No disrespect to anyone racing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle division, but at this point, it's become apparent they are racing for second place at the remaining events on the NHRA tour. And even if Pomona accounted for triple the championship points, it still wouldn't matter. 

Gaige Herrera might as well be crowned the series champion. His latest conquest, the NHRA Midwest Nationals, has been like eight of his other victories; i.e., sheer domination. The four times all season that he has lost, though another driver has been credited, something had to happen to him or his bike to cause it. In other words, the only person who has been able to beat Herrera this season is Herrera. 

Yes, this includes teammate Eddie Krawiec, his victim Sunday at the third stop of the six-race Countdown to the Championship Series.

"It was very exciting," Herrera said. "Hopefully, I still have a job after knocking Ed off, but yeah, it was good. It was good overall for our whole team. All day, I had a very consistent motorcycle, and yeah, it was good."

If there was one person who shouldn't have been surprised by the onset of Herrera's success, it would have been Joey Gladstone, who often crossed paths with him on the outlaw motorcycle racing circuits. 

"First round was probably the most nervous round for me, racing Joey," Herrera said. "He's always a tough competitor, so I knew he was going to be on it. And I was a little tardy on the tree, so it was an honest race, for sure."

Nothing quite soothes the nerves like a track record, and that's exactly what Herrera threw on Gladstone with a 6.701, 201.88, which was worlds ahead of Gladstone's 6.78 straddling a Matt Smith Racing Buell. 

Because only 14 bikes made the haul to St. Louis, Herrera gained a bye run. He used it to create more magic with a 6.706, 202.45, over .05 quicker than the second quickest bike winner of the round. 

"I can't even really put into words being able to race for Byron, Terry, Andrew, Ed," Herrera said. "It's very overwhelming. I still can't believe I got that phone call almost a year ago now to race for them, and to be able to do the performance we have for them and showcase basically their work. It's been incredible, and I'm glad to be a part of it."

When Krawiec stopped Smith and Herrera beat Chase Van Sant, it set up the second all-Vance and Hines final round of the season. Clearly, Herrera had lane choice. 

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The teammates decided to forgo tradition and instead flipped a coin for lane choice. On paper, the coin flip appeared the only chance Krawiec had of beating Herrera. Krawiec took the right lane, and Herrera could have taken the return road and likely come out on top.

“We actually flipped a coin in the pit, and Ed won that, so he took the right lane," Herrera said. "He said, 'I need every advantage I can get." 

Krawiec wasn't exaggerating. Herrera's worst run on race day was in the final, a 6.728, 201.79, which was still better than Krawiec's best Sunday. 

The victory moved him closer to clinching a series championship and extending the lead over his closest rival Matt Smith Racing, who suffered considerable tragedy on Saturday when rider Angie Smith became separated from her Buell-bodied motorcycle and crashed. She was transported to a local hospital where she remains after suffering two broken feet and a severe case of road rash. 

"I'm very excited just to get a little more points lead over Matt," Herrera said. "I hate to see what happened to Angie this week, and that was terrible. But for me to have that kind of points, it kind of took a little pressure off my shoulders. I still go out there and keep doing what I'm doing, go A to B, and have fun with it. 

"I went into round one today nervous because basically, the bullseye's on my back. And me and Joey have always been tough competitors, not only in NHRA in other sanctioning bodies. And I feel like it's definitely a little pressure off my back. So I'm going to go into Dallas, and it's going to be fun. It's going to be a good, fun long weekend, and I'm excited for the last three races."

That makes one member of the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.