Despite a convincing run to the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Pro Stock Motorcycle championship, RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Richard Gadson still feels a need to validate himself as a legitimate title contender.
Story by Kevin McKenna
Gadson did just that during the inaugural NHRA Nationals at The Rock at Rockingham Dragway, in Rockingham, North Carolina, September 25-27, when he claimed his third win of the season. Gadson earned the victory on the starting line when teammate Gaige Herrera left a fraction of a second too soon and red-lighted, handing the points leader his third victory of the year and the seventh of his career in just 42 starts.
Herrera let the clutch out 0.018 of a second too early, handing the victory to Gadson, who delivered a solid run of 6.789 at 199.65 mph for the win. After an early loss last week in the playoff opener in Martin, Michigan, Gadson got back on track in a major way, opening a 64-point lead over Herrera with four races remaining in the 2026 season.
“I feel like I got away with one here this weekend. It’s kind of been our M.O.,” Gadson said. “It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t headline-worthy, but you know, we’re here holding our third diamond [75th anniversary NHRA Wally trophy].”
Gadson’s path to the victory included wins against 2023 World champ Geno Scali, Ryan Oehler and Chase Van Sant. With the win, Gadson opened up a 64-point lead over Herrera, with four races remaining, although he admits this might be his biggest win since it puts him in a strong position to win a second straight World Championship.
“Gaige and I are extremely competitive with each other, sometimes to the point where the lines are blurry in our competitiveness because he’s a friend,” Gadson said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for the guy, but I’m playing mind games the whole time. He’s playing games the whole time, and you know I said, ‘It’s his race to lose,’ hoping that he would lose the race somehow. In order to win the race, you’ve got to be green four times. Gaige went for the E.T., and he got away with it three rounds, but we decided we’re just going to race our lane, so it’s a lot of strategizing, and it paid off.”
Herrera reached the finals for the fourth time this season and the 36th time in his career thanks to round wins against Lance Bonham, Clayton Howey and Joey Gladstone.
While Gadson and Herrera met in the final, it could be argued that Angie Smith had the best bike in the field, as she qualified her Denso Buell on the pole with a strong 6.674-second run, the best of her career. Ryan Oehler also continued his recent string of strong performances with a 6.681 for the number four spot in qualifying.
Gadson and Herrera are leading the points battle, with 2286 and 2222 points, respectively, while six-time World champ Matt Smith is 81 points back from the top in third, and Michigan winner John Hall is fourth on 2201 points.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action October 2-4 with the 15th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis.CN
2026 NHRA PSM Round 10 Results
FINAL
- Richard Gadson (Suz) (0.0434) 6.7898-199.65 mph
- Gaige Herrera (Suz) (-0.0189) 6.8112-176.82 mph
