Greg Anderson reminded the Pro Stock field that he remains a force in the championship fight. The six-time world champion and current titleholder drove his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to a 6.531-second run at 209.33 mph to defeat Matt Hartford in the final round of the NHRA Midwest Nationals.
The victory was Anderson’s sixth of the 2025 season and the 112th of his storied career. More importantly, it cut KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn’s points lead to just 25 with three playoff races remaining.
Anderson’s path to the final required both execution and resilience. He eliminated Mason McGaha in the opening round, then faced Glenn in a critical second-round matchup. The two KB Titan drivers clashed earlier than expected after Anderson’s struggles in qualifying, but Anderson delivered when it counted. He advanced past rookie Matt Latino in the semifinals before closing out Hartford in the final.
For Anderson, the weekend was as much about recovery as it was about celebration. He admitted his Camaro had been difficult to manage in qualifying, leaving him with little confidence entering Sunday. “After yesterday, I probably didn’t come in with the most confidence anybody on the grounds today, but what a recovery my guys made with my race car,” Anderson said. “There was just something we were doing wrong or something I didn’t like about this racetrack, but they figured it out overnight and I made four very high quality runs today and got the light I needed to get each time. Timing is everything.”
The second round against Glenn underscored the pressure within the KB Titan team. Anderson knew the matchup was unavoidable after poor qualifying, but he also knew it would shape the title fight. “That should have never happened. It’s my fault. I qualified poorly and we shouldn’t have to race each other that early, but you got to play the cards you’re dealt,” Anderson said. “It was either going to be a horrible day for me or a horrible day for Dallas, and unfortunately it was a horrible day for Dallas, but still a good day for KB Titan.”
Hartford’s run to the final added another layer to the playoff picture. He advanced with wins over Cristian Cuadra, Erica Enders and Troy Coughlin Jr., moving to third in points. Anderson, though, saw the bigger story as KB Titan’s ability to keep rival Elite Motorsports out of the final. “We got the win. We held out the Elite team again and they didn’t find their way to the final round,” Anderson said. “So I think the points are looking fairly good right now. Not good enough in our account, but once we get through Dallas, my favorite racetrack, hopefully we can say it’s a pretty good chance.”
Anderson, 62, was candid about the challenges of age and the mental strain of competition. “This game isn’t really a physical sport, it’s a mind game. I can’t lie. The mind’s not as tight as it used to be and you’re going to have your loose moments,” he said. “Father Time’s not friendly and I’m trying to fight him off as long as I can. Every time I go out there, I have to try to reinvent myself and find a better way of doing this because what I usually bring up there isn’t going to be good enough. Today, four times in a row I found something just good enough.”
Looking ahead, Anderson said the title chase may come down to who holds steady under pressure. While Glenn remains the points leader, Anderson believes KB Titan has the advantage with two strong contenders. “The number one goal for me is for KB Titan to win, whether that be Dallas or myself,” Anderson said. “So now we’ve got two horses they’ve got to get around, not just one, but two. That’s going to be twice as hard for them.”
With three races left, the championship remains wide open. Anderson said he is prepared to keep fighting, even if his career has reached its later chapters. “As I said, I can still win, so I can’t retire yet,” Anderson said.
