Gadson Pads Points Lead With Third Win
D
espite a convincing run to the
2025 NHRA Mission Foods
Pro Stock Motorcycle champi-
onship, RevZilla/Vance & Hines
Suzuki's Richard Gadson still
feels a need to validate himself
as a legitimate title contender.
Gadson did just that during
the inaugural NHRA Nationals
at The Rock at Rockingham
Dragway, in Rockingham, North
Carolina, September 25-27, when
he claimed his third win of the
season. Gadson earned the
victory on the starting line when
teammate Gaige Herrera left a
fraction of a second too soon
and red-lighted, handing the
points leader his third victory of
the year and the seventh of his
career in just 42 starts.
Herrera let the clutch out
0.018 of a second too early,
handing the victory to Gadson,
who delivered a solid run of
6.789 at 199.65 mph for the win.
After an early loss last week in
the playoff opener in Martin,
Michigan, Gadson got back on
track in a major way, opening a
64-point lead over Herrera with
four races remaining in the 2026
season.
"I feel like I got away with one
here this weekend. It's kind of
been our M.O.," Gadson said. "It
wasn't fancy. It wasn't glamor-
ous. It wasn't headline-worthy,
but you know, we're here holding
our third diamond [75th anniver-
sary NHRA Wally trophy]."
Gadson's path to the victory
included wins against 2023
World champ Geno Scali, Ryan
Oehler and Chase Van Sant. With
the win, Gadson opened up a
64-point lead over Herrera, with
four races remaining, although
he admits this might be his big-
gest win since it puts him in a
strong position to win a second
straight World Championship.
"Gaige and I are extremely
competitive with each other,
WIND
IN THE
P42
Richard Gadson
claimed his third win
of the season at the
NHRA Nationals at The
Rock in Rockingham,
North Carolina.
