Gaige Herrera Dominates NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Four-Wide Nationals at Charlotte

Suzuki-Powered Machines Capture the Top Four Positions

BREA, CA – May 1, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Gaige Herrera extended the perfect start to his breakout rookie season by delivering the Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team its second consecutive Pro Stock Motorcycle class win Sunday onboard his Gen III Suzuki Hayabusa at the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Concord, NC.

Race Highlights

• Gaige Herrera dominated the weekend by topping qualifying and winning a second straight race in his first career NHRA four-wide race appearance.
• Eddie Krawiec qualified second to lock out the top two starting spots for the Vance & Hines/Mission Suzuki team and finished in third place.

Gaige Herrera (79) captures his second win in a row in his first four-wide race in Charlotte.

Under the NHRA’s unique four-wide racing format, the first two motorcycles to cross the finish line, barring a redlight jumpstart, advance to the next round regardless of lane pairing. In the final round four-wide quad, the first motorcycle to cross the finish line wins.

Unfazed by his inexperience in four-wide racing, Herrera displayed more of the speed and poise that have vaulted him to the top of the Pro Stock Motorcycle standings by qualifying number one for the second race in a row with a 6.735 seconds/201.52 mph run on Saturday.

In the first round of eliminations, Herrera won his first-round quad matchup with a strong 6.754-second/201.13 mph run to easily advance past runner-up Kelly Clontz (6.874-seconds/196.04 mph), who also moved to the second round.

Herrera advanced to his second career final round thanks to some luck in the semi-finals after his motorcycle slowed when his kill switch lanyard became detached and shut off the engine near the end of the run. Despite the hiccup, his 6.857-second/170.02 mph run was good enough to advance into the final round along with runner-up Matt Smith (6.916-seconds/194.60 mph).

Continuing his dominance, Herrera blasted to a second straight race win with a hammer-blow 6.71-second/202.00 mph pass that easily covered the other three bikes in the final round quad. Matt Smith finished runner-up with a 6.780-second/199.61 mph run, followed by Krawiec in third (6.784-seconds/199.37 mph) and Steve Johnson (6.810-seconds/197.54 mph) in fourth, capturing the four top finishing positions for Suzuki.

Exuding confidence and calmness that belies his rookie status, Herrera is taking his incredible start to the season in stride….