Photos by Ron Lewis, Mike & Jeff Burghardt, Brian Losness, NHRA
FRIDAY QUALIFYING – FORCE, PROCK, REED AND HERRERA LEAD FRIDAY QUALIFYING AT NEVADA NATIONALS
Under the lights at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, four championship-caliber drivers reminded everyone why they are among NHRA’s best. Brittany Force, Austin Prock, Cory Reed, and Gaige Herrera each took provisional No. 1 qualifying honors Friday at the 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection — and each for very different reasons.
For Force, the 2025 edition of the Nevada Nationals represents more than just another race. The two-time Top Fuel world champion is making her final full-time appearance in Las Vegas before stepping away from the cockpit at season’s end. She made it count, storming to a 3.697-second pass at 338.85 mph — the fastest speed in track history — to earn both the top spot and the $3,500 “Ted Wiens Trick or Traction Award.”
“That was a killer run,” Force said. “We’ve been hitting our marks all day, and the .69 was what we were aiming for. Las Vegas is one of my favorite tracks. We’ve had success here before, and I want to end strong.”
If her run holds, it will be her sixth No. 1 qualifier of the season. Points leader Doug Kalitta followed with a 3.711 at 337.24, and Shawn Langdon was close behind at 3.715, 336.57. For Force, though, the numbers only tell part of the story. “It’s weird to think about retirement,” she said. “I’m just trying to focus on being in the moment with my team and enjoying these last few weekends.”
In Funny Car, Prock maintained his grip on both the championship and The Strip, turning in a 3.895 at 334.48 in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS. The defending series champion earned his seventh No. 1 of the year and, like Force, pocketed $3,500 from the “Ted Wiens Trick or Traction” bonus program.
Prock has won the past two events at Las Vegas and is chasing a third straight victory — one that could all but seal another NHRA title. “We couldn’t ask for a better start,” he said. “No. 1 qualifier, low ET both rounds — that’s all you can ask of this team. We have a chance to lock it up early, and that’s what we’re after.”
Matt Hagan was just a whisper behind at 3.897 seconds, while rookie Spencer Hyde continued his late-season surge with a 3.917 to place third.
Prock, meanwhile, said his team’s focus remains on execution. “You come into a place where your package works, and it’s exciting,” he said. “The Countdown [to the Championship] is stressful, but it’s a lot easier to breathe if you can wrap it up before Pomona.”
The day’s biggest personal milestone may have belonged to Pro Stock’s Reed. He closed Friday’s sessions with a 6.597-second pass at 206.32 mph in his J&A Service Camaro — the quickest of the field and good for his first career provisional No. 1 qualifier. The run also earned him a $2,000 “Trick or Traction” bonus.
“It’d be nice to finally knock it out and get it done,” Reed said. “It’ll be tough. Erica [Enders] is always strong here, and Greg [Anderson] is right there with us. Hopefully, the weather gets tricky and we hang on.”
Reed, who notched his first Pro Stock win earlier this season in Norwalk, said his goal is to regain momentum heading into the Countdown’s closing stretch. “I want to move forward in the championship, not backward,” he said. “I’ve been hanging out with Dallas [Glenn] a lot, and he’s been rubbing off on me. Having a good attitude definitely helps.”
Anderson sits second with a 6.598 at 206.23, while Enders — who owns 10 career wins in Las Vegas — is third with a 6.606, 208.14.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Herrera continued his push to chase down teammate Richard Gadson in the points standings. The two-time reigning champion went 6.800 at 199.17 aboard his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki, claiming both the provisional pole and the $1,000 “Trick or Traction” bonus.
Herrera entered the weekend trailing Gadson by 72 points, but gained valuable ground by collecting the majority of Friday’s bonus points. “I’m definitely happy with the start,” Herrera said. “Getting those extra points and the $1,000 check is a nice bonus. I’m just focusing on being consistent as a rider, hitting my shift points, and staying sharp.”
The rivalry between Herrera and Gadson has defined the Countdown’s closing weeks. Both are chasing history — Gadson, his first championship, and Herrera, a third consecutive crown. “We actually haven’t talked much smack yet,” Herrera said. “We’re both focused right now, but come Pomona, it might be a different story.”
Angie Smith ended the day second with a 6.824 at 198.82, while Gadson posted a 6.834 at 198.06 to snag third.
Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of qualifying for the 25th annual Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals powered by Direct Connection at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 19th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
Top Fuel — 1. Brittany Force, 3.697 seconds, 338.85 mph; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.711, 337.24; 3. Shawn Langdon, 3.715, 336.57; 4. Shawn Reed, 3.737, 329.10; 5. Tony Stewart, 3.741, 330.72; 6. Justin Ashley, 3.744, 333.41; 7. Antron Brown, 3.750, 333.16; 8. Clay Millican, 3.771, 331.28; 9. Dan Mercier, 3.795, 326.95; 10. Josh Hart, 3.811, 329.26; 11. Rob Passey, 4.278, 227.46; 12. Tony Schumacher, 4.434, 181.06; 13. Kelly Harper, 4.684, 162.14.
Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.895, 334.48; 2. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.897, 329.75; 3. Spencer Hyde, Ford Mustang, 3.917, 324.75; 4. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.919, 329.91; 5. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.919, 329.02; 6. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.930, 329.10; 7. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.937, 330.47; 8. Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 3.938, 328.78; 9. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.950, 327.66; 10. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.962, 330.15; 11. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.974, 321.42; 12. Del Worsham, Toyota Supra, 3.980, 300.13; 13. Blake Alexander, Charger, 3.990, 314.90; 14. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.014, 314.02; 15. Jason Rupert, Mustang, 4.025, 312.21; 16. Tim Gibbons, Mustang, 4.140, 271.46.
Not Qualified: 17. Dylan Winefsky, 4.279, 279.50; 18. Dave Richards, 4.541, 193.40; 19. Jeff Diehl, 4.713, 178.54; 20. Buddy Hull, 5.042, 144.98; 21. Chris Morel, 7.890, 82.80.
Pro Stock — 1. Cory Reed, Chevy Camaro, 6.597, 206.32; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.598, 206.23; 3. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.606, 208.14; 4. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.608, 207.88; 5. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.611, 206.13; 6. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.614, 206.39; 7. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.616, 207.50; 8. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.618, 207.46; 9. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.619, 206.48; 10. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.624, 205.38; 11. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.628, 206.54; 12. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.633, 207.18; 13. Dave Connolly, Camaro, 6.637, 206.48; 14. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.645, 207.11; 15. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.647, 206.89; 16. David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.650, 206.99.
Not Qualified: 17. Chris McGaha, 6.657, 207.98; 18. Chris Vang, 6.660, 203.68; 19. Kenny Delco, 6.664, 205.38; 20. Mason McGaha, 6.665, 207.24; 21. Joey Grose, 6.779, 203.12.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.800, 199.17; 2. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.824, 198.82; 3. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.834, 198.06; 4. John Hall, Beull, 6.836, 199.02; 5. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.855, 199.23; 6. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.872, 195.14; 7. Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 6.875, 198.50; 8. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.887, 197.86; 9. Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 6.894, 195.53; 10. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.942, 195.76; 11. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.950, 195.59; 12. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.975, 190.81; 13. Freddie Camarena, Suzuki, 6.995, 195.25; 14. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.016, 189.02; 15. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 7.145, 190.27; 16. Kahea Woods, Suzuki, 7.188, 186.23.
Not Qualified: 17. Steve Johnson, 7.901, 120.93.
THURSDAY SPORTSMAN – LINDER, GUALTIERE, KIMBALL AND NASH LEAD QUALIFYING AT LAS VEGAS SPORTSMAN EVENT
Scott Linder, Craig Gualtiere, Andy Kimball, and Geneva Nash set the pace in their respective categories as qualifying concluded Thursday for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Sportsman divisions at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Linder, from Hedrick, Iowa, topped the Comp Eliminator field with a 6.532-second pass in his 2004 Pontiac Grand Am, running .698 under the A/A index. Brooke Heckel of Baytown, Texas, followed closely in her J/DA Fritz at 7.707, .693 under, while Jeff Taylor of Sellersburg, Indiana, was third with a 6.653, .687 under the mark in his A/ED Spitzer-Chevy. Former national champion Cody Lane of Seattle placed fourth, .666 under in his A/EA ’32 Roadster.
In Super Stock, Amarillo, Texas, driver Craig Gualtiere grabbed the No. 1 qualifying position with a 9.518-second run in his GT/GA 2002 Cavalier, a strong 1.052 seconds under the index. Mike Johnston of Parker, Arizona, ranked second at 9.431 (-0.939) in his 2012 Camaro, followed by Tennessee’s Leo Glasbrenner in third at 9.449 (-0.921) in his 2014 Camaro. Veteran competitors Billy Maddox and Todd Frantz rounded out the top five.
Stock Eliminator qualifying was led by Andy Kimball of Henderson, Nevada, whose ’66 Fairlane posted a 10.734, 1.116 seconds under the E/S index to pace the field. Defending champion Joe Sorensen from Oregon was second at 11.003 (-1.047) in his ’69 Camaro, and Chris Vang from Kansas ranked third at 8.555 (-1.005) in his FS/AA Camaro. Bob Gullett and Cody Lane completed the top five in the deep 10-car list.
In Top Dragster, Visalia, California’s Geneva Nash took the top spot with a 6.104-second pass at 225.75 mph. John Richardson of Santa Clarita, California, matched the 6.104 but slotted second on speed at 203.49 mph. Jeff Koron of Hays, Kansas, was third at 6.114 and 229.90 mph, while Don London and Michael Kile rounded out the top five.
Sportsman eliminations continue Friday with first-round matchups across all categories.
COMP ELIMINATOR (FINAL)
1 510U A/A Scott Linder, Hedrick IA, ’04 Gran Am 6.532 7.23 -0.698
2 49 J/DA Brooke Heckel, Baytown TX, Fritz 7.707 8.40 -0.693
3 46 A/ED Jeff Taylor, Sellersburg IN, Spitzer-Chevy 6.653 7.34 -0.687
4 1 A/EA Cody Lane, Seattle WA, ’32 Roadster 7.334 8.00 -0.666
5 799 B/A Steve Graham, S. San Francisco CA, ’15 Ca 7.024 7.68 -0.656
6 8 C/SM Taylor Chomiski, Dallas TX, ’08 Chevy Cob 8.257 8.91 -0.653
7 718 A/ND Kevin Carter, Surprise AZ, Uyehara-Chevy 6.867 7.52 -0.653
8 65 B/DA Melissa Murphy, Long Beach CA, Spitzer 6.801 7.45 -0.649
9 4065 B/ED Chase Williams, Carthage TX, Spitzer-Chevy 6.880 7.52 -0.640
10 10 A/A Ryan Priddy, Chino CA, ’20 Camaro 6.513 7.15 -0.637
SUPER STOCK (FINAL)
1 45 GT/GA Craig Gualtiere, Amarillo TX, ’02 Cavalier 9.518 10.57 -1.052
2 7277 FSS/F Mike Johnston, Parker AZ, ’12 Camaro 9.431 10.37 -0.939
3 7155 FSS/F Leo Glasbrenner, Walling TN, ’14 Camaro 9.449 10.37 -0.921
4 543 FGT/G Billy Maddox, Sidney NE, ’68 Dart 9.452 10.37 -0.918
5 36 GT/CA Todd Frantz, Louisville KY, ’08 G5 9.162 10.07 -0.908
6 7797 SS/KA Don Keen, Palmdale CA, ’65 Mustang 10.539 11.44 -0.901
7 6 GT/FA Brad Burton, Snohomish WA, ’91 Firebird 9.532 10.42 -0.888
8 71 SS/AM Ryan McClanahan, San Bernardino CA, ’08 C 8.264 9.15 -0.886
9 7967 GT/MA Tad Schei, Peoria AZ, ’83 Camaro 10.507 11.39 -0.883
10 7378 SS/BS Jimmy DeFrank, Thousand Oaks CA, ’06 Coba 8.928 9.81 -0.882
STOCK (FINAL)
1 7897 E/S Andy Kimball, Henderson NV, ’66 Fairlane 10.734 11.85 -1.116
2 1 F/SA Joe Sorensen, Woodburn OR, ’69 Camaro 11.003 12.05 -1.047
3 5737 FS/AA Chris Vang, Andover KS, ’17 Camaro 8.555 9.56 -1.005
4 652 F/S Bob Gullett, Calgary AB, ’68 Chevy II 11.000 12.00 -1.000
5 601 FS/B Cody Lane, Seattle WA, ’18 Camaro 9.193 10.17 -0.977
6 7854 FS/A Ryan McClanahan, San Bernardino CA, ’23 C 8.902 9.86 -0.958
7 64 FS/D Brad Burton, Snohomish WA, ’10 Mustang 9.827 10.78 -0.953
8 4688 F/SA Mike Cotten, Cave Creek AZ, ’73 Duster 11.105 12.05 -0.945
9 5800 E/SA Diane Burton, Golden CO, ’74 Firebird 10.965 11.90 -0.935
10 73 G/SA C W Hoefer, Calimesa CA, ’73 Firebird 11.273 12.20 -0.927
TOP DRAGSTER (FINAL)
1 7219 Geneva Nash, Visalia CA, Dragster-Chevy 6.104 225.75 225.75
2 7796 John Richardson, Santa Clarita CA, Sarmento-Ch 6.104 203.49 203.49
3 503A Jeff Koron, Hays KS, Undercover-DRIS 6.114 229.90 229.90
4 75 Don London, Lake Havasu City AZ, M&M-Chevy 6.118 229.86 229.86
5 4608 Michael Kile, Westlake LA, Spitzer-Chevy 6.139 222.18 222.18
6 2946 Vaughn Cauffield, Lake Placid FL, Maddox-Chevy 6.152 225.45 225.4
7 7498 Steve Casner, Sheridan CA, Sarmento-SDPC 6.182 227.27 230.06
8 7145 Jennifer Wiens, Las Vegas NV, Dragster-Madcap 6.187 225.15 225.15
9 2 Dylan Hough, Junction City OR, Race Tech-Chevy 6.208 223.17 223.17
10 7237 Steve Will, Fortuna CA, Dragster-BAEE 6.224 195.73 203.77
