me to stop talking about retire-
ment. I still have a job, so I plan
to come back and push hard to
get that seventh championship
next year."
For his part, Herrera didn't
need to do much more than win
the first round of eliminations in
order to lock up the champion
-
ship, and he did that with relative
ease. Any bitterness he may have
felt about losing the final was
quickly erased by the thoughts of
a 10-win season and a record 21
wins in the last 30 events.
"This championship is very
special. When I won the title in
2023, it didn't seem real. It just
sort of happened." That wasn't
the case this year. He had to go
out and fight for it every week
-
end, Herrera said. "When Matt
went back to a Buell this season,
we knew he'd be tough and I
have to hand it to him for all his
hard work. He also forced us to
work harder.
"I think the first round for the
championship was the most
nervous I've ever been on a
bike," Herrera said. "It's what
you dream about as a little kid,
but win or lose, I still love this
sport. At Indy two years ago, I
made my debut, and at the time,
I thought it was a one-race deal.
Now, here we are two years and
two championships later. I still
can't believe it."
Smith and Herrera, and the
rest of the NHRA Pro Stock Mo
-
torcycle teams will resume their
battle next March when the 2025
season opens in Gainesville,
Florida. In the meantime, Smith
intends to continue building his
four-bike team, which currently
includes his wife, Angie Smith,
along with Jianna Evaristo and
John Hall.
The Vance & Hines squad is
expected to return with two bikes,
including Herrera and top rookie
candidate Richard Gadson, who
made three final rounds and ap
-
pears poised to become NHRA's
next first-time winner.
Kevin McKenna
FINAL
1. Matt Smith (0.026) 6.705-202.12
2. Gaige Herrera (0.025) 6.722-201.91
VOLUME ISSUE NOVEMBER , P41
Fifty-two-year-old Matt Smith
finished off the '24 season with
his 41st career victory.
