READING, Pa. — Humorous Automotive rookie Spencer Hyde scored his first profession No. 1 qualifier on Saturday, securing the highest spot in entrance of a sellout crowd at Maple Grove Raceway in the course of the fortieth annual NHRA Studying Nationals offered by Nitro Fish.
Clay Millican (Prime Gasoline), Dallas Glenn (Professional Inventory) and Gaige Herrera (Professional Inventory Motorbike) additionally certified No. 1 on the fifteenth of 20 races in the course of the 2025 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Collection season. It is usually the primary of six races within the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Hyde added one other spectacular notch in his debut season within the nitro ranks, clinching his first profession No. 1 qualifier because of Friday’s stout run of three.868 seconds at 330.07 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Head Contractors & Engineers Ford Mustang.
The following merchandise on the to-do record is his first profession victory and Hyde will get one other alternative on Sunday, opening eliminations in opposition to Phil Burkart. He’s been to a pair of ultimate rounds in 2025, however a victory to open the Countdown to the Championship would make for an enormous second for Hyde.
“We’ve been ready 15 races to do that, so it’s good,” Hyde stated. “It’s good for me, it’s good for my guys and it provides them some confidence and motivation to hopefully exit and win this factor tomorrow. That is positively an excellent begin (to the Countdown) and it’s an excellent time to get scorching. We’re hungry and we’re right here to race.”
Factors chief and reigning world champion Austin Prock certified second with a run of three.882 at 333.74. Paul Lee posted one of the best run within the class in each classes on Saturday, together with a 3.893 at 328.22 that places him third.
In Prime Gasoline, Clay Millican raced to his first No. 1 qualifier of the season, as Friday’s run of three.704 at 336.32 in his 12,000-horsepower PowerEdge dragster for Rick Ware Racing held up throughout Saturday’s two classes. It’s the twenty seventh profession prime qualifier for Millican, who overcame a giant explosion within the third run of qualifying to finish Saturday with a stable run of three.796 at 330.15 in entrance of a capability crowd.
That, together with Friday’s efficiency, units up Millican properly for Sunday, as he appears to win at Maple Grove Raceway for the primary time in his profession. Millican can be after his second win this season, realizing it may jump-start a championship hunt.
“I actually wasn’t happy with Q3. That was a giant boomer and I hadn’t had one which large in a protracted, very long time,” Millican stated. “However the girls and boys who make this factor go did an incredible job getting us proper again up there for This fall, and we ended up second-quick. To come back again and make that form of run within the warmth was fairly dang spectacular.
“The Q3 run, we don’t know precisely what occurred. We didn’t have time to diagnose it, however that engine will go on the stand tonight. We’ll discover out, and ensure it doesn’t occur once more.”
Justin Ashley, who received the latest race in Indy, certified second with a 3.738 at 331.69, whereas Doug Kalitta took third after going 3.756 at 335.40 on Friday. Kalitta will open eliminations with a marquee matchup in opposition to reigning world champion Antron Brown. Factors chief Tony Stewart certified eleventh and begins race day in opposition to eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher.
Dallas Glenn earned his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season in Professional Inventory, because the factors chief’s 6.502 at 210.50 from Friday in his RAD Torque Programs Chevrolet Camaro stayed on prime. The excellent news for Glenn, who picked up his eleventh profession prime spot, is that he additionally made a powerful run in Saturday’s hotter circumstances, placing Glenn in an excellent place to open the playoffs with a victory.
He’s by no means received in Professional Inventory at Maple Grove Raceway, however Glenn will open eliminations on prime, taking up Shane Tucker within the opening spherical.
“We’ve a very good automobile and have been capable of make a good run this morning and get a bonus level, so heading into that closing session, I felt like we had a shot at getting two or three extra bonus factors,” Glenn stated. “Sadly, we had slightly oops and have been shut off and missed out on these factors, however being the No. 1 qualifier does assist.
“We’re going to look and see if we will attempt to get 4 win lights tomorrow. The automobile is implausible, it appears good and I’m prepared for tomorrow. We’ve a whole lot of mind energy within the KB Titan crew chief room proper now and I’m fairly certain they’re assured they know what to do.”
Aaron Stanfield took second with a 6.505 at 211.59, whereas U.S. Nationals winner Erica Enders certified third after Friday’s run of 6.506 at 211.36. Reigning world champion Greg Anderson moved as much as fourth with a 6.515 at 208.97, making the quickest run in every of Saturday’s two classes.
Professional Inventory Motorbike’s Gaige Herrera wasn’t challenged for the No. 1 spot on Saturday, because the factors chief picked up his fifth No. 1 qualifier this season because of Friday’s 6.745 at 200.20 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.
The excellent news is Herrera made two extra sturdy runs in entrance of a capability crowd on Sunday, placing the back-to-back world champion in a super spot to win for the primary time at Maple Grove Raceway in his storied profession.
“The monitor has been very constant at present within the warmth and that offers us good knowledge going into tomorrow,” Herrera stated. “I’m completely satisfied to get the win for Vance & Hines and all the blokes again on the store. I really feel like tomorrow we’re going to have a really sturdy area. Between me and Richard, I’m glad we’re on reverse sides. I positively don’t need to race him early.
“This crowd actually loves the bikes. I’ve obtained mates right here who had by no means seen Nitro automobiles earlier than at present, and now they need to come to extra NHRA races. It seems like dwelling — like we introduced our bike crowd into the NHRA world.”
