- All four pro-class winners leave Texas as points leaders.
- Gaige Herrera earns ninth victory in 13 bike-class appearances.
- Chase Van Sant latest Pro Stock Motorcycle racer to sustain serious injury.
Every pro winner Sunday at the NHRA’s Texas FallNationals – Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle)—left Texas Motorplex at Ennis, south of Dallas, as points leaders.
Two more Countdown races—at Las Vegas and Pomona, Calif.—remain before champions are crowned in November.
Epic Top Fuel Showdown for Tony Stewart Racing
Leah Pruett defeated Steve Torrence in an epic Top Fuel showdown and combined with Funny Car winner Matt Hagan to give Tony Stewart Racing its first “nitro double.”
Pruett said she didn’t allow herself to look past whatever round was next for her. “I made sure I was focused on what I needed to do,” she said. And she did all she needed to do.
Pruett said she didn’t allow herself to look past whatever round was next for her. “I made sure I was focused on what I needed to do,” she said. And she did all she needed to do.
She’s seeking her first championship, while Torrence is going for his fifth in six years. But before this race between the top two ranked drivers, Pruett eliminated the surging Doug Kalitta in Round 2.” And her crew chief, Neil Strausbaugh, said, “If you’re going to be the best, that’s what we’ve got to do,” adding that the team had to control its own destiny and not rely on other teams “to do our dirty work.”
“Beating Doug Kalitta, the points leader, was huge,” Pruett said. “You’ve got to do the best you can and make sure someone’s not running away with it. And Ron Capps said it best: Dallas, the Stampede of Speed, you don’t win a championship here, but you can lose one. We made darn sure we were deep in the hunt, at the top of the hunt.”
Hagan Is New Funny Car Points Leader
Funny Car winner Matt Hagan took over the points lead with his semifinal victory over Tim Wilkerson en route to the triumph.
“We really, truly rose to the occasion today,” Hagan said. “You just ask for the ability to have a great day. You can’t ask for any more than that.”
And he said the championship chase “is anybody’s ballgame. Look how close it is. We’ve won two races in the Countdown, and we’re not running away with anything. I feel like I’m in a knife fight in a phone booth.”
For Hagan, this was his fourth victory at Dallas and sixth of the season. And he was anticipating celebrating with his team owner.
“I know his pilot is here, but I hope [Stewart] stays around so we can get drunk together,” Hagan said.
Erica Enders notched win No. 46 on Sunday.
Erica Enders Becomes Motorsports’ Winningest Woman With Pro Stock Victory
Erica Enders made her first passes at Texas Motorplex as an eight-year-old from Houston, racing in the Jr. Dragster class, and in this most recent visit, one week after celebrating her 40th birthday, she is the winningest woman in not just NHRA drag racing but all of motorsports.
Enders defeated Dallas Glenn in the Pro Stock final round to earn her 46th victory in the factory hot-rod class. That achievement, coupled with one sportsman-level Super Gas triumph, broke a tie with three-time bike champion (turned Top Alcohol Dragster driver) Angelle Sampey.
“We came in here on a mission,” Enders said. It was a daunting task, the No. 3 starter said, considering the top half of the qualified field was separated by mere thousandths of a second.
“I’m really grateful,” she said. I’m so blessed to get to do what I do with people who mean the most to me.”
She said her goal when she started competing was to be the best racer, rather than the best woman racer. And with Shirley Muldowney’s 18 victories and “a bunch” by Sampey when she started, Enders said she never thought such a day like Sunday was possible. “I never thought I’d be racing long enough for this to happen,” she quipped.
Gaige Herrera Wins for Ninth Time in 13 Pro Stock Motorcycle Events
The broken record that is “Gaige Herrera win in Pro Stock Motorcycle” remains stuck. He won Sunday’s all-Vance & Hines final against teammate Eddie Krawiec, for the third time denying Krawiec his long-awaited 50th victory. Herrera, who rewrote the national elapsed-time record earlier this weekend, claimed his ninth victory in 13 bike-class appearances after securing his 12th No. 1 starting spot. Herrera ran his elimination-round record to 42-4.
Motorcycle rookie Chase Van Sant Recovering from Gruesome Knee Injury
Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Chase Van Sant is sidelined for the rest of the season, his rookie-of-the-year hopes halted by an ugly knee injury he suffered during Friday qualifying.
The Trick Tools Suzuki rider from the White Alligator Racing team said he didn’t think many people saw the accident, which left him with “a golf ball-size hole that shows straight down to my kneecap.”
After more than 18 hours in a local hospital emergency room, Van Sant, 26, was back at the racetrack late Saturday morning, on crutches with his knee heavily bandaged but in upbeat spirits.
“I think a lot of people still think that I probably hit the wall. And basically, what I was trying to do was trying to get off the wall,” Van Sant said. “I was kind of hanging off the bike and had my knee a little closer to the ground. I'm one of the taller riders out here [at 5 feet, 11 inches], and unfortunately just hit a bump at the perfect time. And my knee bounced off the asphalt, and it kind of sliced and diced me a little bit. So probably going to need a skin graft. Luckily, nothing's broken, but it really scuffed the bones. I could see my tendons and all sorts of stuff.
“There's about a golf ball-size hole that shows straight down to my kneecap, and we're probably looking at skin grafts,” he said, “but I'm actually going to catch a flight out (Sunday) and get home, just to see doctors and get that processed.”
Home is Pella, Iowa, about 45 minutes southeast of Des Moines.
Van Sant said he went straight to the hospital following the accident Friday afternoon and was released around 11 a.m. Saturday. He said his knee “had a little bits of asphalt and stuff in there,” so the threat of infection is what kept him at the hospital so long.
He said the doctor offered no timetable for his return: “I think the big thing they're concerned about is getting range of motion in my knee back, and kind of the hard part about that is being where it's at, right at the front of my knee.
The weekend in Texas proved to be a mixed bag for Bob Tasca, who lost the points lead, but set a Funny Car mark.
Bob Tasca III Runs Fastest Pass in Funny Car History
In the fourth and final qualifying run of the weekend, points leader Bob Tasca III reeled off a 338.57-mph speed Saturday night that was the fastest ever in Funny Car history. Asked how he got the Motorcraft QuickLane Ford to do that, Tasca crew chief Aaron Brooks said, “I’ll let you know when we figure it out.”
Tasca, the No. 1 qualifier, said, “We’ve got one of the best cars on the planet right now. Four [qualifying] runs at 330 miles an hour, I’m a little sore.” He called the record-setting speed “pretty remarkable” but said he and the team were anticipating a lower elapsed time. They were hoping for a better result Sunday, as well, Tasca bowed out in the second round Sunday.
Angelle Sampey Beats Mike Coughlin, Then Tony Stewart in TAD Runoffs
In her first Top Alcohol Dragster eliminations, Pro Stock Motorcycle convert Angelle Sampey proved to be a natural, defeating first top qualifier Mike Coughlin, then Tony Stewart.
When three-time bike champion Sampey announced that she was going to trade two wheels for four, she only half-joked that she wanted to “kick Tony Stewart’s ass” as she joined him in the increasingly popular class. She got her chance and took advantage of it Saturday.
Against both Coughlin and Stewart, Sampey took the lead early in the run and advanced to the next round. But Kirk Wolf stopped her streak, scoring a wire-to-wire victory over Sampey in the semifinal Sunday.
Terry Haddock won soon forget he great big Texas weekend.
Funny Car’s Terry Haddock has Memorable Week
Funny Car’s Terry Haddock began his week with a victory in the inaugural Texas Invitational match race that rang in the Stampede of Speed activities at Texas Motorplex. He defeated Top Fuel driver Mitch King Sunday night after outrunning fellow Funny Car competitor Jeff Diehl in Saturday’s opening round of the specialty race. King advanced to the final by outrunning a tire-smoking Buddy Hull in Saturday action.
Haddock, a New Jersey native who has adopted Temple, Texas, as his home, said, “Any win is awesome, and I am super proud of my guys,” Haddock said while surrounded by his crew. “I am super-grateful and thankful to the Meyer family [Texas Motorplex owners] for putting this event together. They are trying to grow the sport of drag racing, and we need more people like them out here.”
As if that weren’t exciting enough for Haddock, he and Heather Duffin, his girlfriend of three years, became engaged Monday.
Then in the first round of eliminations Sunday, Haddock rocked Robert Hight’s quest for a fourth championship. He won against Hight but lost to J.R. Todd in the quarterfinals.
Although Sunday’s accomplishments were short-lived, Haddock has been improving steadily with the help of veteran crew chief Johnny West.
He said partnering with West has been the best decision he has made in his racing career.
“He makes me see things differently. He’s a perfectionist. He makes you want to be better,” Haddock said.
Results
Texas NHRA FallNationals
Final Finishing Order
Final finish order (1-16) at the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 19th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL
1, Leah Pruett; 2. Steve Torrence; 3. Billy Torrence; 4. Clay Millican; 5. Mike Salinas; 6.Antron Brown; 7. Spencer Massey; 8. Doug Kalitta; 9. Buddy Hull; 10. Doug Foley; 11. Justin Ashley; 12. Brittany Force; 13. Tony Schumacher; 14. Austin Prock; 15. Shawn Langdon; 16. Josh Hart.
FUNNY CAR:
1. Matt Hagan; 2. John Force; 3. Tim Wilkerson; 4. J.R. Todd; 5. Cruz Pedregon; 6. Bob Tasca III; 7. Alex Laughlin; 8. Terry Haddock; 9. Chad Green; 10. Blake Alexander; 11. Robert Hight; 12. Jack Wyatt; 13. Paul Lee; 14. Alexis DeJoria; 15. Ron Capps; 16. Jeff Diehl.
PRO STOCK:
1. Erica Enders; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 4. Aaron Stanfield; 5. Greg Anderson; 6. Matt Hartford; 7. Cristian Cuadra; 8. Camrie Caruso; 9. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 10. Chris McGaha; 11. Eric Latino; 12. Mason McGaha; 13. Kyle Koretsky; 14. Bo Butner; 15. Jerry Tucker; 16. Deric Kramer.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
1, Gaige Herrera; 2. Eddie Krawiec; 3. Hector Arana Jr; 4. Joey Gladstone; 5. John Hall; 6.Matt Smith; 7. Marc Ingwersen; 8. Chris Bostick; 9. Kelly Clontz; 10. Ryan Oehler; 11. Jianna Evaristo; 12. Malcolm Phillips Jr.; 13. Steve Johnson; 14. Cory Reed; 15. Blaine Hale; 16. Chase Van Sant.
Final Round Results
Sunday's final results from the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 19th of 21 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel — Leah Pruett, 3.684 seconds, 330.47 mph def. Steve Torrence, 3.662 seconds, 333.09 mph.
Funny Car — Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.883, 332.25 def. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 6.818, 94.02.
Pro Stock — Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.469, 211.55 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.493, 210.40.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.644, 203.30 def. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.706, 202.56.
Top Alcohol Dragster — Julie Nataas, 5.129, 279.76 def. Kirk Wolf, 9.048, 88.36.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Doug Gordon, Chevy Camaro, 5.414, 271.12 def. Jim Whiteley, Camaro, 6.226, 163.75.
Competition Eliminator — Jim Greenheck, Chevy Camaro, 7.163, 188.39 def. Shaun Vincent, Chevy S-10, 8.748, 118.66.
Super Stock — Tyler Wudarczyk, Chevy Camaro, 10.367, 126.89 def. Victor Penrod, Chevy Camaro, Foul – Red Light.
Stock Eliminator — Jerry Emmons, Chevy Camaro, 10.514, 113.36 def. Jimmy Hidalgo Jr., Pontiac GTO, 10.892, 107.05.
Super Comp — Michael Holcombe, Dragster, 8.915, 173.22 def. Dave Long, Dragster, 8.924, 167.62.
Super Gas — Trevor Larson, Chevy Corvette, 9.928, 161.38 def. Steve Collier, Chevy Vega, 9.941, 160.59.
Super Street — Donnie Durenberger, Chevy Nova, 10.920, 146.44 def. Mark McCall, Pontiac Trans Am, 10.903, 144.76.
Top Sportsman — Curt Fredrich, Chevy Camaro, 6.523, 211.08 def. David Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.113, 232.20.
Top Dragster — Holden Laris, Dragster, 6.103, 205.62 def. Dane Ward, Dragster, Foul – Red Light.
Factory Stock Showdown — Lenny Lottig, Chevy Camaro, 7.628, 172.42 def. Doug Hamp, Camaro, 13.736, 77.99.
Round By Round
Final round-by-round results from the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 19th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Antron Brown, 3.682, 329.00 def. Austin Prock, 5.861, 132.99; Leah Pruett, 3.678, 333.90 def. Shawn Langdon, 9.241, 94.23; Billy Torrence, 3.664, 335.42 def. Tony Schumacher, 5.326, 133.84; Spencer Massey, 3.719, 327.58 def. Brittany Force, 4.676, 156.30; Doug Kalitta, 3.689, 329.74 def. Josh Hart, 9.918, 58.18; Steve Torrence, 3.664, 333.21 def. Buddy Hull, 3.739, 324.42; Mike Salinas, 3.689, 335.77 def. Doug Foley, 3.773, 293.16; Clay Millican, 3.789, 269.53 def. Justin Ashley, 4.356, 197.29; QUARTERFINALS — Millican, 3.709, 333.43 def. Salinas, 3.669, 331.30; Pruett, 3.697, 331.52 def. Kalitta, 4.319, 174.45; B. Torrence, 3.713, 332.94 def. Massey, 3.752, 327.44; S. Torrence, 3.684, 333.19 def. Brown, 3.736, 311.76;
SEMIFINALS — Pruett, 3.681, 329.82 def. Millican, 5.325, 122.55; S. Torrence, 3.697, 333.88 def. B. Torrence, 3.715, 332.77;
FINAL — Pruett, 3.684, 330.47 def. S. Torrence, 3.662, 333.09.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE — Bob Tasca III, Ford Mustang, 4.248, 239.34 def. Jack Wyatt, Dodge Charger, 4.840, 167.70; Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.266, 298.73 def. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 4.273, 288.68; John Force, Camaro, 3.839, 331.74 def. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 10.318, 89.19; Alex Laughlin, Charger, 4.237, 275.21 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 8.428, 85.81; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.895, 318.88 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 5.014, 148.91; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.882, 327.11 def. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.164, 237.60; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.935, 332.10 def. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.939, 326.87; Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.416, 202.42 def. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 5.238, 209.17; QUARTERFINALS — Wilkerson, 3.866, 327.58 def. Tasca III, 3.921, 328.25; Force, 3.845, 327.68 def. Pedregon, 3.889, 328.59; Todd, 3.928, 327.03 def. Haddock, 5.920, 112.88; Hagan, 3.868, 331.30 def. Laughlin, 4.344, 255.77;
SEMIFINALS — Hagan, 3.875, 328.85 def. Wilkerson, 3.897, 328.95; Force, 4.711, 288.31 def. Todd, 6.830, 106.21;
FINAL — Hagan, 3.883, 332.25 def. Force, 6.818, 94.02.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE — Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 6.503, 210.72 def. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 7.191, 209.24; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.509, 212.11 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Ford Mustang, 6.518, 211.56; Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.508, 211.34 def. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 16.153, 51.88; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.492, 210.84 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 8.331, 111.99; Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.526, 210.65 def. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.467, 212.23 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.530, 210.95; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.481, 211.83 def. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.522, 211.53; Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.476, 212.56 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.530, 210.85; QUARTERFINALS — Glenn, 6.515, 209.29 def. Caruso, 6.536, 211.03; Stanfield, 6.498, 210.50 def. Anderson, 6.488, 210.69; Coughlin Jr., 6.501, 211.84 def. Hartford, 6.509, 210.74; Enders, 6.473, 211.74 def. C. Cuadra, 6.511, 211.33;
SEMIFINALS — Glenn, 6.500, 210.40 def. Stanfield, Broke; Enders, 6.476, 211.88 def. Coughlin Jr., 6.843, 164.08;
FINAL — Enders, 6.469, 211.55 def. Glenn, 6.493, 210.40.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE — Chris Bostick, 6.851, 194.95 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.051, 166.45; Marc Ingwersen, 6.800, 197.74 def. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.972, 163.86; Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.845, 198.55 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.868, 187.60; Hector Arana Jr, Buell, 6.725, 203.48 def. Malcolm Phillips Jr., Suzuki, 7.008, 186.76; John Hall, 6.804, 199.06 def. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, Broke – No Show; Joey Gladstone, Buell, 6.738, 197.50 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.763, 199.12; Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.853, 201.67 def. Cory Reed, Suzuki, 7.138, 167.81; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.657, 202.65 def. Blaine Hale, Suzuki, 7.262, 186.57;
QUARTERFINALS — Gladstone, 6.766, 200.30 def. Ingwersen, Foul – Red Light; Krawiec,
6.731, 201.05 def. Smith, 6.857, 197.75; Arana Jr, 6.779, 199.99 def. Hall, Foul – Red Light; Herrera, 6.656, 204.01 def. Bostick, Foul – Red Light;
SEMIFINALS — Krawiec, 6.692, 203.88 def. Gladstone, 6.814, 195.10; Herrera, 6.661, 203.49 def. Arana Jr, 6.734, 199.40;
FINAL — Herrera, 6.644, 203.30 def. Krawiec, 6.706, 202.56.
Updated Points Standings
Point standings (top 10) following the 38th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 19th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series –
Top Fuel
1. Leah Pruett, 2,414; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2,410; 3. Steve Torrence, 2,401; 4. Justin Ashley, 2,306; 5. Antron Brown, 2,304; 6. Mike Salinas, 2,283; 7. Clay Millican, 2,270; 8. Brittany Force, 2,249; 9. (tie) Austin Prock, 2,195; Tony Schumacher, 2,195.
Funny Car
1. Matt Hagan, 2,461; 2. Bob Tasca III, 2,425; 3. Robert Hight, 2,392; 4. Ron Capps, 2,362; 5. John Force, 2,263; 6. J.R. Todd, 2,249; 7. Chad Green, 2,240; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 2,236; 9. Alexis DeJoria, 2,196; 10. Alex Laughlin, 2,194.
Pro Stock
1. Erica Enders, 2,454; 2. Greg Anderson, 2,369; 3. Dallas Glenn, 2,361; 4. Matt Hartford, 2,346; 5. Aaron Stanfield, 2,331; 6. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,309; 7. Deric Kramer, 2,252; 8. Kyle Koretsky, 2,219; 9. Camrie Caruso, 2,205; 10. Cristian Cuadra, 2,188.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1, Gaige Herrera, 2,560; 2. Eddie Krawiec, 2,404; 3. Matt Smith, 2,386; 4. Hector Arana Jr,2,381; 5. Chase Van Sant, 2,254; 6. Angie Smith, 2,203; 7. Jianna Evaristo, 2,202; 8. Marc Ingwersen, 2,190; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,171; 10. Kelly Clontz, 2,156.
Susan Wade has lived in the Seattle area for 40 years, but motorsports is in the Indianapolis native’s DNA. She has emerged as one of the leading drag-racing writers with nearly 30 seasons at the racetrack, focusing on the human-interest angle. She was the first non-NASCAR recipient of the prestigious Russ Catlin Award and has covered the sport for the Chicago Tribune, Newark Star-Ledger, and Seattle Times. She has contributed to Autoweek as a freelance writer since 2016.
