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It's Dream Realized for New NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion Gaige Herrera

1
Mike Pryson
·5 min read
gaige herrera nhra pro stock motorcycle
Herrera Clinches NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle TitleNHRA/National Dragster

For months now, it wasn’t a matter of whether Gaige Herrera would earn the 2023 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship. It was just a matter of when and where.

The answer was Saturday during qualifying for the In-N-Out Burger Finals at Southern California’s In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

In year-long Herrera style, the second-year riding phenom with a 46-4 race-day record completed his romp through the class with a track-record 6.661-seconds, 203.80-mph pass to claim the No. 1 qualifying position.

"If you have a dream, you have to chase it," Herrera said after giving the Vance & Hines organization its 14th Pro Stock Motorcycle championship since 1997. Andrew Hines has six, following his older brother’s three in a row. Eddie Krawiec has earned four championships.

gaige herrera nhra pro stock motorcycle
Gaige Herrera’s first NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship was the 14th for his Vance and Hines team.NHRA/National Dragster

“I had an awesome group of people behind me, even before I joined Vance and Hines that pushed me to chase this dream. It just goes to show if you have good people behind you, good things come,” he said. “I can't thank Andrew (Hines), Ed (Eddie Krawiec), Terry (Vance), and Byron (Hines), for seeing what they did in me and giving me the shot.

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“I never would have thought I would have been up here talking about a championship. It's been an amazing ride,” Herrera said. “It's a lot to take in. Even right now it doesn't feel real. Can't believe I won the championship. It's incredible."


That elapsed time tied the sixth-quickest run in Pro Stock Motorcycle history, matching his feat at Dallas in mid-October. And his top starting position was his 14th the season in the category’s 15 races.

Herrera has led the standings after all but one of the 15 races. And he has recorded nine of 10 of the bike class’ all-time quickest elapsed times and two of the top three speeds in class history.

Herrera will begin eliminations Sunday against No. 16 starter Blaine Hale.

In-N-Out NHRA Finals

Final Qualifying, Sunday Elimination Pairings

Sunday's first-round pairings for eliminations for the 58th annual In-N-Out NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Pomona Dragstrip, the final of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel -- 1. Austin Prock, 3.636 seconds, 332.92 mph vs. 16. Ron August, 3.858, 312.64; 2. Steve Torrence, 3.641, 335.65 vs. 15. Spencer Hyde, 3.778, 323.27; 3. Antron Brown, 3.663, 335.82 vs. 14. Clay Millican, 3.758, 306.19; 4. Mike Salinas, 3.663, 332.26 vs. 13. Josh Hart, 3.742, 329.50; 5. Doug Kalitta, 3.666, 333.25 vs. 12. Dan Mercier, 3.716, 328.14; 6. Leah Pruett, 3.674, 336.40 vs. 11. Tony Schumacher, 3.703, 331.20; 7. Billy Torrence, 3.682, 336.74 vs. 10. Shawn Langdon, 3.693, 330.07; 8. Justin Ashley, 3.682, 334.73 vs. 9. Brittany Force, 3.682, 328.14.

Funny Car -- 1. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.844, 331.61 vs. 16. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 4.025, 306.74; 2. John Force, Camaro, 3.862, 328.14 vs. 15. Terry Haddock, Ford Mustang, 4.019, 306.95; 3. Cruz Pedregon, Dodge Charger, 3.865, 330.15 vs. 14. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 3.995, 283.25; 4. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.869, 328.46 vs. 13. Alex Laughlin, Charger, 3.993, 320.36; 5. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.869, 327.03 vs. 12. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 3.981, 319.52; 6. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.880, 336.99 vs. 11. Steven Densham, Mustang, 3.949, 318.02; 7. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.882, 332.02 vs. 10. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.928, 328.22; 8. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.893, 325.06 vs. 9. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.904, 326.08.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Del Worsham, 4.062, 312.78; 18. Jason Rupert, 4.066, 317.42; 19. Alexis DeJoria, 5.365, 139.91.

Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.492, 211.30 vs. 16. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.540, 210.64; 2. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.497, 211.00 vs. 15. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.538, 210.67; 3. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.500, 210.31 vs. 14. Fernando Cuadra, Mustang, 6.535, 206.45; 4. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.500, 210.01 vs. 13. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mustang, 6.525, 211.30; 5. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.501, 211.10 vs. 12. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.522, 211.49; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.507, 209.20 vs. 11. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.521, 210.24; 7. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.510, 211.03 vs. 10. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.519, 209.85; 8. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.510, 210.08 vs. 9. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.517, 211.33.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Eric Latino, 6.547, 209.79; 18. Kenny Delco, 6.548, 210.21; 19. Chris McGaha, 6.550, 209.62; 20. Steve Graham, 6.594, 208.59; 21. Val Smeland, 6.597, 205.54; 22. Joey Grose, 6.616, 207.24; 23. Alan Prusiensky, 6.629, 206.54.

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.661, 203.80 vs. 16. Blaine Hale, Suzuki, 6.983, 192.17; 2. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.729, 201.28 vs. 15. Katie Justice, Suzuki, 6.972, 189.90; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.734, 201.94 vs. 14. Chris Bostick, EBR, 6.952, 193.96; 4. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.751, 200.26 vs. 13. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.944, 166.91; 5. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.765, 197.59 vs. 12. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 6.929, 195.19; 6. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.776, 199.55 vs. 11. John Hall, EBR, 6.825, 198.47; 7. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.784, 197.77 vs. 10. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.810, 198.32; 8. LE Tonglet, Suzuki, 6.791, 199.20 vs. 9. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.797, 197.25.

Did Not Qualify: 17. Lance Bonham, 7.070, 186.77.