NHRA Northwest Nationals Pro Stock Champion Chase Van Sant had to do a double-take. He said he went through the finish lights after a close battle with the seemingly unbeatable Gaige Herrera, but the win light didn’t shine in his lane. 

‘I was just shaking my head. We were down in the shutdown and Gaige yelled something at me. I don’t know what, but we were side-by-side slowing down, and he was yelling at me, and I looked over, and he pointed, and I was like, man, I don’t know if this is real or not.”

Hererra admits he was yelling at Van Sant, but not out of anger. 

“I was cheering for him,” Herrera said. “I was genuinely happy for him. That was his first win, and I remember how that felt for me.”

Some fail to remember that Herrera’s introduction to Pro Stock Motorcycle didn’t come with immediate success. Utilizing a rented ride, Hererra failed to qualify at his first two events in 2002 [Indianapolis, Reading]  and only qualified in the third because of a short field. He did make the field in the remaining events but never managed a round win. 

In fact, when Herrera won in his debut at the 2023 NHRA Gatornationals, those were his career’s first four round wins. Not only did he win the championship in his first season, but he also amassed a winning streak of legendary proportions, scoring 46 consecutive round wins and 12 consecutive national event wins.

“I’ve always been taught you got to learn to lose before you can ever win,” Herrera said. “And it helps me have more fun with the drag racing. I love drag racing for what it is, win or lose. It’s one of those things. When you start winning all the time, you don’t appreciate it as much, all the hard work and everything. Vance and Hines, obviously, I’m showcasing what they’re doing, but it’s okay to get beat every once in a while.

Drag racing is a results-oriented sport, but Herrera points out a larger mission at stake in his career. Sure, he wants to win every time he rolls to the line and effectively does everything in his talent to ensure this happens. But for him, being a good human goes hand-in-hand with being a good rider. At least, this is the case in his world. 

This thought process is why Herrera put away the disappointment of a streak ending and celebrated victory for Van Sant, a rider who had endured an off-season of torment and achieved the pinnacle of success in winning his first national event victory. 

“I’m the type of person who feels happier seeing others achieve their goals,” Herrera said. “I used to crew chief a few different people with Super Comp cars and stuff like that. Watching someone else achieve their goals is a different kind of excitement and joy, and I enjoy that part.”

“Being a good person, at the end of the day, is what you’re remembered by, and that is how you actually are. Unfortunately, drag racing is a result-driven sport. So it goes both ways. But me as a person, I’d rather be a good person, all in all, instead of winning championships and being hated at the same time for nothing more than winning.”

Herrera understands success can create enemies for nothing other than winning too much. 

“I wouldn’t say it bothers me,” Herrera said. “I just look at it as if I’m in an incredible situation that many people wish to be in. So I take it as that. So I don’t let that affect me as a person or as far as how I want to do on the track and so on.”

Herrera understands he’s in a situation similar to Babe Ruth entering a home run derby with the best bat on Earth. 

“That’s exactly it,” Herrera surmised.