The domination train that Gaige Herrera has been riding since the beginning of the 2023 season is still going strong.
Herrera, the reigning NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, claimed his eighth No. 1 qualifier of the season Saturday at the FallNationals in Dallas. Herrera clocked a 6.749-second elapsed time at 202.52 mph in Q3 and held on for the top spot at the Texas Motorplex.
“The only thing that made it possible was the tailwind. Just had to catch it at the right time,” Herrera said about his Q3 run. “It was a cross tail, so I didn’t think being in the right lane would affect us as much as it did, but it did. I went 6.749 at 202.52, so that was a good pass. I mean, the bike went straight as an arrow. Andrew (Hines) hit the tune-up just right and ran well.
“And Q4 … I think in the heat of the day (Saturday), we would’ve gone like a 77. I don’t know if I would’ve run a 75 like Matt (Smith) did. But now, basically, (Sunday) we’re going to be racing this kind of weather. I think it’s going to be a direct, straight tailwind instead of a cross. So, we will probably see pretty good mph and it will be a good day of racing.”
This is Herrera’s eighth No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 22nd of his career. Herrera arrived in Dallas with a 34-point lead over Smith in the points standings.
And Herrera knows nothing will come easy for him Sunday.
“I would definitely say it’s a little more challenging. Especially this weekend, it’s a little on the hot side,” Herrera said. “So, with the track and everything, the track temps, and then, all that, it definitely throws us for a loop. But I want to say it’s the most difficult one on the tour. It’s a very nice smooth surface and all that. So, as far as that, it doesn’t make it as difficult making it. You’re able to maintain the bike straight down the track here.”
Herrera will be aiming to win his ninth race of the season Sunday, and he talked about how the tailwind will play a part.
“It helps the motorcycles quite a bit, because our aero really isn’t that good to begin with. There’s a lot of dead air with the rider, and so on and so forth,” Herrera said. “The tailwind, as a rider, you could tell the difference, so it definitely affects us quite a bit. It blows us around. A direct tailwind, you won’t necessarily feel, but crosswind like today, it definitely affects us quite a bit.”
That’s what made his electric run in Q3 even more impressive.
“Luckily, I was towards the end of the pack, and the track was definitely a little on the greasy side, and that hurts us,” Herrera said. “With us being 660 pounds, we got to hit the bike so hard to get them moving.
“So, we were kind of shocked that we were able to go .105s on that surface. It was definitely a challenge. Everyone’s shooting for the 60 foot right now, trying to get the momentum going, because what gets you the good ET. That’s why you see a couple of bikes bucking or spinning a tire going towards the center line or the wall or vice versa. Everyone’s just shooting for the first 60 to 330 feet right now to get the ET. When it gets hot out, it definitely gets challenging.”
With just three races left in the season – Dallas, Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif. – Herrera is relishing the moment.
“The biggest thing I focus on is just focus on the here and now. You can’t really predict what’s going to happen, you can’t try to make stuff happen,” Herrera said. “You just got to go out there and do what you got to do, and it’s going to turn out how it’s going to be. That’s kind of my biggest motto from my mom growing up, is it is what it is, you can’t change how it’s going to play out. So, I’m just out here having fun each round and living the dream.”
