Some folks suggested that Gaige Herrera lock himself in the trailer until time to leave for the Pro Stock Motorcycle final round at the Flav-R-Pack NHRA Northwest Nationals. Others said he should keep a keen eye on his back... uh, bike. 

But as Herrera saw it, a trophy was coming back to Vance & Hines, whether by him or teammate Eddie Krawiec. 

It's been that kind of season for Herrera, an NHRA rookie, where sabotage or a kidnapping seemed the best logical choice to stop his rampant run of success in 2024.

From 2018 through 2021, there was no one better in NHRA’s Top Fuel ranks than Steve Torrence.

The Texas native piled up wins and four world championships. The streak came to an end for the Capco team in 2022 as Torrence finished sixth in the points standings.

The 2023 season has been solid as he hovered near the top of the points standings, but one thing was missing: A victory.

If Tim Wilkerson has proved anything in his standout NHRA nitro Funny Car career, it's that you can never count him out.

Wilkerson showed his prowess Sunday at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway in Seattle.  Wilkerson beat J.R. Todd to claim the national event crown.

It was the 24th win of Wilkerson’s career and second of the season as he also took home the title in Chicago.

Four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence asserted his dominance at Pacific Raceways on Sunday, securing his first win of the 2023 season and taking over the points lead. Torrence surged past Doug Kalitta in the final round of the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Joining Torrence in victory were Tim Wilkerson in Funny Car and Gaige Herrera in Pro Stock Motorcycle. These triumphs marked the 11th race out of 21 in the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Torrence clinched his 54th career win, turning in a 3.940 second elapsed time at only 289.26 mph in his Capco Contractors/Toyota dragster. This win denied Kalitta his 50th overall victory and marked a milestone for Toyota, as it commemorated the automaker's 200th overall NHRA win.

Point standings (top 10) following the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the 11th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series - 

Final round-by-round results from the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the 11th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

The legend who is John Force is still alive and well.

Force, a 16-time NHRA nitro Funny Car world champ, captured his first No. 1 qualifying position of the season Saturday at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway in Seattle.

Force clocked a 3.915-second elapsed time at 327.35 mph in Q4 in his PEAK Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet Camaro SS to grab the No. 1 spot.

It’s Force’s 166th career No. 1 qualifier, and he’s trying to add his NHRA nitro Funny Car record 155 national event wins. Force received a first-round bye and will face the winner of Chad Green vs. Alexis DeJoria in round two.

Mike Salinas has had a solid season.

The Top Fuel owner/driver has one win at the season-opening race in Gainesville, Fla., and he has an elimination-round record of 11-9.

Salinas arrived at the Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway in Seattle this weekend seventh in the points standings.

Salinas did turn some heads Saturday when he grabbed the No. 1 qualifying spot with his 3.743-second elapsed time at 329.02 mph in Q2.

The third annual Summit Racing Equipment PDRA ProStars race was forced to end prematurely on Saturday night at Virginia Motorsports Park due to a timing system malfunction during the Top Fuel final round. The malfunction prevented the completion of the remaining final rounds. As a result, the finalists in all PDRA classes split the winner-take-all payouts, and they will have the opportunity to compete for the event trophy at the next PDRA race set to take place from August 3-5.

Tyler Crossnoe, PDRA series director and vice president of Virginia Motorsports Park, expressed disappointment over the timing system failure.

"An unfortunate series of events caused a catastrophic timing system failure that could not be repaired in time to complete the final rounds," Crossnoe said. "We exhausted every available resource and potential solutions in an effort to repair the system so we could wrap up what was an incredible show for the fans all day long, as well as crown ProStars champions."