Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals winners Richard Gadson, Steve Torrence, Greg Anderson and Ron Capps. NHRA photo

Courtesy of the NHRA

BRISTOL, Tenn.  – Three-time Funny Car world champion Ron Capps became the all-time wins leader at Bristol Dragway on Sunday, snapping a 33-race winless streak by defeating Paul Lee in the final round of the 24th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Funny Car winner Ron Capps. NHRA photo

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the eighth of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Capps made the best run of his weekend in the finals, going 3.957-seconds at 328.06 mph in his 12,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra to chase down Lee and win for the eighth time at Bristol Dragway, surpassing Tony Schumacher for the most in track history.

It also gave Capps a huge sigh of relief, snapping a long winless streak. His last victory before Sunday came at Indianapolis in 2023, but the veteran found his groove on Sunday in Thunder Valley, winning at the scenic track for the third time in four years. Capps knocked off Matt Hagan, Epping winner J.R. Todd and Dave Richards to reach the final, turning in a classic performance to get his 77th career win and moving to fourth in points.

Funny Car winner Ron Capps. NHRA photo

“We’re a single car team, and we can’t lean on other teams so it’s been a little more difficult,” Capps said. “Even when we were struggling, I never once questioned Guido [crew chief Dean Antonelli]. I just knew we had to get better, and we stuck with the plan. 

“I knew we’d have times when we’d struggle, but as an owner I’ve watched it and tried to handle it a certain way. This is a grueling track. To win more here more times than John Force says a lot. I’ve known for a long time that I’ll be No. 2 to John Force in everything but to have eight wins here is awesome. To win so many times at a track that is so demanding on a driver and crew chiefs, it makes you feel like you’ve won a championship.”

Lee reached the final round for the third time this season with wins against Chad Green, Buddy Hull and Daniel Wilkerson. He’s now second in points, while Austin Prock stayed in the points lead despite a second straight first-round loss.

Top Fuel winner Steve Torrence. NHRA photo

In Top Fuel, four-time world champ Steve Torrence also got back in the win column for the first time in nearly a year, taking down Justin Ashley in the finals with a run of 4.022 at 325.37 in his 12,000-horsepower Capco Contractors dragster. Torrence last found the winner’s circle last July in Seattle, struggling down the stretch. It wasn’t a banner start to 2025, either, but Torrence and his team undoubtedly turned the corner on Sunday in Bristol, winning for the second time in Thunder Valley.

Top Fuel winner Steve Torrence. NHRA photo

To reach the final, Torrence got past Dan Mercier, Clay Millican and points leader Tony Stewart, defeating Stewart by .002 in a thrilling side-by-side semifinal duel. After a lengthy rain delay before the final round, both Torrence and Ashley struggled off the starting line. But Torrence quickly recovered, powering down the track to win for the 56th time in his career and giving the Texan plenty of momentum in the process.

Torrence remained seventh in points, but showed on Sunday his team still has plenty of championship potential.

“First and foremost, this is the week before Father’s Day and I have two beautiful girls, so that’s really special to me,” Torrence said. “My little girl was born in 2021 and that was kind of the end of our reign, and I didn’t want her to think that I used to be good.

“This was a tough day. The conditions were really tricky and I knew I had to be consistent and do my job. I haven’t won since Seattle. We’re trying to get better and make a better mouse trap, but you stay with girl you brought to the dance. That’s the deal with [crew chief] Richard Hogan and Bobby Lagana. That’s a testament to their ability to read the track.”

Ashley reached his third final round this season on the strength of round wins against Antron Brown, Epping winner Brittany Force and Shawn Langdon. Stewart remains in the points lead, 76 points ahead of Langdon.

Pro Stock winner Greg Anderson. NHRA photo

On a historic day, Anderson earned his 1,000th round win in the Pro Stock semifinals and followed with his fourth win of the season, defeating teammate Dallas Glenn in the championship round with a weekend-best run of 6.623 at 205.91 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Anderson now has 110 career wins and joins John Force as the only drivers in NHRA history win 1,000 career rounds wins.

Pro Stock winner Greg Anderson. NHRA photo

It seemed fitting the milestone round win total came at the track where Anderson earned his first career Pro Stock victory in 2001, as Thunder Valley continued to be magical for the defending world champion and points leader. His car was the quickest during eliminations as he raced by Kenny Delco, Erica Enders and David Cuadra to reach the final round. Glenn went red in the final round, but it may not have mattered as Anderson made the quickest round of the weekend en route to the historic win.

He celebrated the 1,000th win in the semifinals, but the victory made it a complete weekend for the veteran and Pro Stock’s all-time wins leader.

Pro Stock winner Greg Anderson. NHRA photo

“This is pretty magical. I think I could call it a day and ride off into the sunset but I’m having too much damn fun right now. Our team is firing on all eight cylinders and it’s been fun,” Anderson said.

“I had no idea, we were [approaching 1,000 rounds]. I had no earthly idea. That’s a crazy number but I don’t think that way. I just think about that race. I don’t plan for the future. I just want to win that race. Getting 1,000 round wins is big but if I had lost the final this would have lost a bit of luster. I guess I’m overachieving because this is beyond anything I could ever imagine. I also love racing in Bristol. Thunder Valley is so much fun. 

“This track has a lot of personality. The bottom line is you need challenges. My team seems to love them. The taller the challenge, the more they rise.”

Glenn, who qualified No. 1, reached the finals for the sixth time in seven races in 2025, taking down Fernando Cuadra Jr., Matt Latino and Aaron Stanfield, staying second in points.

Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Richard Gadson. NHRA photo

For the first time, Richard Gadson is a winner in the Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks, defeating teammate Gaige Herrera in the final round, taking the holeshot victory on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki with a run of 6.884 at 196.30. Herrera went a quicker 6.882, but Gadson’s stout .014 reaction time proved to be the difference at the finish line.

Gadson had fallen short in four previous trips to the final round, including this year at the four-wide race in Charlotte, but Sunday in Bristol belonged to the standout second-year rider. He defeated Charles Poskey and Chase Van Sant to reach the final round, holding off Herrera to claim his first victory. He had found success in qualifying and in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and Gadson was thrilled to collect his first Wally.

“The first thing is I’m exhausted. This has been hands down the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done I always knew I could do it. I really needed to win this for me,” Gadson said.

Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Richard Gadson. NHRA photo

“I’m just not used to some of the mistakes I’ve made. I had to dig deep and remind myself of what I’m capable of. In some ways I feel like ‘Mr. Almost.’ I almost win. I almost won the Rookie of the Year, but not today. I just needed to make sure I did everything right on my end. Today, the motorcycle is not an excuse. We have three of them, and they’re all really good.”

Herrera reached the finals for the third time this year, thanks to round wins against Chris Bostick, Angie Smith and No. 1 qualifier Brayden Davis. Herrera also stayed in the points lead.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action June 20-22 with the fifth annual American Rebel Light Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va.

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Final finish order (1-16) at the 24rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. The race is the eighth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Steve Torrence; 2. Justin Ashley; 3. Tony Stewart; 4. Shawn Langdon; 5. Brittany Force; 6. Josh Hart; 7. Clay Millican; 8. Dan Mercier; 9. Antron Brown; 10. Doug Kalitta; 11. Ida Zetterstrom; 12. Cameron Ferre; 13. Shawn Reed; 14. Cody Krohn. 

FUNNY CAR:

1. Ron Capps; 2. Paul Lee; 3. Daniel Wilkerson; 4. Dave Richards; 5. Cruz Pedregon; 6. Buddy Hull; 7. J.R. Todd; 8. Julie Nataas; 9. Chad Green; 10. Matt Hagan; 11. Alexis DeJoria; 12. Austin Prock; 13. Jack Beckman; 14. Bob Tasca III; 15. Hunter Green; 16. Spencer Hyde. 

PRO STOCK:

1. Greg Anderson; 2. Dallas Glenn; 3. David Cuadra; 4. Aaron Stanfield; 5. Matt Latino; 6. Deric Kramer; 7. Erica Enders; 8. Cody Coughlin; 9. Kenny Delco; 10. Mason McGaha; 11. Cory Reed; 12. Jeg Coughlin; 13. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 14. Cristian Cuadra; 15. Greg Stanfield; 16. Matt Hartford. 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1. Richard Gadson; 2. Gaige Herrera; 3. Chase Van Sant; 4. Brayden Davis; 5. Matt Smith; 6. Angie Smith; 7. Jianna Evaristo; 8. Ryan Oehler; 9. John Hall; 10. Steve Johnson; 11. Marc Ingwersen; 12. Chris Bostick; 13. Charles Poskey. 

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Sunday’s final results from the 24rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. The race is the eighth of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series: 

Top Fuel — Steve Torrence, 4.022 seconds, 325.37 mph def. Justin Ashley, 8.600 seconds, 82.60 mph. 

Funny Car — Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.957, 328.06 def. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.967, 306.88. 

Pro Stock — Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.623, 205.91 def. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, Foul – Red Light. 

Pro Stock Motorcycle — Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.884, 196.30 def. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.882, 196.24. 

Pro Modified — JR Gray, Chevy Camaro, 5.762, 250.46 def. Mike Stavrinos, Camaro, 5.778, 248.48. 

Mountain Motor Pro Stock — John DeFlorian Jr., Chevy Camaro, 6.384, 220.22 def. Elijah Morton, Ford Mustang, Broke. 

Factory Stock Showdown — Mark Pawuk, Dodge Challenger, 7.880, 175.46 def. James Betz, Ford Mustang, Foul – Red Light. 

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Final round-by-round results from the 24rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, the eighth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL: 

ROUND ONE — Brittany Force, 3.811, 330.39 def. Ida Zetterstrom, 6.840, 88.90; Josh Hart, 4.026, 311.85 def. Doug Kalitta, 4.754, 224.92; Justin Ashley, 3.783, 328.14 def. Antron Brown, 4.403, 199.11; Tony Stewart, 3.821, 327.27 def. Cameron Ferre, 8.227, 83.57; Shawn Langdon, 3.922, 259.31 def. Cody Krohn, Broke; Clay Millican, 4.119, 222.22 def. Shawn Reed, 8.822, 97.27; Steve Torrence, 3.974, 312.93 def. Dan Mercier, 3.983, 307.72; 

QUARTERFINALS — Torrence, 3.859, 328.14 def. Millican, 6.187, 112.38; Langdon, 4.460, 245.90 def. Hart, 5.086, 266.79; Stewart, 4.178, 212.13 was unopposed; Ashley, 3.839, 329.91 def. Force, 4.925, 160.40; 

SEMIFINALS — Torrence, 3.857, 327.27 def. Stewart, 3.861, 326.08; Ashley, 3.858, 326.24 def. Langdon, 9.785, 74.97; 

FINAL — Torrence, 4.022, 325.37 def. Ashley, 8.600, 82.60. 

FUNNY CAR: 

ROUND ONE — Daniel Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 4.031, 325.30 def. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 5.566, 133.17; Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.098, 316.90 def. Alexis DeJoria, Dodge Charger, 4.134, 250.18; Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.692, 250.97 def. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 5.128, 148.01; Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 4.050, 316.90 def. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.068, 323.58; Julie Nataas, GR Supra, 4.052, 318.17 def. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 5.315, 136.28; J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 4.027, 319.60 def. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 7.068, 88.22; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.084, 298.01 def. Hunter Green, Charger, 6.433, 98.85; Paul Lee, Charger, 4.024, 306.95 def. Chad Green, Mustang, 4.026, 325.06; 

QUARTERFINALS — Wilkerson, 4.058, 313.22 def. Nataas, 6.638, 104.99; Richards, 4.136, 312.50 def. Pedregon, 4.233, 245.72; Lee, 4.030, 316.90 def. Hull, 4.269, 279.96; Capps, 4.111, 312.21 def. Todd, 4.324, 223.88; 

SEMIFINALS — Lee, 3.995, 289.26 def. Wilkerson, 4.078, 318.77; Capps, 4.371, 213.30 def. Richards, 10.217, 85.82; 

FINAL — Capps, 3.957, 328.06 def. Lee, 3.967, 306.88. 

PRO STOCK: 

ROUND ONE — Matt Latino, Chevy Camaro, 6.689, 204.70 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 11.999, 90.43; David Cuadra, Camaro, 6.671, 204.91 def. Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 15.816, 51.76; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.692, 205.72 def. Cory Reed, Camaro, 7.039, 160.46; Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.677, 204.88 def. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.650, 205.72 def. Kenny Delco, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.694, 204.48 def. Matt Hartford, Camaro, Foul – Red Light; Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.671, 205.51 def. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 13.360, 63.71; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.676, 204.70 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.749, 204.88; 

QUARTERFINALS — A. Stanfield, 6.709, 204.17 def. C. Coughlin, 18.279, 43.53; D. Cuadra, 6.725, 203.95 def. Kramer, 6.713, 204.88; Glenn, 6.667, 206.23 def. Latino, 6.686, 205.19; Anderson, 6.646, 206.01 def. Enders, 11.385, 77.76; 

SEMIFINALS — Glenn, 6.671, 206.23 def. A. Stanfield, 7.362, 153.51; Anderson, 6.644, 206.01 def. D. Cuadra, 6.699, 204.82; 

FINAL — Anderson, 6.623, 205.91 def. Glenn, Foul – Red Light. 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE: 

ROUND ONE — Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.982, 194.24 def. Marc Ingwersen, 7.071, 190.81; Angie Smith, Buell, 6.897, 196.82 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.980, 193.13; Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.960, 196.04 def. Ryan Oehler, Foul – Red Light; Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.857, 197.13 def. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 7.136, 166.91; Matt Smith, Buell, 6.870, 198.99 def. John Hall, 6.969, 196.70; Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.869, 196.53 def. Charles Poskey, Suzuki, 7.153, 191.29; Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 6.831, 198.09 was unopposed; 

QUARTERFINALS — Van Sant, 6.951, 196.76 def. M. Smith, 6.881, 199.46; Herrera, 6.883, 196.67 def. A. Smith, 6.967, 196.44; Davis, 6.870, 197.77 def. Evaristo, Foul – Red Light; Gadson, 6.898, 196.93 was unopposed; 

SEMIFINALS — Gadson, 6.911, 192.33 def. Van Sant, Foul – Red Light; Herrera, 6.895, 196.59 def. Davis, Broke; 

FINAL — Gadson, 6.884, 196.30 def. Herrera, 6.882, 196.24. 

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Point standings (top 10) following the 24rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway, the eighth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series – 

Top Fuel

1. Tony Stewart, 700; 2. Shawn Langdon, 624; 3. Antron Brown, 558; 4. Justin Ashley, 538; 5. Doug Kalitta, 533; 6. Brittany Force, 490; 7. Steve Torrence, 450; 8. Clay Millican, 385; 9. Josh Hart, 367; 10. Shawn Reed, 330.

Funny Car

1. Austin Prock, 596; 2. Paul Lee, 565; 3. Jack Beckman, 552; 4. Ron Capps, 496; 5. Matt Hagan, 487; 6. J.R. Todd, 421; 7. Daniel Wilkerson, 394; 8. Chad Green, 382; 9. Alexis DeJoria, 362; 10. Cruz Pedregon, 356.

Pro Stock

1. Greg Anderson, 793; 2. Dallas Glenn, 726; 3. Matt Hartford, 482; 4. Cory Reed, 405; 5. Eric Latino, 360; 6. Aaron Stanfield, 330; 7. Deric Kramer, 318; 8. Erica Enders, 306; 9. (tie) Jeg Coughlin, 285; Mason McGaha, 285.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. Gaige Herrera, 430; 2. Matt Smith, 384; 3. Richard Gadson, 346; 4. Chase Van Sant, 233; 5. Angie Smith, 205; 6. Steve Johnson, 189; 7. Jianna Evaristo, 187; 8. John Hall, 169; 9. Chris Bostick, 167; 10. Marc Ingwersen, 154.