MOHNTON, Pa. — High Gas’s Shawn Reed gained for the primary time in his NHRA profession on Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway, capping off an emotional comeback by defeating factors chief Doug Kalitta within the last spherical of the fortieth annual NHRA Studying Nationals introduced by Nitro Fish.
Cruz Pedregon (Humorous Automobile), Dallas Glenn (Professional Inventory) and John Corridor (Professional Inventory Motorbike) additionally gained the fifteenth of 20 races throughout the 2025 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Sequence season. It’s also the primary of six races within the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Reed went 3.844 seconds at 326.63 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Reed Trucking & Excavating dragster to select up the victory over Kalitta, capping off an unimaginable second simply two months after a crash throughout qualifying in Seattle that resulted within the amputation of his left index finger.
After alternative driver Jordan Vandergriff drove for Reed in Brainerd and Indianapolis, this weekend’s race marked his NHRA return and Reed was on level. After qualifying fourth, he defeated Kyle Satenstein, Shawn Langdon and No. 1 qualifier Clay Millican to achieve the ultimate spherical on a wild day in High Gas after which powered previous Kalitta, shifting to fifth in factors to finish a day he gained’t quickly overlook.
“Actually, you couldn’t even write it any higher — only a storybook weekend,” Reed stated. “For what occurred to me in Seattle, what occurred to our group there, after which Jordan Vandergriff stepping in to maintain our crew going, this automotive’s been good. I’ve been telling all people for a very long time that we had been going to shock lots of people. We simply needed to get our Sunday morning factor found out, and right now, we lastly broke by way of.
“I’m so comfortable for my guys. I’m comfortable for me too, however if you grow old, you simply get grateful for what all people’s carried out for you and with you. I’ll keep in mind this ceaselessly.”
Kalitta took over the factors lead and reached the finals for the fourth time this season due to spherical wins towards reigning world champion Antron Brown, Tony Stewart and Steve Torrence. Within the second spherical towards Stewart, Kalitta’s dragster crossed the middle line previous the end line and collided with Stewart’s dragster. Stewart’s dragster went on its aspect, got here again down on its wheels and struck the left guard wall earlier than coming to a cease, whereas Kalitta’s dragster went again over the middle line earlier than coming to a cease.
Each Stewart and Kalitta had been alert and exited their automobiles beneath their very own energy. Kalitta’s factors lead is eighteen over Stewart and 33 over teammate Shawn Langdon.
In Humorous Automobile, Cruz Pedregon snapped a 55-race winless streak in one other emotional second on Sunday, beating Blake Alexander within the last spherical with a run of three.969 at 330.63 in his 12,000-horsepower Snap-On Instruments Dodge Hellcat en path to his first win since 2022 and the fortieth in his profession.
Pedregon reached the finals for the primary time this season by defeating Bob Tasca III, factors chief Austin Prock and Paul Lee, holding off Alexander on the end line to win for the primary time because the season-finale in 2022. It’s been an arduous course of for Pedregon to get again up to now, however he’s trusted the method and the payoff was on Sunday when he gained at Maple Grove Raceway for the third time in his stellar profession.
The 2-time world champion additionally moved all the way in which to sixth in factors, delivering a traditional efficiency he hopes to copy once more throughout the Countdown to the Championship.
“That is very particular, very particular,” Pedregon stated. “You recognize, you begin to doubt your self — as an proprietor, as a driver — and I’ve carried out that quite a bit the final couple of years. I assumed, ‘Possibly that is it.’ However we took the laborious street. I employed younger guys who weren’t already on different groups. It was like a draft.
“We went by way of the rising pains, however now I’ve acquired a great group. They’re nonetheless studying, however they’re hungry and now right here we’re. This morning, I informed the blokes there are six races left, together with this one. I’ve gained this race earlier than and sat within the winner’s circle questioning how we did it. We will try this once more — simply be mistake-free, be aggressive and keep the course.”
Alexander reached the ultimate spherical for the primary time this season with wins towards Matt Hagan, No. 1 qualifier Spencer Hyde and Ron Capps. Prock leaves Studying with a 25-point lead over Jack Beckman and a 29-point benefit over Capps.
Dallas Glenn wrapped up a virtually flawless weekend on Sunday, rolling previous rookie Cody Coughlin within the championship spherical with a standout run of 6.557 at 209.23 in his RAD Torque Techniques Chevrolet Camaro. Coming into the playoffs because the factors chief, Glenn cemented his standing as the person to beat in Professional Inventory in 2025, choosing up his fifth victory of the season – in his tenth go to to the ultimate spherical – and 18th in his profession.
Glenn certified No. 1 after which dispatched Shane Tucker, Deric Kramer and KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson in a wild semifinal spherical when the reigning world champion was disqualified. Anderson faltered on the primary burnout try, crossing the beginning line beams, and on his second try, crossed the beams once more, resulting in the disqualification.
Within the championship spherical towards first-time finalist Coughlin, Glenn was first off the beginning line and drove away to win for the primary time at Maple Grove Raceway. This was exactly the beginning Glenn wished, opening up a 62-point benefit over Anderson.
“You undoubtedly are available in right here and my purpose each race within the Countdown is to go away with a little bit bit extra of a lead — and we undoubtedly capitalized on that right now. What a loopy day,” Glenn stated. “Having Cody Coughlin within the last, with me taking out Erica Enders and Eric Latino taking out Aaron Stanfield — it was only a wild weekend. They name it the Home of Chaos for a cause. The automotive is working incredible proper now.
“My automotive is so good, I simply want to ensure I don’t beat myself. I undoubtedly have the automotive to beat proper now. I simply must proceed what I’m doing, hold using the wave, and see how far we are able to go together with it.”
Coughlin reached the finals for the primary time due to spherical wins towards Troy Coughlin Jr., Indy winner and six-time champ Erica Enders and Eric Latino.
John Corridor threw his title into the Professional Inventory Motorbike championship dialog with a incredible Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway, defeating teammate Matt Smith within the last spherical with a run of 6.802 at 199.70 on his American Insurgent Gentle/Matt Smith Racing Buell. It’s Corridor’s second victory this season and first-ever at Maple Grove Raceway, vaulting him to a tie for second in factors within the course of.
After defeating Kelly Clontz within the opening spherical, Corridor despatched a robust message within the quarterfinals, defeating back-to-back world champ Gaige Herrera with a 6.806, protecting Herrera winless in Studying in his profession. He adopted with a victory towards rookie Brayden Davis, establishing the matchup with Smith. It was the primary MSR-versus-MSR matchup within the last spherical since Sonoma final season and Corridor prevailed this time, leaving first and pulling away as Smith bumped into hassle, as Corridor earned his fourth profession victory.
“They’re all particular for me. To do it within the Countdown is nice as a result of, I imply, there’s six races within the Countdown — you’ve acquired to deliver your A-game,” Corridor stated. “We had a brand new tire on there that wasn’t working for us. We put the outdated tire again on, which labored out. We went 4 6.80s in a row. The monitor was nice — thanks to the Koretsky household for an awesome monitor and to MSR.
It’s nice that they gave me this chance. Matt Smith and Angie Smith gave me a possibility to come back out right here and compete, in all probability within the later levels of my profession, and I’m simply grateful for every part.”
Smith moved into the factors lead, advancing to his fourth last this 12 months and eighty fifth in his profession due to spherical wins towards Brandon Litten, Jianna Evaristo and Richard Gadson. He leads Herrera and Corridor by simply six factors, with Gadson simply 9 factors again in fourth.
