Fall back to a human level for a couple of seasons, and it appears there are some who forgot just how superhuman Gaige Herrera has been in the past. The two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion appears intent on providing a refresher course as he battles teammate Richard Gadson for a third NHRA championship.
Herrera didn’t waste any time Friday at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona, putting his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki atop the qualifying order with a 6.673-second pass at 201.76 mph. He was quickest in both sessions, collecting two valuable bonus points while giving Gadson something to think about before their championship showdown.
“Yeah, it’s definitely an ideal start for sure,” Herrera said. “To go out there and run 67 bolt passes and get the two bonus points for that, that’s what we need going into this weekend.”
The provisional No. 1 qualifying position would be Herrera’s sixth of the season if it holds through Saturday. More importantly, his performance came with a championship hanging in the balance and a teammate standing directly in his way.
Gadson, the reigning world champion and current points leader, qualified second at 6.713 seconds and 200.00 mph, while Matt Smith occupied third with a 6.750 at 201.28. The two Vance & Hines teammates will settle unfinished business Saturday when they complete their rain-delayed Las Vegas final during Pomona’s opening qualifying session.
The postponed final carries a Diamond Wally and potentially a 40-point swing in their head-to-head championship battle. Herrera can cut another 20 points from Gadson’s advantage with a victory, while a Gadson win would make Herrera’s pursuit of a third championship considerably more difficult.
Herrera understands the circumstances, although he would prefer to leave the mathematics to crew chief Andrew Hines. His approach is considerably less complicated: Make good runs, turn on win lights and let the championship standings take care of themselves.
“I’m not a points person to count all this stuff and Andrew was over there telling me all the scenarios and stuff,” Herrera said. “I’m like, ‘I don’t even want to listen to this stuff.’ But he’s a numbers person, so he’s always playing every scenario in his mind.”
Herrera knows he doesn’t have much room for mistakes, particularly against a teammate capable of matching his performance. Friday offered evidence of just how closely the two Suzuki motorcycles are running, including identical 1.01-second 60-foot times during the second session.
“And then right there at Q2, me and Richard both went 1.01, 60 for the next year,” Herrera said. “That pretty unique. So we’re both doing very good. And then tomorrow we got to run the Vegas final. So there’s still a lot on the line and a lot of things could happen.”
Herrera’s quickest run was four-hundredths of a second better than Gadson’s best, a considerable advantage in a category where victories frequently come down to thousandths. He wouldn’t mind having Gadson think about that difference overnight.
“Oh, for sure,” Herrera said when asked whether his performance might get into Gadson’s head. “Being competitors, at the end of the day, you want to try to get some kind of edge over your competitor. I know in the back of his mind when he seen me run a 67 first pass and ran a 74, he’s probably scratching his head like, ‘What’s going on here?’ Type of thing.”
There is also the matter of gamesmanship, something Herrera has never been reluctant to employ against an opponent. Racing his teammate for a championship doesn’t necessarily mean he plans to abandon the occasional starting-line distraction.
“Richard, he always likes racing pretty straight up,” Herrera said. “I’m usually the one that messes around a little bit just because it helps me personally. That’s why I used to always mess with Matt and it’s one of those things.”
Herrera suggested there could be some starting-line maneuvering when the teammates meet for the Las Vegas trophy. He also acknowledged that their rivalry has generally remained consistent, even with the championship stakes reaching their highest point.
For Herrera, the pressure is part of the attraction, and Saturday’s additional final round gives him another opportunity to make something happen. He compared the situation to the Mission Foods Challenge, where an additional race during qualifying demands the same concentration as eliminations.
“I like it,” Herrera said. “It’s like having the mission challenge throughout the normal season on Saturday. I feel like it always keeps you on the edge to go out there and do the best you can each round. It’s a lot of pressure this weekend for sure.”
His Suzuki has given him reason for confidence as he says his motorcycle was hooking up exceptionally well through the first 60 feet, allowing him to feel the difference between a strong launch and one that surrendered precious hundredths of a second.
“Usually it’ll start spinning, but all day today it’s been dead hooked and driving forward and the G-meter just constantly keeps pulling through the 60 foot,” Herrera said. “So you could definitely feel that for sure.”
Herrera has enjoyed considerable success at both Las Vegas and Pomona, although he admitted the postponed final was disappointing. With the championship still within reach, he hopes the change of venue works in his favor.
“I was bummed we didn’t finish in Vegas, but with the win and everything else, it was the right call because Vegas has always been good to me,” Herrera said. “I’ve done very good at that track, but Pomona’s been very good to me as well.”
The championship battle has reached the point where Herrera can no longer afford to concern himself with early season shortcomings. His opportunity now comes against the one rider who knows him better than almost anyone else.
And after Friday’s performance, Herrera has given Gadson something to think about before they stage for their biggest race of the season.
“But I’m going to have to have a picture perfect weekend for it to come out my way,” Herrera said. “But I’m up for the challenge and that’s what I love more than anything is the challenge in drag racing or in general. And for it to come down here in Pomona to hopefully shake everything up, it’s going to be exciting.”
