VOLUME ISSUE DECEMBER , P101
"I still have a wide variety
of bikes that I ride, including
no bar bikes that have a small
tire and a lot of power," Herrera
said. "That's where I developed
my technique, and it just
happens to work well on
this [NHRA Pro Stock]
bike. I made some mis
-
takes this year, and
Andrew and Ed
[Krawiec, team-
mate] were
great about
working
with me to correct them."
The NHRA Camping World
tour had 15 races in 2023 for
the Pro Stock Motorcycle class,
and that included the grueling
Western Swing, which had races
in Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma,
California, on three consecu
-
tive weekends in mid-summer.
Teams not only had to travel
thousands of miles in a short
amount of time, but each track
had its own unique character-
istics. Denver is more than a
mile above sea level, so the air
is thin, and engines are taxed
to the limit. Sonoma is quite
the opposite, with an oxygen-
rich atmosphere that lends
itself to record performances.
Despite those obstacles, Her
-
rera swept all three events,
becoming the first rider
to do so.
"Sweeping the Western Swing
was definitely a highlight for me
this year," Herrera said. "It wasn't
something I ever expected to
do. We certainly thought we'd
struggle in Denver because
that's where the V-twin bikes
tend to run well."
Herrera didn't win either of the
next two races in Indianapolis
or Reading, Pennsylvania, but
he finished the season with
five-straight wins in Charlotte,
St. Louis, Dallas, Las Vegas and
Pomona to not only seal the title
but also set a record with 11
wins in a single season. Former
Vance & Hines rider Matt Hines
had held that mark since the
1998 season.
Herrera was officially crowned
champion as soon as he quali
-
fied for the final event in Pomo-
na. He went on to win the race,
Herrera has a unique style of getting
his Hayabusa off the line quickly.
