Reigning NHRA Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson delivered a commanding performance from start to finish at Brainerd International Raceway, capturing the event title Sunday with a 6.551-second run at 206.86 mph to defeat KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn in the final.
Anderson’s victory in the 43rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals was his fifth of the 2025 season, his fourth career win at Brainerd, and the 111th triumph of his career. The weekend sweep included the No. 1 qualifying position, Friday’s American Rebel Light “Battle for the Rebel Axe” bonus event, and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday.
“It was flawless. The whole weekend was flawless,” Anderson said. “I think every time down the racetrack, my car was low E.T. of the session, all through qualifying, all through race day. You just can’t ask for any more than that and I can’t thank my guys enough for the job they do with this race car.”
Anderson opened eliminations Sunday with a track-record 6.521-second pass to defeat Chris Vang. He followed with round wins over Eric Latino and Aaron Stanfield to advance to the final round against Glenn.
Glenn, who remains the points leader heading to the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, reached his ninth final round in 11 races this season by defeating Fernando Cuadra Jr., Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Erica Enders. Despite Glenn’s strong .026 reaction time in the final, Anderson left first with a .025 and never looked back.
“It was not only awesome to win, but awesome to basically pretty close to dominate the weekend,” Anderson said. “If I was sitting in the grandstand, I’d say that’s a pretty impressive performance by that race team right there.”
The Brainerd facility holds a personal significance for Anderson, who began his Pro Stock career under the mentorship of Minnesota native John Hagen. Hagen was killed in a crash at the track in 1983, a moment that Anderson said “knocked me in the dirt” and sidelined him from racing for three years.
“It was a tragic day and it certainly changed my life forever,” Anderson said. “He was absolutely like a second father to me. He rubbed off on me in a lot of ways about the kind of person you need to be in life. So, can’t thank him enough. Can’t thank that family enough.”
The significance of winning again at Brainerd was not lost on Anderson, who noted both the emotional and competitive weight of the weekend.
“This one’s for [my kids] without a doubt. I certainly wouldn’t be here without them,” he said. “At my age, you never know if you get another one. If this is the last one, I’m going to celebrate like hell tonight.”
Anderson said the victory was a confidence boost heading into the Countdown to the Championship. With just one event remaining in the regular season, the points gap between Anderson and Glenn stands at nine.
“We’ve had a wonderful year, obviously Dallas and I have had a wonderful year, but you have to find another gear by the time it comes to playoff time,” Anderson said. “This makes us feel very good that we’re still gaining. We’re still gaining performance. We’re still racing well.”
A strong Brainerd outing was particularly important for Anderson given the pressure of performing in front of a large group of longtime friends from his home state of Minnesota.
“There is nobody tougher on me than them,” Anderson said. “You just don’t want to stumble. You don’t want to fall on your face in front of all your buddies. That’s the honest-to-God truth. They love you, but because they love you, they’re going to hack on you. And they do.”
He added that the support he receives from fans, friends, and colleagues remains deeply meaningful.
“I try to answer every [message] as soon as I can because without the support of all these people, you can’t be out here, you can’t do this,” Anderson said. “When you treat people right, hopefully they treat you right back. That’s what I try to do.”
Among those expected to hear from Anderson is Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, a supporter of Anderson’s KB Titan team.
“As soon as I get a chance to pick up the phone, I guarantee he’s one of them,” Anderson said. “He’s a great dude. He likes to win. No, actually, he loves to win.”
