Still batting 1.000, Gaige Herrera.
 
On Sunday, Herrera won for the second time in as many races aboard the vaunted Vance & Hines NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle. 
 
Herrera’s latest accomplishment came when he was victorious at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, N.C.

His latest win on the Mission Foods Suzuki Hayabusa came with an added bonus. He set the NHRA elapsed-time record in the round three quad with a 6.710-second lap.

"I'm on Cloud Nine," he said. "I mean, like we talked about when I was in here when I was No. 1 qualifier, I was coming in here trying to go a few rounds, basically make a little bit of a presence, not do like we are doing. To be out here and go No. 1 back-to-back qualifiers from Gainesville to Charlotte and win the races back-to-back is a lot to take in, and I'm enjoying the ride."

In quad 3, Herrera easily defeated reigning world champ Matt Smith (6.780 seconds), Eddie Krawiec (6.784) and Steve Johnson (6.810) with his blistering ET.

"Anytime you get to line up against any of those three, and to be able to go out there and be in the final with them and come out on top, that's awesome," Herrera said. "All the teams out here put in a lot of work and it is going to be a tough season. We are out here basically dominating, but it is the beginning of the season, and it is going to be a long, good ride."

In quad two, Herrera had quite the scare of being eliminated as he clocked a 6.857-second lap at only 170.02 mph, but he was still able to win the quad.

"I put it in high gear and the kill switch came out," he said. "Luckily, I had a pretty good light and I was able to still get the win light. I thought I was done for. When that happened, my helmet hit the windscreen and I reeled the clutch in and tucked and prayed, and luckily my light still came on."

The rapid rise to stardom for Herrera hasn't gone unnoticed by his fellow competitors.

"Not many people talk to me much anymore," Herrera said with a chuckle. "I don't blame them. I would probably be the same way. I mean, last year when I was out here getting my feet wet I used to talk to everyone and now I'm their biggest threat. Like I said, I would be the same way because I'm a very competitive person. I'm one to congratulate everyone and good luck and all that, but when it comes down to racing it is all business."

Herrera said he welcomes the pressure he knew would be inherent in being named to drive for the powerhouse Vance & Hines team.

"I have raced for thousands of dollars in the grudge scene and doing Pro Street and all that," he said. "To be up here with three other riders is a lot of pressure, but it is a different kind of pressure. It is a lot more where you have to be focused on what is happening on the light. We all saw first round [that] one guy got timed out and the other didn't see the tree come down on their side. 

"That was definitely my worry. I pretty much, after I saw that, I got in and counted a certain number and put it on the two-step to make sure I was ready for anything to happen. I didn't want to wait and get timed out or have something happen to me."

Herrera, a fourth-generation racer, is part of a family that has been part of the sport for years.

"That's a lot of motivation," he said. "My great grandfather started all this with his three sons. They did gassers and they raced in Hawaii and all that. For me to continue that, it is a lot. It is a big part of me. A big drive for me to keep the name going and hopefully put it in the history books for however long I do this. It means a lot to me."