before he became one of the division’s most decorated drivers, he was making trips to Maryland as the crew chief on Warren Johnson’s Pro Stock entries.
“I remember so many times coming here back 25 years ago … and we’d come up here and we would race the Wednesday night before Englishtown and the grandstands would be packed. It’s just a great atmosphere,” Anderson said.
“We love going to sea level-type tracks, because we don’t have a blower, we don’t have any type of power. We’re dependent on Mother Nature. We hope and pray we get races somewhere through the season that have conditions like this. These are fantastic conditions; they’re basically Disneyland conditions, and you’ll see the cars all run faster tomorrow. You should see a lot of 6.40 runs tomorrow.”
Points leader Dallas Glenn stayed close with a 6.497 at 211.26 mph. Matt Latino was third after a 6.504, 212.56.
The quickest runs weren’t necessarily the biggest story Friday. That distinction belonged in the Pro Stock Motorcycle pit area.
Smith posted a career-best 6.690 at 202.97 mph less than 24 hours after husband and team owner Matt Smith was hospitalized with gallstone issues and ruled out for the weekend.
Despite being sidelined, Matt Smith remained an integral part in his team’s Friday performance. Chip Ellis was called in to take over as the rider on Matt Smith’s Buell, and the six-time champion made tuning decisions from the hospital.
The result was a dominant showing for the team, with Angie Smith leading the field, Richard Gadson qualifying second at 6.729 for the Vance & Hines team, and Ellis sitting third at 6.743.
Coming off a heartbreaking final-round loss in Chicago when her motorcycle broke on the starting line against her husband, Angie Smith arrived at MIR already carrying emotional baggage. Friday added another layer few racers ever experience.
“My run was awesome. I cried. I don’t usually cry at the racetrack because I’m usually pretty tough, but I was just scared, you know?” she said. “I have made probably 5,000 runs down a racetrack, and zero have been without Matt Smith. I knew he was watching, I’m pretty sure he was proud. Matt tuning from the hospital is pretty remarkable to me, because he’s not here to look at the weather conditions, look at the track and do a lot of the things that he takes into account when he makes a tune-up call. So all I can say is, ‘Honey, you did a remarkable job.’
“I’m relieved, to say the least. It’s just been a lot the last 24 hours, and this whole day has been a blur. I’m just glad that we ran well. I’m glad that all the bikes went down and everybody was safe. That was my main goal. I’ve never had this much responsibility, and the whole team rose to the occasion.”
Qualifying for the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by Jegs continues at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday at Maryland International Raceway.
Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the Inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS at Maryland International Raceway, seventh of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
Top Fuel — 1. Shawn Langdon, 3.758 seconds, 336.23 mph; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.774, 333.91; 3. Tony Stewart, 3.790, 333.33; 4. Leah Pruett, 3.799, 323.43; 5. Maddi Gordon, 3.805, 332.34; 6. Josh Hart, 3.811, 333.91; 7. Antron Brown, 3.823, 329.42; 8. Clay Millican, 3.839, 321.88; 9. Shawn Reed, 3.865, 323.50; 10. Spencer Massey, 3.865, 323.27; 11. Justin Ashley, 3.868, 322.50; 12. Billy Torrence, 3.891, 323.81; 13. Will Smith, 3.959, 295.92; 14. Lex Joon, 4.345, 197.31; 15. Tony Schumacher, 5.386, 144.30.
Funny Car — 1. Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 3.951, 323.19; 2. Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 3.953, 323.58; 3. Jordan Vandergriff, Chevy Camaro, 3.970, 321.88; 4. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.985, 320.36; 5. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.989, 326.87; 6. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 4.015, 327.03; 7. Blake Alexander, Charger, 4.018, 319.90; 8. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 4.018, 316.30; 9. Alexis DeJoria, Camaro, 4.025, 318.32; 10. Austin Prock, Mustang, 4.036, 316.90; 11. Ron Capps, GR Supra, 4.050, 321.88; 12. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.058, 321.42; 13. Paul Lee, Charger, 4.114, 311.13; 14. Del Worsham, Toyota Supra, 4.261, 250.00; 15. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 5.309, 130.49.
Pro Stock — 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.494, 211.79; 2. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.497, 211.76; 3. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.504, 212.56; 4. Cody Anderson, Camaro, 6.505, 211.56; 5. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.506, 211.86; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.512, 211.76; 7. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.518, 211.56; 8. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.535, 212.06; 9. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.535, 210.87; 10. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.562, 210.60; 11. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.592, 211.79; 12. Brandon Miller, Dodge Dart, 6.602, 209.56; 13. Shane Tucker, Camaro, 6.607, 211.43; 14. Alan Prusiensky, Dart, 6.795, 193.49; 15. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 12.658, 98.77; 16. Erica Enders, Camaro, 16.655, 59.96.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.690, 202.97; 2. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.729, 201.31; 3. Chip Ellis, EBR, 6.743, 201.16; 4. John Hall, Beull, 6.746, 202.55; 5. Ryan Oehler, Buell, 6.770, 201.10; 6. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.773, 199.82; 7. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.778, 200.32; 8. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.787, 202.06; 9. Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 6.788, 200.02; 10. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.818, 198.47; 11. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.828, 195.11; 12. Brayden Davis, Buell, 6.838, 157.39; 13. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 6.921, 197.13; 14. Charles Poskey, Suzuki, 6.942, 196.90; 15. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, 6.960, 191.87.
FRIDAY SPORTSMAN QUALIFYING – FRIDAY SPORTSMAN – SEVERANCE, McCOSH, CARNASCIALE AND CERRO LEAD POTOMAC NATIONALS ACTION
Joey Severance, Bob McCosh, Joe Carnasciale and Michael Cerro led their respective categories Friday as sportsman competitors continued action at the NHRA Potomac Nationals at Maryland International Raceway.
Severance paced Top Alcohol Dragster, McCosh led Top Alcohol Funny Car, Carnasciale topped Competition Eliminator and Cerro claimed the No. 1 position in Top Sportsman heading into the weekend’s remaining sportsman competition.
Severance powered to the top spot in Top Alcohol Dragster with a 5.182-second pass at 279.79 mph. Jamie Noonan qualified second with a 5.231-second run, while Anthony Troyer followed in third at 5.276.
Matthew Cummings secured the fourth position with a 5.309, and Jackie Fricke rounded out the top five with a 5.314-second effort. Megan Smith, Melanie Johnson, Brandon Greco, Richard Bourke and John Ausherman completed the top 10.
In Top Alcohol Funny Car, McCosh led the field with a 5.450-second pass at 267.69 mph in his Camaro. Defending world champion Sean Bellemeur remained close behind in second with a 5.468 while posting the quickest speed of the session at 268.44 mph.
Mick Steele qualified third at 5.489, followed by Christopher Menapace and Bruce Mullins. Melinda Green-King, John Headley and Doug Gordon completed the eight-car field.
Carnasciale secured the top position in Competition Eliminator with an 8.755-second pass in his I/SM Cavalier, posting a .725-second advantage under the index. Monty Bogan qualified second at .692 under, while Michael Hanratty followed in third at .684 under the class standard.
Calvin Hill secured the fourth position at .679 under the index, while Steve Johnson rounded out the top five. Former world champion Bruno Massel qualified sixth with a 6.907-second run in his CC/AT Cobalt.
Cerro paced the Top Sportsman field with a 6.180-second pass at 225.26 mph in his Camaro. Vonnie Mills qualified second at 6.282, while Jeff Brooks followed in third with a 6.398.
Brian Weis claimed the fourth position and posted the fastest speed in the category at 234.00 mph. Dave Muller rounded out the top five qualifiers.
Sportsman competition continues Saturday at Maryland International Raceway with qualifying and eliminations across multiple categories
TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER (Q-2)
01 Joey Severance 613 5.182 279.79
02 Jamie Noonan 6 5.231 272.17
03 Anthony Troyer 7 5.276 276.13
04 Matthew Cummings 2 5.309 271.95
05 Jackie Fricke 3 5.314 260.71
06 Megan Smith 24 5.357 270.86
07 Melanie Johnson 10 5.371 269.89
08 Brandon Greco 1490 5.399 245.05
09 Richard Bourke 1482 5.436 258.07
10 John Ausherman 16 5.497 257.43
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR (Q-2)
1 4 Bob McCosh, Columbia MO, ’25 Camaro 5.450 267.69 267.69
2 1 Sean Bellemeur, Placentia CA, ’23 Camaro 5.468 268.44 268.44
3 238 Mick Steele, Kodak TN, ’23 Mustang 5.489 246.80 246.80
4 7797 Christopher Menapace, Danville IN, ’20 Camaro 5.555 264.39 264.39
5 207 Bruce Mullins, Fredericksburg VA, ’16 Monte Ca 5.668 251.95 251.95
6 226 Melinda Green-King, Norfolk VA, ’21 Camaro 5.752 223.36 223.36
7 189 John Headley, Newportville PA, ’10 Firebird 6.998 193.77 193.77
8 7524 Doug Gordon, Paso Robles CA, ’25 Camaro 9.962 87.13 87.13
COMPETITION ELIMINATOR (FINAL)
1 3 I/SM Joe Carnasciale, Ashaway RI, ’06 Cavalier 8.755 9.48 -0.725
2 21 D/SMA Monty Bogan, Boiling Springs SC, ’07 G5 8.288 8.98 -0.692
3 1890 K/AA Michael Hanratty, Glastonbury CT, ’32 Ban 7.436 8.12 -0.684
4 1057 D/DA Calvin Hill, Tamaqua PA, Spitzer 7.331 8.01 -0.679
5 26 H/SM Steve Johnson, Spartanburg SC, ’92 Camaro 8.862 9.52 -0.658
6 353 CC/AT Bruno Massel, Elmhurst IL, ’10 Cobalt 6.907 7.56 -0.653
7 1471 C/AA Thomas Miller, Nottingham PA, ’06 Cobalt 7.203 7.85 -0.647
8 13 C/DA Steve Szupka, Northhamprton PA, Spitzer 6.925 7.57 -0.645
9 2261 H/SM Joel Moreland, Windsor NC, ’98 Grand AM 8.937 9.57 -0.633
10 15 I/SM Richard Schonberger, Southhampton PA, ’06 8.970 9.54 -0.570
TOP SPORTSMAN (FINAL)
1 159M Michael Cerro, Mineola NY, ’69 Camaro 6.180 225.26 225.26
2 1027 Vonnie Mills, Kennedyville MD, ’13 Camaro 6.282 221.13 221.13
3 5 Jeff Brooks, Fredricksburg VA, ’51 Henry J 6.398 218.05 218.30
4 202 Brian Weis, Ashland VA, ’63 Corvette 6.501 234.00 234.00
5 135E Dave Muller, Pennington NJ, ’06 GTO 6.582 207.88 207.88
6 1464 Ray Bamond, Paterson NJ, ’68 Camaro 6.652 206.16 206.16
7 1736 Ronald Riegel, Fairless Hills PA, ’68 Camaro 6.708 205.26 205.35
8 124 Michael Grafas, Brick NJ, ’63 Corvette 6.786 197.19 204.39
9 1275 Carl Juliano, Fresh Meadows NY, ’12 Camaro 6.804 206.73 206.73
10 8 James Hinkle, Danville KY, ’05 Grand Am 7.038 193.90 193.90
