INTERVIEW I 2023 NHRA PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHAMPION GAIGE HERRERA
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stopping teammate Krawiec
in the final round for the fourth
straight race. Krawiec has been
sitting on 49 career wins for two
years, but Herrera isn't inclined
to give him the 50th milestone.
"I do want Ed to win his 50th,
but at the same time, he wants
to win it straight-up, and I re
-
spect that. I'd be the same way if
I
was in his place," Herrera said.
When it was all said and
done, Herrera closed out the
season with 50-4 win-loss
record in elimination rounds.
He lost the Bristol final against
Johnson and lost to Jianna Eva
-
risto twice and once to reigning
champ Matt
Smith. Herrera is
well aware that he came incred
-
ibly close to a perfect season.
"I
definitely think about those
four losses," Herrera said. "A
couple were my own fault, and a
couple were mechanical, but I'll
still cherish this whole season."
Herrera also closed out the
season with nine of the 10
quickest elapsed times in the
history of the class. The only
mark he doesn't hold is Karen
Stoffer's 6.665 run from the
2022 Gainesville race, which
was the national record when
the year started. Herrera now
holds that mark with a 6.627
from this year in Dallas. To put
that performance in perspec
-
tive, just three other riders have
even
ventured into the 6.6s on a
Pro Stock Motorcycle.
"I knew all season that I had
a fast motorcycle, and yes, we
started off strong, but I never
take anything for granted," Her
-
rera said. "My bike was flawless
all
season. I came into this deal
just hoping that I'd be in the top
10 my first season. I did not
expect to win a championship or
set as many records as we did."
There is an old adage that
says defending a championship
is harder than winning one, and
that's something Herrera and
the entire Vance & Hines team
will have to deal with when the
calendar turns to 2024. Herrera
has heard the rumblings, and he
knows that the entire class will
Despite being fierce rivals, Vance & Hines
teammates Herrera and veteran Eddie
Krawiec get along well off the bikes.
