bike for the weather, and it paid
off today.
"In the final, I probably did ev-
erything I could to lose that race.
I didn't even see the time slip,
but I've heard rumors that I had
a 0.080 [reaction time]. I was
close to the center line, but the
win light came on. I'm like, 'Are
you kidding me?' So, I'm happy.
Sometimes it's just your day."
It was definitely Hall's day in
the semifinal round, where he
benefited from a rare red-light
start by two-time champion and
current points leader Herrera.
It was just the third time this
season that Herrera had lost a
race, but Hall was happy to take
advantage.
As for Gadson, he's now been
to the final round three times this
season and has a win and two
runner-up finishes to show for it.
In Norwalk, where teams fought
hot and humid temperatures,
Gadson was the fifth quickest
qualifier in the field with a 6.853
and then topped a tough group
that included 2023 Rookie of
the Year Chase Van Sant, Angie
Smith and six-time champ Matt
Smith.
Gadson figured to have his
hands full with Smith's Denso
Buell, and he did. In one of the
best side-by-side races of the day,
Gadson left first by a slight two-
tenths of a second and then won
with a 6.929 to Smith's 6.946.
It's still a bit too early to tell,
but the event may have provided
a momentum shift in the class,
as Smith qualified five of his
V-twin bikes in the top seven
qualifying spots and rode his
personal bike to a 6.816 for the
top spot and the quickest pass
of the weekend.
The NHRA Mission Foods tour
will now head west to Seattle for
the Northwest Nationals, taking
place from July 18 to 20.
Kevin McKenna
FINAL
1. John Hall (Bue) 0.082 /
6.880 at 196.87 mph
2. Richard Gadson (Suz) 0.021 /
6.967 at 195.19 mph
WIND
IN THE
P52
Hall had a little
help getting to
the final when
defending champ
Gaige Herrera
red-lighted in
qualifying. Hall
(pictured) ended
up beating
Richard Gadson
in the final.
