Joey Gladstone experienced a 180-degree emotional swing on the Sonoma [Calif.] Raceway quarter-mile Sunday at the NHRA Denso Sonoma Nationals. 

For him, race day began with the kind of surprise no Pro Stock Motorcycle racer wants.  

RELATED STORY- THE DSR RUMOR?

The rumor began making its way around the professional pits on Saturday at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals. By Sunday, it was official. 

Don Schumacher and the Maynard Family announced on Sunday afternoon, that on Monday, July 25, 2022, the Maynards would become majority owners of the Top Fuel team. With their new position in the 
Maynard Family Racing/Don Schumacher Racing team (JCM/DSR) beginning with the upcoming NHRA Northwest Nationals, the Maynards will assume the bulk of the responsibilities of overseeing the day-to-day operations surrounding the Schumacher-driven/Todd Okuhara-tuned machine.
 

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the Maynard family this year and look forward to them continuing to become more involved as they take on this expanded role,” said Tony Schumacher from Sonoma Raceway following Sunday’s NHRA Sonoma Nationals elimination rounds. “It’s incredible to see how passionate the Maynards are about our sport. Together, we will continue to represent our roster of JCM and DSR partners such as Scag Power Equipment and Okuma to the best of our abilities both on and off the track as we race for a bid to compete in the 2022 NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs.”r a bid to compete in the 2022 NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs.”

On a day that included a barrage on the Sonoma Raceway record books, Top Fuel star Brittany Force rolled to her fourth win of the 2022 season on Sunday and moved into the points lead in front of a packed house at the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals.

Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Joey Gladstone (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won at the 12th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the second stop of the three-race NHRA Western Swing. All four winners on Sunday are first-time Sonoma winners as well.

To say the last couple of weeks for Matt Hartford and his Total Seal Chevy Camaro Pro Stock team would be an understatement. Hartford was able to capture a monumental win in Pro Stock last weekend in Denver, Colorado, at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals, using a psychic (.004) reaction time against Aaron Stanfield in the final round to stop team Elite's five-race winning streak.

For Hartford, it would be his fifth career win in Pro Sock and his first since Houston last season. However, the fascinating story behind the win and the journey to get to this weekend's Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals from Sonoma Raceway makes the win stand out even more.  

Hartford had a considerably slow start to the season capturing just four round wins through the first eight races of the season entering the western swing. To add to the slow start, Hartford and his team had to borrow a truck driver from Top Fuel driver Josh Hart's sponsor, R&L Carriers, to get to the race in Denver. Then while in Denver, the team's truck decided to give them problems. But the team was fortunate enough to borrow one from former Pro Stock racer and winner V.Gaines.

Point standings (top 10) following the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, the 12th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series - 

Final round-by-round results from the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, the 12th of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

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Seven drivers have swept the Western Swing, winning in successive weeks at Denver, Sonoma, and Seattle: Joe Amato, Cory McClenathan, Larry Dixon, Tony Schumacher, and Antron Brown in Top Fuel; John Force in Funny Car; and Greg Anderson in Pro Stock.

This weekend, three have the chance to keep their opportunities alive. Top Fuel’s Leah Pruett, Funny Car’s Robert Hight, and Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford are the only ones who have a shot at becoming the eighth (or ninth or 10th) to pull off the challenge. 

No two have accomplished the feat in the same year, so that’s another dare out there on the table.  

Six years ago – June 26, 2016 – Tony Stewart passed Denny Hamlin on the final lap, in the hairpin Turn 11, to win the Toyota/Save Mart 350 for the third time. It ended his 84-race winless streak and turned out to be the final victory of his distinguished NASCAR career. The same year he joined Ernie Irvan in Sonoma Raceway’s Wall of Fame. 

This weekend, his wife, Leah Pruett, is hoping this same track will produce equally special memories and give her added momentum following her first 2022 victory last Sunday at Denver. It was the first Top Fuel victory for Tony Stewart Racing. 

Pruett set the Sonoma Raceway elapsed-time record at 3.669 seconds in 2017, and she was runner-up to Steve Torrence last year. With this weekend's Sonoma visit, Pruett can keep alive her chances to sweep the Western Swing. 

Looking to become the first driver in NHRA history to win four straight races at Sonoma Raceway, Funny Car’s Robert Hight secured the No. 1 position in front of a capacity crowd on Saturday at the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals.
 
Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 12th of 22 races during the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the second stop of the three-race NHRA Western Swing.

After struggling for nearly the entire first half of the 2022 NHRA season, Top Fuel driver Leah Pruett finally seems to be finding her groove.
After winning the Mile-High Nationals in Denver Sunday, Pruett responded  Friday night by taking the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot at the Denso Sonoma (Calif.) Nationals.

Pruett, driving for her husband’s Tony Stewart Racing team, clocked a 3.689-second time at 327.59 mph.