If Erica Enders can find her way to world championship No. 7 – she won her first six in 2014-15, 2019-20, and 2022-23 – she would trail only the late Bob Glidden for most Pro Stock titles. Glidden won 10 in 1974-75, 1978-80, and 1985-89.   

“It definitely would mean a lot to me,” Enders said. “I try not to get ahead of myself, by any means, and I'm so very proud of what we've accomplished up to this point. But I believe, and I know a lot of other people believe, that we're nowhere near being done yet. I'm excited about what's to come. We certainly haven't had the season leading up to this point that we had hoped for, but I did, however, get to achieve that one goal of winning the Gatornationals, which had eluded us for 21 seasons. That was a high point of our season, and now that we get into the thick of things with Indy being points and a half and then heading into the Countdown … it's usually the time that we shine.

Competition Plus’ Water-Cooler Topics From The NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

Gaige Herrera strolled to the press conference podium, walking with a swagger that hadn’t been as defined as the 19 other times he conducted a winner’s interview. It was as if Herrera had something to say but wouldn’t until a media member asked. 

Herrera responded to the initial cookie-cutter question about his day, which included the quickest run of every round and low elapsed time of race day in beating Angie Smith, wife of his arch-rival Matt Smith. It was barely a contest as Herrera thundered through the lights to a 6.763, 198.70 to 6.829, 197.19.

It’s going to take awhile for the smile to recede from the face of Top Fuel fan-favorite Clay Millican.

Why? Simple.

Millican did the improbable, capturing the coveted U.S. Nationals championship Monday from the No. 13 qualifying spot. It was the most prestigious victory in the long career of the driver from Drummonds, Tenn., who won six consecutive IHRA Top Fuel crowns before beginning a full-time NHRA campaign in 2007.

The stage wasn’t too big for Austin Prock.

In his first season driving a John Force Racing Funny Car full-time, Prock rose to the occasion and captured the biggest win of his career – the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis – in dominant fashion.

Prock qualified No. 1, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge race and season title Saturday, and then capped his weekend off by winning the prestigious Big Go at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Monday.

The NHRA concluded its regular season with a performance-filled week, culminating in four first-time professional winners at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. 

Austin Prock ended his remarkable rookie Funny Car season by winning from the No. 1 qualifying position and stopping the winning streak of two-time NHRA champion Ron Capps in the final round. 

Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. 

Final round-by-round results from the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the 14th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Paul Lee has never claimed victory in the professional categories of the NHRA.

He’s been close, having visited the final round at the Northwest Nationals in Seattle just three races ago in an agonizing loss to Austin Prock. But the veteran driver has never officially hoisted a trophy in his 152 starts behind the wheel of a nitro-powered Funny Car.

That changed Sunday at the prestigious Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals – sort of.