Mike Tyson never cared much for anonymous critics.
“Social media made y’all way too comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it,” Tyson once said.
Richard Gadson doesn’t throw punches. The reigning NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion channels that same frustration into motivation, using the criticism that followed his title run as fuel for a more focused championship defense.
The backlash began after last year’s NHRA World Finals in Pomona were canceled because of persistent rain, leaving Gadson with the points lead when the season ended. Instead of celebration, the milestone moment triggered a wave of personal attacks that questioned both his legitimacy and his character.
“After Pomona,” Gadson said when asked when the messages started. “Well, one guy is one that I posted. The only reason I posted his in particular is because he messaged me again on Monday and said, ‘F*** you.’”
Gadson said he understood the disappointment among fans and competitors. What he did not expect was the intensity of the reaction directed squarely at him.
The criticism, he said, quickly escalated beyond competitive debate. Some messages suggested he had not earned the championship, while others questioned the circumstances that led to the season ending without a final race.
“The first thing he said is, ‘You did not earn it. You’re not the champion,’ or whatever,” Gadson said. “And I understand fans were disappointed. So were racers.”
A small number of comments crossed into racial territory, something Gadson said made the situation more difficult to process. He emphasized that those instances were limited but still impactful.
“One other guy said I was, ‘NHRA’s token Negro.’ That’s why they gave it to me,” Gadson said. “Another dude said that I’m the Bubba Wallace of NHRA.”
Most of the reaction, he added, centered on the belief that rival Gage Herrera had been denied an opportunity to secure a third straight championship. Gadson said that perspective overlooked the fact he was also denied the chance to validate his title on track.
“And it’s like, wait a minute now, what about me getting robbed of the opportunity to prove, for me to solidify my first championship?” Gadson said.
The online discourse created a complicated emotional backdrop for what should have been a defining career achievement. Gadson said the noise sometimes overshadowed the significance of the moment.
“So that’s one of the biggest accomplishments of my life, and it got tarnished,” Gadson said. “People tried to ruin it, and it almost worked at times.”
He described the experience as leaving him unsure how to fully embrace the title. The perception of an asterisk lingered even as he held the trophy.
“Now something that’s so important, so big to me has an asterisk next to it,” Gadson said. “It could never really be what it is in its purest form.”
Gadson said he did not fault fans for being upset about the cancellation. Still, he struggled with being the focal point of the frustration.
“You get a me who’s just sitting there like, ‘Dang, man, yo, y’all are really trying to ruin this for me,’” Gadson said.
A turning point came early the following season at Gainesville Raceway, where Gadson delivered a performance he described as personally validating. The result provided a moment he felt had been missing from the championship experience.
“So Gainesville was more of a … Gainesville was my Pomona almost,” Gadson said. “It was more so like a really, really, really big statement.”
The emotional payoff came not from rewriting history but from reinforcing confidence. Gadson said the win allowed him to experience the sense of accomplishment he had expected months earlier.
“It was that moment when I turned off the track in Gainesville that it all kind of came together for me and all felt good,” Gadson said. “And it finally felt good to me.”
Until then, he said, conversations about the championship often felt incomplete. “I didn’t want to give everybody a Debbie Downer story so I just would say, ‘Well, I got the trophy.’”
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The episode reshaped his approach to competition and long-term goals in Pro Stock Motorcycle. What began as a singular pursuit evolved into a broader mission to consistently compete at the highest level.
“When you chase something like that so big and you chase it your whole life, when you get it, you almost have a, well, what now moment?” Gadson said. “So it changed my what now.”
He said the negativity that followed Pomona ultimately helped define his next chapter. Rather than retreat, he chose to embrace the challenge.
“What now is to stay motivated and show everybody you deserve is that you compete at that level,” Gadson said. “That’s been my driving force pretty much the whole time.”
Gadson acknowledged that rivals would bring their own motivation into the new season. He expects Herrera and Matt Smith to remain formidable forces.
“I know Gage is going to be motivated. I know Matt’s going to be motivated,” Gadson said.
The defending champion said his response to criticism reflects a duality that has defined his racing career. He sees no contradiction between humility and assertiveness.
“I think it’s important to know that I’m both,” Gadson said. “I don’t mind defending myself or speaking up for myself.”
He emphasized that his intention was never to create conflict. Instead, he sought to acknowledge the commentary without allowing it to dictate his mindset.
“I don’t go looking for trouble,” Gadson said. “I don’t fault anybody for their opinion, but they can’t fault me for mine either.”
At its core, Gadson said the experience underscored the need to remember the human element behind the helmet. Public scrutiny, he noted, does not diminish personal impact.
“You guys got to remember something. I’m a human being first, flesh and bone,” Gadson said.
Support from within his professional circle provided reassurance as the scrutiny intensified. Gadson said a call from his boss reinforced his decision to address the criticism publicly.
“I was worried about getting in trouble for it,” Gadson said. “He told me, ‘I’m fully supportive. I got your back.’”
He also gained a deeper appreciation for the passion of NHRA fans. Gadson hopes that intensity translates into sustained engagement at the racetrack.
“We have some really passionate fans at NHRA, that’s for sure,” Gadson said. “I hope they come out to the races and sit their butts in the seats.”
Ultimately, he believes the adversity strengthened his resolve rather than weakened his confidence. The criticism became another competitive variable to manage.
“A lot of it, the 95% of it was just doubt,” Gadson said. “It was just doubt that I really was the champion.”
Support from within his professional circle provided reassurance as the scrutiny intensified. Gadson said a call from his boss reinforced his decision to address the criticism publicly.
“I was worried about getting in trouble for it,” Gadson said. “He told me, ‘I’m fully supportive. I got your back.’”
He also gained a deeper appreciation for the passion of NHRA fans. Gadson hopes that intensity translates into sustained engagement at the racetrack.
“We have some really passionate fans at NHRA, that’s for sure,” Gadson said. “I hope they come out to the races and sit their butts in the seats.”
Ultimately, he believes the adversity strengthened his resolve rather than weakened his confidence. The criticism became another competitive variable to manage.
“A lot of it, the 95% of it was just doubt,” Gadson said. “It was just doubt that I really was the champion.”
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