Defending Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Gaige Herrera kicked off the 2025 NHRA season with a victory on Sunday at Gainesville Raceway, defeating six-time NHRA champion Matt Smith in the final round of the 56th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
There appears to be no stopping Herrera at Gainesville Raceway, as the back-to-back defending world champion remained unbeaten at the historic facility, picking up his third straight Gatornationals victory with a run of 6.722 at 200.23 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki to defeat rival Matt Smith.
It’s Herrera’s 22nd win since the start of the 2023 campaign, an incredible run that started with his first career win in Gainesville. He knocked off Geno Scali, Kelly Clontz and Chase Van Sant to reach the final round, leaving first against Smith and picking up the victory. He also matches Eddie Krawiec as the only riders to win three straight Pro Stock Motorcycle races at Gainesville Raceway.
“This was a good day for me and a great day for Vance & Hines,” Herrera said. “We got here early this morning and had to sit through hours and I was like, ‘Let’s get on with it.’ Otherwise, my bike was deadly consistent. We made three straight runs that were 6.76 and I’m amazed that Andrew [Hines] can do that. In the final, we knew we needed more so we threw everything at it. I thought we’d run better but I didn’t expect a 6.72. I’m a neutral person and Matt [Smith] and I are cordial, but he does have a bit rivalry with Vance & Hines and I think it’s good for the class.”
Smith went 6.723 at 203.19 in the final round, advancing to the championship round for the 82nd time in his career. Earlier in the day, the six-time world champion knocked off Lance Bonham, John Hall and his wife, Angie.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action March 21-23 with the 40th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix.
ROUND ONE — Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.827, 197.83 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.907, 194.02; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.818, 196.73 def. Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 7.078, 191.92; John Hall, 6.885, 195.99 def. Ron Tornow, Foul – Red Light; Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.809, 199.88 def. Marc Ingwersen, 7.015, 192.63; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.857, 198.12 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.996, 193.79; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.821, 198.38 def. Brandon Litten, Suzuki, 6.990, 190.16; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.753, 201.91 def. Lance Bonham, Buell, 7.291, 181.54; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.766, 200.11 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light;
QUARTERFINALS — Van Sant, 6.790, 198.29 def. Gadson, 6.814, 198.82; A. Smith, 6.810, 198.99 def. Evaristo, 6.872, 199.11; Herrera, 6.765, 199.23 def. Clontz, 6.833, 196.64; M. Smith, 6.763, 202.21 def. Hall, 6.914, 194.94;
SEMIFINALS — Herrera, 6.764, 198.88 def. Van Sant, Foul – Red Light; M. Smith, 6.738, 202.15 def. A. Smith, 6.819, 195.22;
FINAL — Herrera, 6.722, 200.23 def. M. Smith, 6.723, 203.19.
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