Losing one race is rare enough for RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Gaige Herrera, so losing two in a row is almost unheard of, so no one should have been surprised when the reigning and two-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion rallied to win at Virginia Motorsports Park, June 20-22.
By Kevin McKenna
Coming off a final-round loss to teammate Richard Gadson at the most recent NHRA round in Bristol, Tennessee, Herrera quickly bounced back to score a narrow victory against Denso Buell’s Angie Smith in the Richmond final. Herrera successfully defended his 2024 Virginia Motorsports Park win with a run of 6.826 at 198.79 mph in the final round. Smith won the race, but just barely, as Smith left the starting line first and came up just four-thousandths of a second short at the finish line with a 6.853 at 196.76.
The win was Herrera’s third of the season and 24th in his career, with all of those coming since he joined the Vance & Hines team at the start of the 2023 season. It may also have been one of his most challenging races, as the temperature consistently hovered in the high 90s, presenting a challenge for both riders and crew chiefs.
“I almost fumbled there in the final with my [reaction time],” Herrera said. “A 150-degree track temperature is just insane, but NHRA did a phenomenal job, and Andrew [Hines, crew chief] had my bike consistent all day. Angie had a fast bike, and I had a little doubt when I looked over before we got to 1000 feet and I saw her and thought, ‘This is a little too close,’ because the Buells always have the mph. So, when I looked over, I saw I was actually pulling away from her and that was a good feeling.”
Herrera’s magical run continues as he’s got a record of 17-2 in elimination rounds this season, including his four Richmond wins against Ron Tornow, Steve Johnson, number-one qualifier Brayden Davis and Smith. The only thing missing from Herrera’s game has been his qualifying dominance, as new teammate Davis has claimed the top spot at the last two races. Regardless, Herrera was able to stretch his lead over Matt Smith to 100 points.
“I’m having a lot of fun. Racing is all about competition, and that’s what I love, it’s what drives me and pushes me to do better than I can,” Herrera said. “I want to say I’m nervous racing Brayden, and he always says he’s nervous racing me, just because of all this good success I’ve had.”
Smith may not have won the race, but her result might just be a turning point in her season. Coming off early losses in Charlotte, Chicago and Bristol, Smith advanced to the final for the first time in 2025 and the 10th time in her career after defeating Dystany Spurlock, husband Matt Smith, and Richard Gadson, the most recent tour winner.
“I hate coming that close and not being able to get the job done, but on the plus side, we made some good progress this weekend,” Smith said. “It was the hottest race of the year, by far, and my bike was fast. Our whole Denso team has put in a lot of work so far this year, and it’s paying off.”
The event also marked another successful outing for first-year NHRA pro Brayden Davis, who made his second start aboard the Vance & Hines lease bike. Davis, who qualified number one in his debut in Bristol, was also the top qualifier in Richmond and won Saturday’s Mission Foods 2Fast2Tasty specialty race. Davis also made it to the semifinal round on Sunday before losing to Herrera.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action next weekend, June 26-29, with the 19th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.CN
VIDEO | Gaige Herrera goes back-to-back in Richmond
2025 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Round 5 Results
ROUND ONE — Ryan Oehler, 6.911, 196.07 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.945, 192.41; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.853, 196.30 def. Dystany Spurlock, Buell, 6.990, 192.17; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.857, 197.77 def. Hector Arana Jr, 6.897, 194.86; Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.880, 194.38 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.993, 193.90; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.790, 199.14 def. Ron Tornow, 6.925, 196.50; Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 9.639, 84.38 def. John Hall, Broke; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.791, 199.20 def. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light; Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 6.835, 197.91 def. Marc Ingwersen, 6.929, 193.88;
QUARTERFINALS — Gadson, 6.887, 197.42 def. Bostick, 7.115, 191.08; Davis, 6.898, 195.73 def. Oehler, 6.962, 193.07; A. Smith, 6.818, 197.94 def. M. Smith, 6.850, 198.20; Herrera, 6.813, 199.73 def. Johnson, 6.936, 195.76;
SEMIFINALS — A. Smith, 6.854, 197.19 def. Gadson, 6.879, 197.25; Herrera, 6.818, 199.11 def. Davis, 9.567, 90.82;
FINAL — Herrera, 6.826, 198.79 def. A. Smith, 6.853, 196.76.
Click here for all the latest Drag Racing news.
