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Top Fuel Q3/Mission Challenge Round 1

Antron Brown and Josh Hart advanced to the final of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, finishing ahead of Shawn Reed and Clay Millican while Doug Kalitta and Steve Torrence advanced out of the other quad ahead of Justin Ashley and Tony Stewart.

Kalitta’s 3.728 was low of the round with Torrence’s 3.739 second while Ida Zetterström picked up a bonus point with her 3.747 in the JCM Racing machine. Local favorite Doug Foley also looked strong with a 3.764. Brown’s 3.791 winner in the Mission Challenge was next best.

Fans hoping for an encore for Brittany Force after her 314-mph blast night were disappointed when she shut down to a 9.166.

In talking to David Grubnic on the starting line before the run, he admitted clicking off her Q1 pass to a 5.07 when he thought the engine dropped a cylinder, but that run would have been a low 3.7-second pass and set the table for last night’s historic run. “We knew we had that run in the car,” he said. “it was just up to me to get the fuel flow right downtrack.” Grubnic also corrected our earlier report about on-again/off-again use of the side air deflector, noting that since they were allowed to do so in Phoenix, they have not had them back on the car since, a total of 21 runs of gaining data. Although he believes the aerodynamic advantages of removing them are negligible, the tire temperature is well down, and they’re seeing longer life and less blistering.

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Funny Car Q3/Mission Challenge Round 1

Austin Prock and Spencer Hyde advanced to the Mission Challenge final with Prock’s holeshot-aided 3.939 finishing ahead of Hyde’s slightly quicker 3.938. Dave Richards and Cruz Pedregon finished third and fourth.

Matt Hagan, representing the event sponsor American Rebel Beer on his Tony Stewart Racing Dodge, won the other quad with a 3.99 with Paul lee second at 4.06. Daniel Wilkerson and J.R. Todd finished third and fourth.

Behind Prock and Hyde, Ron Capps had the next best pass, a 3.97 in the NAPA 100th Anniversary car with Alexis DeJoria (3.979) and Hagan rounding out the three-second runners.

We’re still sitting at 14 three-second qualifiers with Buddy Hull (4.010) and John Smith (4.064) giving us hope in Q4 for the first all-three-second field, Richards and Dale Creasy Jr., qualified 17th and 18th, also have three-second-capable cars.

Pro Stock Q3/Mission Challenge Round 1

There wasn’t much improvement during the third session of Pro Stock but that doesn’t mean it lacked for drama.

Matt Haftford, Greg Anderson, Deric Kramer, and Matt Latino, advanced to the final quad in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge while a number of other drivers pushed as hard as possible to make the tough 16-car field.

Hartford won the first quad against Anderson, Cristian Cudra and Cory Reed. Anderson finished second, and made the quickest run of the session with a strong 6.514.

In the second quad, past four-wide winner Deric Kramer turned on the win light while rookie Matt Latino advanced over Mason McGaha and Dallas Glenn. Kramer drove to a solid 6.561 in his GetBioFuel Camaro to reach the final.

Aaron Stanfield, who has been one of the most consistent drivers in the class over the past few seasons, finds himself in a most unfamiliar position as he’s currently not qualified and needs to find three-hundredths of a second in order to do so.

“The struggle is real,” said Stanfield. “Last night was an important run. It’s going to be the one that sets the field, and we didn’t make a great run. We’ve got one more shot, and give it all we’ve got, and hopefully we get in.”

Six-time world champion Erica Enders is also facing the prospect of a second-straight DNQ after an early shutoff run in Q3.

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Pro Stock Motorcycle Q3/Mission Challenge Round 1

The final quad in the Mission Foods #2Fast2tasty Challenge will feature Matt Smith, John Hall, Richard Gadson, and Gaige Herrera.

The first quad featured all four of the Matt Smith Racing entries, including Matt and Angie Smith along with teammate Jianna Evaristo and John Hall. Matt made the best run with a 6.798 to advance while Hall used a holeshot to hold off Evaristo, 6.891 to 6.879.

Vance & Hines teammates Richard Gadson and Gaige Herrera moved on from the second quad after wins over Kelly Clontz and Chase Van Sant, who was pushed from the starting line when his bike would not start. Gadson won the quad with a 6.760 over Herrera’s off pace 6.838.

Gadson and Matt Smith were the only two riders in the 6.7s while Steve Johnson continued his string of strong performances with a 6.821.

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Gatornationals Alcohol final rounds

Taking care of a bit of unfinished business, Matt Cummings earned his first win as a member of the Randy Meyer Top Alcohol Dragster team when he defeated Jackie Fricke in the final round of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. After an even start, Cummings pulled away Fricke to post a 5.188 to 5.386 victory. Cummings has now won seven events in Top Alcohol Dragster including his first victory at zMax Dragway in 2021.

A few moments later, reigning world champion Sean Bellemeur scored his 44th national event win in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class when he downed Chip Beverette, 5.429 to an early shut off. Bellemeur also becomes the first driver to win an NHRA national event title using the recently approved injected nitro engine combination.�� Bellemeur is now tied with Bob Newberry for third place on NHRA's all-time wins list in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class. Frank Manzo is the leader at 104 while Pat Austin has 70.

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Top Fuel Q4/Mission Challenge final

Doug Kalitta won his second straight Mission Challenge crown, outlasting a four-car pedalfest with Antron Brown, Steve Torrence, and Josh Hart. It’s Kalitta Motorsport’s fourth straight win in the bonus event following Shawn Langdon’s victories at the first two of the season, in Phoenix and Pomona. Kalitta got the win with a 4.661 but stayed the No. 1 qualifier with his Friday 3.64. Brown finished second with a 5.411.

Las Vegas winner Tony Stewart’s 3.782 was best of the session with Todd Paton’s 3.891 and Langdon’s coasting 3.965 the only three-second runs of what was a tricky session.

Top teams like those of Brittany Force, Justin Ashley, and Clay Millican went 0-for-2 today, presumably working on raceday setups or testing new approaches, figuring there was no chance of repeating Friday night’s fireworks

Lex Joon bumped his way into the field with a 5.94 to displace Cameon Ferré and Jerry Tucker’s dragster, and Ferré could not respond to get back in.

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Funny Car Q4/Mission Challenge final

For the fourth straight race this season, a new winner was crowned in the Mission Challenge as Austin Prock beat Las Vegas winner Spencer Hyde on a holeshot as both drivers ran 3.949; Prock’s .058 to .091 reaction time edge was the difference. Insult was then added to injury as Paul Lee’s parachute snagged the left front wheel well of Hyde’s machine as they turned the corner and almost ripped off the entire front end. The Head Inc. team will probably have to go to a backup body for Sunday. Paul Lee finished third and Matt Hagan fourth.

Neither of the dual 3.949s was low for the session as that honor went to rookie Hunter Green’s 3.932, with Ron Capps (3.937) and Daniel Wilkerson (3.946) earning the bonus points.

As it was in Top Fuel, a number of top drivers didn’t get down the track on either run today, including Bob Tasca III, J.R. Todd, and Cruz Pedregon.

The hopes for that long-awaited all-three-second field sunk early as No. 15 Buddy Hull didn’t make it downtrack under power and No. 17 Dave Richards ran 4.060 and No. 18 Dale Creasy Jr. smoked the tires. Richards, who was in the final quad in Las Vegas, bumped John Smith’s 4.064 from the field and his run will be the final bump spot.

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Pro Stock Q4/Mission Foods Challenge Final

By a margin of just eight thousandths of a second, Matt Hartford and his Total Seal team claimed a win in the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. Hartford, the winner of the Mission event in Pomona, left first and ran a 6.567 to hold off the quicker 6.540 of runner-up Greg Anderson.��

“Last year was a down year, but this Total Seal Camaro has turned it around,” said Hartford. “My crew does an awesome job and tomorrow we have another race to run and we have to be on point for that.”

Deric Kramer finished third at 6.562 while impressive rookie Matt Latino ran a 6.604 for the fourth spot. Anderson did bank three bonus points for the quickest run of the session, while Dallas Glenn and Eric Latino also earned points.

No one was able to bump their way into the tough Pro Stock field during Saturday’s fourth and final qualifying session which means that Aaron Stanfield will not be a part of Sunday’s final eliminations for the first time in his career. Stanfield finished No. 3 in last year’s standings, but was not able to match the 6.574-seocnd bump spot by six-time champ Erica Enders.

Pro Stock Motorcycle Q4/Mission Foods Challenge Final

The latest battle between Matt Smith Racing and the Vance & Hines team went to Vance & Hines�� after Richard Gadson claimed the win following a crazy final against teammate Gaige Herrera, Matt Smith, and John Hall.

Gadson crossed the finish line first over teammate Herrera and Smith, while Hall was unable to make the run. Due to a clock malfunction, none of the riders received an elapsed time and therd was confusion at the top end, but Gadson was clearly the first across the finish line on his RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki.

"I saw a win light on in Gaige's lane and I just thought he beat me by the hair on my chin but afterwards they told me I'd won," said Gadson. "I'll take it. Now, I need to do that again tomorrow. There's a Wally out there and I want it."

��Angie Smith did not make the final of the Mission Foods Challenge, but she did make her best run of the weekend with a 6.811 aboard her Denso Buell. Smith was also honored with the Best Appearing Vehicle award for her new pink Denso paint scheme.

Steve Johnson also continued his string of solid performances with a 6.845 aboard his Suzuki.