| December 25, 2023
In his first season as a member of the Vance & Hines/Mission Foods Suzuki team, Gaige Herrera re-wrote the history books in 2023 on his way to the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship. Herrera was nearly unstoppable as he rode to a record 11 wins in 15 events.
By Kevin McKenna | Photography by Matt Polito
Veteran rider and crew chief Andrew Hines can’t exactly recall when he and the rest of the Vance & Hines team saw in Gaige Herrera that made them say, “That’s our guy,” but whatever it was, their instincts proved to be correct, and their decision to hire a relative unknown paid off in spades with a 14th World title for the most dominant team in the history of motorcycle drag racing.
Herrera, who turned 30 on September 28, is a fourth-generation racer who grew up in California and made a name for himself in the world of grudge and no (wheelie) bar racing. He dreamed of getting a shot at the NHRA “Big Show” in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, but honestly never expected that to become a reality.
Herrera’s first break came in 2022 when he got a chance to race a Suzuki for longtime NHRA racers Gary and Karen Stoffer. The bike wasn’t overly competitive, but Herrera jumped at the chance to ride. He competed in the final six events of the season and qualified four times. He did not win a round of competition, but in retrospect, it was the best decision of his life since that six-race stint quickly turned into an audition.
Shortly after the end of the 2022 season, the Vance & Hines team made the difficult decision to part ways with three-time World Champion Angelle Sampey, one of the most popular racers on the NHRA tour. Quite simply, Sampey wasn’t able to deliver the results the team was looking for, so they began a rider search. Several experienced riders were considered but Herrera ultimately got the call.
“The first time I showed up and saw my name on the [Vance & Hines] hauler, I realized this was a big deal. Just to ride for this team is an honor.”
“Last year, I just wanted to come out here and have some fun. I had no idea it would turn into what it became. I certainly didn’t expect to get a [full-time ride] out of it. I have to give all the credit to Vance & Hines. None of this would be possible without them. I grew up watching that team race. Now, to be a part of it is something special.
“Honestly, I think that my [interview with team co-owner Terry Vance] was the most nerve-wracking part of the season,” Herrera said. “Terry is a great leader, but he can also be kind of intimidating. I just told him how much I love drag racing and how much I want to compete. I’m grateful they saw enough to hire me. The knowledge and history they have in this sport is insane.”
Herrera made several very impressive runs during pre-season testing, but then again, so did most of the other riders in the class since new technology, mostly in cylinder heads, has allowed performances to take a big step forward.
The season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, provided the first true test for Herrera, and he passed with flying colors. Herrera didn’t just win the race, he dominated with the quickest runs of the weekend, including a 6.68 that was the second-best run in the history of the class. Herrera also topped 203 mph in his 2023 debut. From that point forward, he never trailed in the points standings.
“By the time we got to Gainesville, I’d made enough [testing] runs that I felt really good on the bike,” Herrera said. “For me, the biggest challenge was racing in front of big crowds and dealing with TV cameras and the media. I sort of just had to block it all out and tell myself to just focus on riding the motorcycle. Honestly, I’m not a big talker. I still get a bit nervous when there’s a camera around, but I’m getting used to it.”
As it turns out, Herrera’s Gainesville win was just the opening act in a highlight show that would be repeated many times during the course of the season. He went on to win in Charlotte and Chicago and didn’t suffer his first loss until the final round in Bristol, where he proved he was human with a red-light start against veteran Steve Johnson.
“For me, the biggest challenge was racing in front of big crowds and dealing with TV cameras and the media.”
Early on, it was impossible not to notice that Herrera’s riding style is very different from most of his competitors. In drag racing, the starting-line launch means everything, and Herrera is able to throw his body weight forward in order to get the 625-pound (with rider) Suzuki moving quickly. That alone has helped give him an edge over his opponents.
“I still have a wide variety of bikes that I ride, including no bar bikes that have a small tire and a lot of power,” Herrera said. “That’s where I developed my technique, and it just happens to work well on this [NHRA Pro Stock] bike. I made some mistakes this year, and Andrew and Ed [Krawiec, teammate] were great about working with me to correct them.”
The NHRA Camping World tour had 15 races in 2023 for the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, and that included the grueling Western Swing, which includes races in Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma, California, on three consecutive weekends in mid-summer. Teams not only had to travel thousands of miles in a short amount of time, but each track had its own unique characteristics. Denver is more than a mile above sea level, so the air is thin, and engines are taxed to the limit. Sonoma is quite the opposite, with an oxygen-rich atmosphere that lends itself to record performances. Despite those obstacles, Herrera swept all three events, becoming the first rider to do so.
“Sweeping the Western Swing was definitely a highlight for me this year,” Herrera said. “It wasn’t something I ever expected to do. We certainly thought we’d struggle in Denver because that’s where the V-twin bikes tend to run well.”
Herrera didn’t win either of the next two races in Indianapolis or Reading, Pennsylvania, but he finished the season with five-straight wins in Charlotte, St. Louis, Dallas, Las Vegas and Pomona to not only seal the title but also set a record with 11 wins in a single season. Former Vance & Hines rider Matt Hines had held that mark since the 1998 season.
Herrera was officially crowned champion as soon as he qualified for the final event in Pomona. He went on to win the race, stopping teammate Krawiec in the final round for the fourth straight race. Krawiec has been sitting on 49 career wins for two years, but Herrera isn’t inclined to give him the 50th milestone.
“I do want Ed to win his 50th, but at the same time, he wants to win it straight-up, and I respect that. I’d be the same way if I was in his place,” Herrera said.
When it was all said and done, Herrera closed out the season with a 50-4 win-loss record in elimination rounds. He lost the Bristol final against Johnson and lost to Jianna Evaristo twice and once to reigning champ Matt Smith. Herrera is well aware that he came incredibly close to a perfect season.
“I definitely think about those four losses,” Herrera said. “A couple were my own fault, and a couple were mechanical, but I’ll still cherish this whole season.”
Herrera also closed out the season with nine of the 10 quickest elapsed times in the history of the class. The only mark he doesn’t hold is Karen Stoffer’s 6.665 run from the 2022 Gainesville race, which was the national record when the year started. Herrera now holds that mark with a 6.627 from this year in Dallas. To put that performance in perspective, just three other riders have even ventured into the 6.6s on a Pro Stock Motorcycle.
“I knew all season that I had a fast motorcycle, and yes, we started off strong, but I never take anything for granted,” Herrera said. “My bike was flawless all season. I came into this deal just hoping that I’d be in the top 10 my first season. I did not expect to win a championship or set as many records as we did.”
There is an old adage that says defending a championship is harder than winning one, and that’s something Herrera and the entire Vance & Hines team will have to deal with when the calendar turns to 2024. Herrera has heard the rumblings, and he knows that the entire class will be gunning for him, including his own teammate, Krawiec.
“I know it’s all hearsay, but I heard that the entire MSR [Matt Smith Racing] team will be on Buell’s, so that will be good,” Herrera said. “Matt has dominated using that platform before. I know he’s coming for me. I’ve heard some people say that I’m killing the class by winning so many races, but I think I’m actually helping it grow. I also think we’ll see some new riders who haven’t tried Pro Stock Motorcycle before. They’ve seen a guy like me, who had next to no experience [on an NHRA Pro Stock bike], come out and do well, and they know they have the talent to do it. I’m already excited for next year, but it will be a tough season.”
“I came into this deal just hoping that I’d be in the top 10 my first season. I did not expect to win a championship or set as many records as we did.”
As for Herrera, he remains as humble and unassuming as the day he started this journey nearly a year ago. He still works a nine-to-five job at his home in Indiana and races primarily on weekends. He also ultimately got over his fear of public speaking and delivered a thoughtful and sincere victory speech at the NHRA awards ceremony. As for the spotlight, he’ll just have to get used to it shining in his direction.
“My boss came to Pomona for the last race and told me I had better be at work on Tuesday,” Herrera said. “I also still have a wide variety of bikes I ride on weekends when I can. I’m going to a big grudge race this winter to run for $90,000, so I haven’t had time to sit down and think about everything we’ve accomplished this season.
“The first time I showed up and saw my name on the [Vance & Hines] hauler, I realized this was a big deal,” Herrera said. “Just to ride for this team is an honor. I’m still in shock at all we managed to do together this season. It hasn’t set in yet. I did not expect it to go this way, but I’m glad it did.” CN