There’s likely no better place to host the NHRA’s penultimate round of the Countdown to the Championship than The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The famous quarter-mile strip of pavement is located about fifteen miles northeast of the historic “Vegas Strip” across Las Vegas Blvd from Nellis Air Force Base.
The rather desolate stretch of desert came to life over the weekend when NHRA race teams fired up their engines for Friday’s first rounds of qualifying in the world’s fastest stock doorslammer and motorcycle classes. Erica Enders moved one step closer to her fifth world title in Pro Stock with a pass on Saturday at 6.579 ET at 208.75 mph to claim her sixth Number One qualifier of the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series.
Matt Smith wasted no time on Saturday by breaking both ends of the track record in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle at The Strip. Smith carded a 6.785 ET at 202.27 mph on his Denso Auto Parts Buell. It was Smith’s fifth Number One qualifier of the season and the 52nd of his career. It certainly got the weekend off to a good start for the seasoned veteran who is looking for a sixth world title.
Enders Crowned NHRA Pro Stock World Champion
Four-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders showed up at The Strip in Las Vegas with only one thing on her mind; to clinch her fifth title at the penultimate round of the Countdown to the Championship. After entering the opening round of eliminations for the 22nd annual NHRA Nevada Nationals on Sunday as the Number qualifier, no one doubted that it would likely be her day. She promptly went about her business of eliminating Kenny Delco, Dallas Glenn, and Kyle Koretsky enroute to final round matchup against Troy Coughlin Jr.
Coughlin Jr. had earned his way to final elimination round at The Strip with wins over Camrie Caruso, Deric Kramer, and Cristian Cuadra. Having lost to Enders in the semifinal elimination round in Texas at the Fall Nationals a week earlier, Coughlin Jr. would have liked nothing better than to beat the newly crowned Pro Stock world champion. With near identical reaction times off the tree, it looked possible; but when Erica Enders gets on roll, she lays down a 6.640 ET at 206.86 mph to clinch the tenth victory of 2022 in her Melling Performance/Elite Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro.
Arana Jr Makes It Eight Straight at Nevada Nationals
Running a partial schedule in Pro Stock Motorcycle for the 2022 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, Hector Arana Jr has turned everything upside down for racers competing in the Countdown for the Championship. Moreover, Arana Jr comes to Las Vegas looking for a second straight win after claiming the Wally in Texas just one week ago. After qualifying fifteenth on Saturday, Arana Jr eliminated Angelle Sampey, Eddie Krawiec, and Matt Smith’s wife Angie.
To add spice to the fairytale story of a parttime competitor, Arana Jr was racing his Buell V-twin that was being tuned by his father, 2009 NHRA Motorcycle World Champion. Matt Smith eliminated Katie Justice and Chip Ellis to advance to the semifinal round against Jerry Savoie. Smith and Savoie had incredible .007-second reaction times but Smith’s 6.867 ET sent Savoie packing. What better way to top off a special day than for Arana Jr to grab a .009 RT to top Smith’s 6.862 ET and faster pass at 198.47 mph. Arana Jr makes it eight straight round wins, as Smith still carries a big lead of 104 points into the final Countdown round in Pomona CA next weekend.
UP COMING:
Auto Club NHRA Finals
Race teams have a short trip southwest of Vegas for the Auto Club NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway for the season-ending final race in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship on November 10-13 in Pomona CA.
