More History On The Line For Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera at PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals

Chasing history has been nothing new for Gaige Herrera the past two seasons, but the reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion has a chance add another incredible mark at this weekend’s PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.

Herrera is currently tied with legendary Pro Stock driver Bob Glidden for the most consecutive wins and round wins in NHRA history, picking up his ninth straight win – and 35th straight round win – during his victory two weeks ago at Bristol Dragway in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

A win in Richmond this weekend would give Herrera 10 consecutive victories, which has never been achieved in NHRA’s 73-year history. Herrera hasn’t lost in 2024 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki, winning the first four races of the year. He also hasn’t been defeated since last September, winning the final five events of 2023 en route to his dominant first world title.

He’s set a multitude of records along the way and this is another major one for the standout, but Herrera is simply trying to focus on making solid runs this weekend.
“That’s the approach I have to go with,” Herrera said. “You never know what’s going to happen. It’s hard to say you’re just going to go out and break the record. There’s so many different aspects that play into it as far as the bike, myself and all the other competitors.

“But leaving Bristol, I feel like I conquered something. Last year, it beat me in the ground a little (losing in the final on a red light). To get the win there, I was ecstatic. It almost felt like I won the championship all over again.”

Herrera is looking forward to that, as well as making his NHRA debut at Virginia Motorsports Park. He has a wealth of previous experience at the standout facility in other series, but this marks his first time competing at VMP in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Smith is the defending event winner and he also qualified No. 1 in Bristol, defeating Herrera in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Thunder Valley. They had a memorable showdown in eliminations, with Herrera getting the victory in the semifinals en route to the event win as their rivalry continues to heat up.

They will rematch on Saturday as part of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge – with the other matchup featuring Jianna Evaristo and Richard Gadson – and Herrera is eager to get to VMP for a busy weekend. He’s also a fan of the three qualifying sessions on Saturday, hoping it prepares him well for a chance to make history on Sunday.

“Having three qualifiers in one day, it brings a lot more excitement for the riders and the fans. I like it a lot,” said Herrera, who has 15 career victories dating back to the start of the 2023 season. “As a competitive person, it keeps you in the groove and keeps you ready. I’m really looking forward to it. I think it will be great.

“Richmond has a nice, smooth surface and it’s fast. Even with the heat, it’s going to be a nice surface and it should be really good. It’s a great facility and I’m glad the NHRA is going back there.”

Fans will also be invited all weekend long to the Nitro Alley Stage, which is the main entertainment hub in the pits, hosting Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at VMP can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners.

As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Richmond. This opportunity gives fans a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. Fans can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features three rounds of action on Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. ET, with eliminations beginning at 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 23. Television coverage includes qualifying action at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. Finals coverage starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday on FS1. Perseverance

To purchase tickets to the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals on June 21-23 at Virginia Motorsports Park, visit https://nhra.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, including the full 2024 schedule, visit www.NHRA.com.

ABOUT NHRA
The National Hot Rod Association, the largest auto racing organization in the world, has come a long way since Wally Parks founded it in 1951.

Though it has grown into a global sports-entertainment business, NHRA has not lost sight of Parks’ original goal: to provide competitors a place to race. But now those places are deluxe supertracks in major U.S. markets, and the racing runs the gamut from 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters to 5-horsepower Jr. Dragsters. Drag racing’s journey through the decades has been sometimes swift, sometimes rocky, but always exciting and always worth the trip.

In the 1950s, top performance marks were 140 mph in 9 seconds. Today, they’re more than 330 mph in less than 3.7 seconds. Back then, winners earned little more than a trophy and bragging rights. Today’s racers compete for trophies and bragging rights as well as a share of more than $3 million in prize money.

In 2024, NHRA joined forces with Mission Foods to present the world’s fastest motorsports attraction as the flagship sponsor of the national touring series, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Under the leadership of President Glen Cromwell, NHRA raced forward in 2020 with a number of key initiatives, including a multiyear partnership with FOX Sports to televise NHRA events from the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, and the Pro Mod Drag Racing Series. FOX Sports networks aired more than 500 hours of programming throughout the year, highlighted by 22 race-day shows, including eight on FOX’s national network, in addition to primetime Friday night qualifying shows, and fans are in for more of the same this year.

NHRA has extremely loyal fans that are committed to the sport they love, and it’s easy to see why. They continue to have the best access to the behind-the-scenes action of racing. NHRA’s open-pits policy allows fans to get an up-close-and personal view of how teams rebuild engines. Drivers are often found in their pit areas, signing autographs and chatting with fans, who have the rare opportunity to get behind the wheel themselves in a variety of racing simulators in the Nitro Alley Fan Zone. Those are just a few reasons NHRA fans continue to be some of the most loyal in any sport.

For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

About Mission Foods
Great food is a great motivator. It brings everyone to the table and inspires us to explore all kinds of delicious destinations. At Mission®, it drives us to seek the freshest ingredients, simple recipes, diverse flavors and wholesome products that help us discover all the places our tortillas can go. There are better-for-you destinations like with our high protein, low carb, or gluten-free tortillas. Of course, tacos and nachos are favorite stops. We are always up for those. www.missionfoods.com

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