Richard Gadson’s season of steady dominance reached new heights Sunday at the Texas NHRA FallNationals, as the RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki rider powered to his fourth Pro Stock Motorcycle win of the year and extended his championship lead to 72 points over Gaige Herrera.
The second-year standout ran 6.796 seconds at 200.37 mph to defeat rookie teammate Brayden Davis in the final round, capping a weekend in which he qualified No. 1 and never trailed on race day. The victory marked Gadson’s first career win at Texas Motorplex and his second of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
For Gadson, it was more than just another victory—it was personal redemption. Dallas had long been a vexing stop in his NHRA journey.
“My first NHRA race, a buddy of mine named James Johnson let me put together a motorcycle myself,” Gadson said. “I tuned it, rode it, did everything to it, and I qualified ninth. The very next year I came to Dallas and never made it out of the burnout box. That was my weekend auditioning for Vance & Hines. It all started right here at Dallas.”
He recalled those early struggles with a laugh, sharing the first words Terry Vance ever said to him: “Are you going to get this thing down the racetrack or are you going to keep s******* the bed?” Gadson said those memories—and the faith shown by Andrew Hines, Eddie Krawiec, and the team—made Sunday’s win especially meaningful.
“To be able to bring home a win for them today is really cool,” Gadson said. “I know the first win is supposed to be the sweetest, but they just seem to keep getting sweeter.”
The road to victory was as complete as it was methodical. Gadson eliminated Lance Bonham, Clayton Howey and six-time champion Matt Smith to reach the final. When Herrera red-lit against Davis in the semifinals, the door opened for Gadson to seize a major points advantage—and he delivered.
Gadson’s performance was defined by focus and execution, not celebration. “Right now, I’m counting points,” he said. “It’s a numbers game. Gage lost in the semis, Matt lost in the semis—that puts me ahead. But with two races left and Pomona being points-and-a-half, this isn’t over. I’ve got a job to finish.”
He said the weekend symbolized something deeper than numbers. The lessons of 2024’s frustrations have shaped his 2025 run. “It could break you down or it could motivate you,” Gadson said. “It had me extremely motivated. I feel like I have something to prove—not to anybody else, but to myself.”
Gadson’s victory also came with an emotional boost from his ongoing partnership with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. He hosted members of the group for the sixth time this season, and each time they’ve been trackside, he’s produced standout results.
“I call them my good luck charms,” Gadson said. “I hope they understand that I was just one of them, and now I’m out here winning races. You can talk all you want, but it means something when you can put action with those words for the kids.”
That mix of purpose and poise carried through to his final-round matchup with Davis, who has impressed in his rookie season with three final-round appearances. Gadson, though, maintained control.
“I was pretty calm going against him,” he said. “It was already a good day, a good points day. He’d beaten me three times, and I told myself he can’t keep doing it. The law of averages says one of these times it’s got to swing my way. So I just popped the clutch, cut a good light, and it was my turn.”
When Herrera’s rare red-light exit altered the day’s dynamics, Gadson saw opportunity, not relief. “You usually have to outrun Gage—he’s a flawless rider,” he said. “But when something like that happens, you just have to capitalize. I can’t afford to waste those chances. That’s how tight this championship battle is right now.”
Davis, the 21-year-old rookie who defeated Ryan Oehler, John Hall and Herrera on his way to the final, continues to make an impression in his first full NHRA season. His consistency and composure have made him one of the sport’s most talked-about newcomers.
But Sunday belonged to Gadson, whose confidence and composure have defined a breakout campaign for the Vance & Hines Suzuki program. With two races remaining, his 72-point margin could prove crucial as the championship nears its conclusion.
“I try to live in the moment,” Gadson said. “You grow up watching guys like Gage, Andrew and Eddie do this. Now I’m the one doing it. It’s a dream, but you’ve got to stay present, keep your foot on the gas, and hold on for dear life.”
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