Laser-focused Gadson on-pace for his first NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship
By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio
ENNIS – With two races remaining on the NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship schedule, Richard Gadson is unashamedly doing the math.
Richard Gadson won the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle race on Sunday at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals held at the Texas Motorplex. (NHRA photo)
“Mostly, I’m counting points,” said Gadson, who is chasing his first Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship. “It’s a math equation right now for me.”
Gadson’s victory over Brayden Davis in Sunday’s final of the 40th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex padded his lead from 29-to-72 points over Vance & Hines teammate Gaige Herrera, the two-time/reigning PSM champion.
“I’m not taking nothing for granted,” said Gadson, a 39-year-old native of Mt. Juliet, Tenn., residing in Brownsburg, Ind. “By no means do I have this sewed-up. Everybody’s kinda like already congratulating me. This ain’t over yet and I’m going to be just as intense the next two as I am this weekend. Got a job to finish.”
Gadson scored his fourth win of the season, first at The Plex and second in the Countdown with a quarter-mile pass in 6.796-seconds at 200.37 mph aboard his 2024 Suzuki Hayabusa. Davis, another V&N teammate, ran 6.817-seconds at 200.34 mph aboard his 2023 Hayabusa.
Richard Gadson celebrates after winning the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle race on Sunday at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals held at the Texas Motorplex. (NHRA photo)
Gadson and crew chief Eddie Krawiec – a four-time Pro Stock Bike world champ – collaborated on a flawless weekend down the Motorplex’s famed all-concrete surface.
“I’m extremely motivated right now,” said Gadson, who qualified on-pole. “I feel like I got something to prove _ not to anybody but myself. And I think Eddie is on-board. A lot of people don’t know that my first NHRA race (at the Motorplex in 2022) a buddy of mine, James Johnson, let me put together a motorcycle myself. Brought it out here myself, tuned it, rode it and was ninth after the first round (before being trailered).
“The very next year I came to Dallas and never made it out of the burnout box. Same motorcycle but we had nothing but trouble. And that was my weekend that I auditioned with Vance & Hines. It all started here with the Stampede of Speed. It hasn’t been a good racetrack to me _ and Andrew Hines and Eddie, they still believed in me.
Richard Gadson celebrates after winning the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle race on Sunday at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals held at the Texas Motorplex. (NHRA photo)
“I remember Terry Vance walked in my trailer and said, ‘Are you going to get this thing down the racetrack or are you going to keep shitting the bed?’ That’s what Terry Vance – the first words he ever spoke to me. Needless to say, I was pretty rattled.”
Gadson’s career as a successful journeyman rider changed course in 2024, when he was selected to replace Krawiec aboard the RevZilla/Vance & Hines bike. Gadson finished third in the final 2024 standings, a massive 293 points behind Herrera.
“For them (Vance & Hines’ leadership) to believe in me and still put me in a position to do this and bring home a win for them today is really cool,” Gadson said.
Meanwhile, Herrera’s late-season bid to overhaul his teammate here ended when he fouled at the starting line during his semifinal pairing opposite Davis.
“Extremely rare,” Gadson said of Gaige’s unforced error. “He’s usually a flawless rider. But when I see that happen I say I just have to capitalize. If he red-lights and I lose the same round it’s a wash, it does nothing. I have to capitalize on these moments. I have to take advantage of any daylight I can get because that’s how tight this championship battle is going to be. That’s how tight this field is right now.”
With Herrera parked for the afternoon, Gadson turned his laser-focus on Davis. “I always race him good, and I was calm because it was already a good day,” Gadson said. “Everybody plays mental games with themselves differently. For me, I said, ‘It’s already a good day. It’s already a good points-day and I’m playing the numbers. He’s beaten me three times – he can’t keep doing it. It’s got to swing my way, the law of averages. I’m going to pop the clutch, cut a good light and one of these times I got to beat him down there.’
Richard Gadson, Pro Stock Motorcycle No. 1 qualifier. (NHRA photo)
“Today was that day.”
Gadson now is more than a fulltime Vance & Hines rider. In the real-work world, Richard is involved in product development, including an in-house ECU (engine control unit) and new line of Suzuki Hayabusa exhaust systems.
“You watch this happen for other people so much,” said Gadson, alluding to his current run of personal success. “You can want it for yourself all you want, but I try to live in the moment. I try to remember, ‘This is the stuff you watch Gaige do. This is the stuff you watched Andrew and Eddie do.’ You just try to be in that moment, you’re living that dream. I’m just trying to hold on for dear life.”
Next event on the schedule is the NHRA Nevada Nationals Oct. 30-Nov. 2 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It will be the fifth event in the Countdown and penultimate race of the season, which will conclude with the NHRA Finals from Nov. 13-16 at In-and-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California.
Media Center Interview:
ENNIS, Texas — Final finish order (1-16) at the 40th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
TOP FUEL:
- Doug Kalitta; 2. Steve Torrence; 3. Shawn Langdon; 4. Brittany Force; 5. Ida Zetterstrom; 6. Justin Ashley; 7. Shawn Reed; 8. Clay Millican; 9. Tony Stewart; 10. Josh Hart; 11. Doug Foley; 12. Antron Brown; 13. Tony Schumacher; 14. Jasmine Salinas; 15. Mitch King; 16. Kyle Satenstein.
FUNNY CAR:
- Austin Prock; 2. Ron Capps; 3. Daniel Wilkerson; 4. Chad Green; 5. Jack Beckman; 6. Cruz Pedregon; 7. Spencer Hyde; 8. Paul Lee; 9. Matt Hagan; 10. Alexis DeJoria; 11. Blake Alexander; 12. Dave Richards; 13. Bob Tasca III; 14. Alex Laughlin; 15. Terry Haddock; 16. J.R. Todd.
PRO STOCK:
- Dallas Glenn; 2. Aaron Stanfield; 3. Greg Anderson; 4. Jeg Coughlin; 5. Cory Reed; 6. Deric Kramer; 7. Eric Latino; 8. Matt Hartford; 9. Erica Enders; 10. Cody Coughlin; 11. David Cuadra; 12. Matt Latino; 13. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 14. Chris Vang; 15. Stephen Bell; 16. Greg Stanfield.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
- Richard Gadson; 2. Brayden Davis; 3. Gaige Herrera; 4. Matt Smith; 5. John Hall; 6. Angie Smith; 7. Clayton Howey; 8. Steve Johnson; 9. Kelly Clontz; 10. Jianna Evaristo; 11. Ryan Oehler; 12. Chase Van Sant; 13. Marc Ingwersen; 14. Lance Bonham; 15. Chris Bostick; 16. Charles Poskey.
ENNIS, Texas — Sunday’s final results from the 40th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 18th of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel — Doug Kalitta, 3.777 seconds, 333.04 mph def. Steve Torrence, 3.874 seconds, 317.46 mph.
Funny Car — Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.959, 328.30 def. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 4.405, 199.80.
Pro Stock — Dallas Glenn, Chevy Camaro, 6.605, 208.89 def. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.622, 208.75.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.796, 200.37 def. Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 6.817, 200.34.
Top Alcohol Dragster — Joey Severance, 5.470, 208.03 def. Jon Bradford, Foul – Red Light.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.528, 267.36 def. Stan Sipos, Camaro, 5.893, 250.70.
Competition Eliminator — Jeff Taylor, Dragster, 7.049, 152.28 def. Joe Carnasciale, Chevy Cavalier, 9.612, 148.28.
Super Stock — Darrell Stobbe, Chevy Chevelle, 10.260, 126.75 def. Harvey Emmons III, Chevy Cavalier, 9.496, 124.70.
Stock Eliminator — Jerry Emmons, Chevy Camaro, 10.513, 117.67 def. Doug Lambeck, Camaro, 10.148, 126.88.
Super Comp — Wayne Landry, Dragster, 8.913, 178.46 def. Thomas Marlow, Dragster, 8.975, 162.78.
Super Gas — Trisha Owens, Chevy Corvette, 9.919, 157.45 def. Bill Dennis, Cadillac XLR, 9.914, 162.33.
Super Street — James Gonzales, Chevy Vega Wagon, 10.921, 121.62 def. Jimmy Denham, Chevy S-10, 10.893, 126.90.
Top Sportsman — Doug Crumlich, Chevy Corvette, 6.639, 193.05 def. Bradley Johnson, Cobalt, 6.641, 212.37.
Top Dragster — Blake Peavler, Dragster, 6.206, 230.26 def. Michael Kile, Dragster, 6.145, 208.57.
Factory X — Lenny Lottig, Chevy Camaro, 6.973, 196.18 def. Conner Statler, Camaro, 7.005, 197.51.
Junior Dragster Shootout — Clay Burrell, 12.126, 53.64 def. Abigail Wilson, McIlivan, 7.977, 82.43.
ENNIS, Texas — Final round-by-round results from the 40th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE — Clay Millican, 3.700, 335.32 def. Tony Stewart, 3.774, 321.52; Brittany Force, 3.729, 340.14 def. Tony Schumacher, 5.441, 125.47; Shawn Reed, 3.717, 338.83 def. Kyle Satenstein, Foul – Centerline; Justin Ashley, 3.732, 334.25 def. Doug Foley, 4.857, 160.19; Shawn Langdon, 3.697, 336.00 def. Mitch King, 10.680, 79.99; Ida Zetterstrom, 4.257, 206.86 def. Antron Brown, 5.127, 158.61; Doug Kalitta, 3.751, 333.93 def. Jasmine Salinas, 6.219, 99.89; Steve Torrence, 3.993, 264.07 def. Josh Hart, 4.194, 208.21;
QUARTERFINALS — Kalitta, 3.757, 332.37 def. Zetterstrom, 3.845, 323.37; Torrence, 3.833, 330.37 def. Reed, 4.076, 257.84; Force, 3.828, 332.79 def. Ashley, 3.943, 292.85; Langdon, 3.790, 333.38 def. Millican, 4.385, 187.38;
SEMIFINALS — Torrence, 3.836, 328.08 def. Force, Broke; Kalitta, 3.805, 332.59 def. Langdon, 4.545, 193.10;
FINAL — Kalitta, 3.777, 333.04 def. Torrence, 3.874, 317.46.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE — Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 4.032, 311.48 def. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 5.380, 132.52; Jack Beckman, Chevy Camaro, 3.911, 330.57 def. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.046, 318.72; Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 4.224, 227.28 def. Alex Laughlin, Dodge Charger, 4.580, 193.52; Austin Prock, Camaro, 3.867, 335.70 def. Blake Alexander, Charger, 4.030, 319.24; Paul Lee, Charger, 3.908, 331.25 def. Matt
Hagan, Charger, 3.934, 330.35; Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.924, 329.28 def. Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 3.958, 329.60; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.034, 315.44 def. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, Broke; Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 4.291, 244.21 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.466, 205.33;
QUARTERFINALS — Wilkerson, 3.944, 327.46 def. Beckman, 3.993, 323.14; Prock, 3.939, 329.48 def. Hyde, 5.241, 150.66; Green, 4.082, 296.38 def. Lee, 6.777, 93.93; Capps, 4.042, 314.97 def. Pedregon, 4.994, 159.98;
SEMIFINALS — Capps, 4.019, 315.81 def. Wilkerson, 3.983, 325.73; Prock, 3.963, 328.88 def. Green, 4.068, 308.09;
FINAL — Prock, 3.959, 328.30 def. Capps, 4.405, 199.80.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE — Deric Kramer, Chevy Camaro, 6.564, 209.23 def. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.601, 208.22; Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.578, 209.06 def. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.596, 208.25; Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.559, 209.23 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.636, 210.03; Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.554, 208.51 def. Stephen Bell, Camaro, 6.602, 209.33; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.537, 208.97 def. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.571, 208.29; Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.534, 208.65 def. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.598, 209.34; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.532, 208.20 def. David Cuadra, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.568, 209.13 def. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.556, 208.91;
QUARTERFINALS — A. Stanfield, 6.603, 208.89 def. Hartford, Foul – Red Light; Glenn, 6.574, 208.66 def. E. Latino, 6.601, 209.38; J. Coughlin, 6.602, 208.74 def. Reed, 6.565, 208.36; Anderson, 6.547, 208.73 def. Kramer, 6.585, 209.31;
SEMIFINALS — Glenn, 6.627, 208.70 def. J. Coughlin, 11.520, 92.02; A. Stanfield, 6.614, 208.77 def. Anderson, 6.632, 207.70;
FINAL — Glenn, 6.605, 208.89 def. A. Stanfield, 6.622, 208.75.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE — Clayton Howey, Suzuki, 6.863, 197.38 def. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.881, 198.11; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.803, 200.70 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light; Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.804, 197.32 def. Marc Ingwersen, 6.899, 194.66; John Hall, 6.819, 199.42 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.801, 201.25 def. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.855, 200.11; Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 6.790, 201.15 def. Ryan Oehler, 6.863, 197.79; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.749, 202.52 def. Charles Poskey, Suzuki, Foul – Red Light; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.750, 202.00 def. Lance Bonham, Buell, 7.306, 177.15;
QUARTERFINALS — M. Smith, 6.888, 198.37 def. A. Smith, 6.889, 197.98; Davis, 6.816, 199.25 def. Hall, 6.867, 198.28; Gadson, 6.817, 199.00 def. Howey, 6.947, 197.26; Herrera, 6.780, 200.95 def. Johnson, Broke – No Show;
SEMIFINALS — Gadson, 6.813, 198.62 def. M. Smith, 6.873, 198.03; Davis, 6.831, 199.72 def. Herrera, Foul – Red Light;
FINAL — Gadson, 6.796, 200.37 def. Davis, 6.817, 200.34.
ENNIS, Texas — Point standings (top 10) following the 40th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, the 18th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series –
Top Fuel
- Doug Kalitta, 2,525; 2. Justin Ashley, 2,384; 3. Shawn Langdon, 2,366; 4. Steve Torrence, 2,297; 5. Brittany Force, 2,291; 6. Tony Stewart, 2,289; 7. Clay Millican, 2,279; 8. Shawn Reed, 2,255; 9. Antron Brown, 2,242; 10. Josh Hart, 2,152.
Funny Car
- Austin Prock, 2,485; 2. Matt Hagan, 2,373; 3. Jack Beckman, 2,354; 4. Ron Capps, 2,336; 5. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,296; 6. Paul Lee, 2,257; 7. Cruz Pedregon, 2,252; 8. Chad Green, 2,236; 9. Spencer Hyde, 2,217; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 2,195.
Pro Stock
- Dallas Glenn, 2,548; 2. Greg Anderson, 2,488; 3. Matt Hartford, 2,323; 4. Aaron Stanfield, 2,318; 5. Cory Reed, 2,275; 6. Eric Latino, 2,250; 7. Erica Enders, 2,243; 8. Cody Coughlin, 2,221; 9. Jeg Coughlin, 2,203; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr., 2,145.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
- Richard Gadson, 2,507; 2. Gaige Herrera, 2,435; 3. Matt Smith, 2,402; 4. Brayden Davis, 2,321; 5. John Hall, 2,319; 6. Angie Smith, 2,318; 7. Jianna Evaristo, 2,241; 8. Chase Van Sant, 2,211; 9. Steve Johnson, 2,173; 10. Chris Bostick, 2,148.
