Herrera Debuts All-New Suzuki Hayabusa with a Win at NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Season Opener in Gainesville

BREA, CA – March 13, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Gaige Herrera got the Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team’s 2023 season off to a perfect start by riding his brand-new Gen III Suzuki Hayabusa Pro Stock Motorcycle into the winner’s circle in their debut appearances at the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, on Sunday.

Herrera, a La Mirada, California, native who now hails from Brownsburg, Indiana, joined the Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team last November and made his first runs on the recently homologated 2023 Suzuki Hayabusa during pre-season testing a few weeks ago. He immediately impressed, turning heads throughout the class, and foreshadowing the combination’s winning potential by posting fast and consistent speeds on the new bike.

Potential became reality in Herrera’s stellar debut, starting with a first career number one qualifying performance in only his fifth Pro Stock Motorcycle class start, a 6.685-second/203.49 mph run on Saturday that set the Gainesville track’s top speed Pro Stock Motorcycle record and was the sixth fastest top speed in class history.

Proving his form in testing and qualifying was no fluke, Herrera stormed through the Pro Stock Motorcycle field on Sunday, beginning with a victory over Ron Tornow. He easily advanced into the second round with a 6.704-second/201.52 mph run, the low elapsed time of the round, against Tornow’s 7.161-second/191.51 mph pass.

Gaige Herrera (79) ends the weekend with a victory at the opening round in Gainesville.

Round two saw an early matchup between Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki teammates. In the season’s first battle of Gen III Hayabusas, Eddie Krawiec’s 6.814-second/199.94 pass was no match for Herrera’s 6.708-second/201.73 mph blast, as the rookie again went low-ET of the round to continue his strong run through the field.

That win set up a semi-final matchup against Suzuki racers Jianna Evaristo, who upset defending champion Matt Smith in round two. Herrera advanced to his first career final round appearance with a 6.742-second/200.89 mph run against Evaristo’s losing 6.883-second/193.21 mph pass.

Herrera capped the perfect weekend by taking his first career Pro Stock Motorcycle win over Angie Smith, rocketing into the winner’s circle with a 6.706-second/202.15 mph blast that easily surpassed her 6.845-second/181.84 mph run.

“It was a surreal weekend. The new Gen III Suzuki Hayabusa is a dream to ride. There were…