History awaits NHRA Pro Stock star Erica Enders and she put herself in an even better position to make history Sunday.

Enders, the reigning Pro Stock world champion, who is one national event win away from becoming the all-time winningest female driver in NHRA history, qualified No. 1 at the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis.

Enders clocked a 6.549-second run at 209.75 mph Friday, and that held through Saturday’s two qualifying sessions at World Wide Technology
Raceway. She kept the No. 1 slot based on her mph. Matt Hartford had a 6.549-second lap in Q3, but came across the line at 207.75 mph.

As dominant as Gaige Herrera’s 2023 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle season has been, it is not surprising that he added his name to the sanctioning body’s record books on Saturday.

Herrera clocked a 6.716-second elapsed time at 201.79 mph on Friday on his Vance & Hines / Mission Foods Suzuki, and it held through Saturday for him to grab the No. 1 qualifying spot at the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis.

“It felt really good. We were kind of expected to go like a 72, so to go out there and run at 71, I'm happy with that,” Herrera said.

Bob Tasca III has never led the NHRA point standings in his Funny Car driving career. But after securing his sixth No. 1 qualifying, he’s hoping heading into race day as the top seed at the NHRA Midwest Nationals will put him atop the championship race.

The leaderboard remained unchanged after substantially warmer Saturday's conclusion of qualifying at World Wide Technologies Raceway Park. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Tasca’s 3.852 elapsed time at 324.90 mph on Friday was never in jeopardy. 

“Very exciting, but one round at a time, one run at a time,” Tasca said. “We really don’t pay as much attention to what the cars around us are running. We have enough data now with this car and enough track information to go up there and try to go as quickly as we can for the conditions that are presented.

Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Angie Smith was involved in an accident during the second qualifying round at the NHRA Midwest Nationals outside of St. Louis, Mo.

Smith became separated from her bike shortly after passing the finish line at World Wide Technology Raceway. She came to a rest in the track's shutdown area. 

This has been a season to remember for veteran NHRA nitro Funny Car driver Bob Tasca III.
 
He navigated through an offseason when he was searching for new crew chiefs to being in the mix to win his first career nitro Funny Car world championship.
 
Tasca III arrived at the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis, fresh off a win at the last race in Charlotte, N.C., and second in the points standings just 25 back of leader Robert Hight.

Timing is everything in life and sports, and veteran Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta’s couldn’t be better.
 
After a so-so 2023 NHRA regular season, Kalitta has been on a torrid pace in the ever-important six-race Countdown to the Championship.
 
Kalitta won the first two races in the Countdown – Reading, Pa., and Charlotte, N.C., and vaulted himself into the points lead.

A day after Mother nature came up big during Wednesday's action at the RAD Torque Systems Fall Fling presented by Optima Batteries at Bristol Dragway, she was no match for Mike Barber during the ATI Performance Products $30,000 Thursday.

Barber outlasted 424 other competitors for the big payday, the first main event big check of the weekend. In the end, he beat Chris Ferguson in a double-breakout match. 

Never let it be said that John Force isn't up for a good story, either telling or creating one. And some of the best stories are created on Force-inspired road trips.

The 16-time champion, drag racing's ultimate rags to riches story, has always remembered where he came from, whether it's the trailer park in Bell Gardens or the logging community of Redwood Creek. On July 3 - 5, Force embarked on a journey with film producer Brent Travers and digital coordinator Aaron "AJ" England to relive a few of those memories.

Iconic doorslammer chassis builder Jerry Bickel passed away on April 5, 2023, but his legend in the Pro Modified division will carry on. This weekend, Bickel’s successful brand will serve as the presenting sponsor of the NHRA Pro Modified competition during the NHRA Midwest Nationals, the ninth of ten races on the Fuel tech Pro Modified Series. The race is held at World Wide Technology Motorsports Park, the closest venue to Bickel’s Moscow Mills, Mo.-based chassis shop. 

Bickel, known for his prowess in building some of the class’ quickest and fastest cars, will always be remembered as the builder of the first Pro Modified national event winner in March 1990 in Darlington, SC.