Brittany Drive made the quickest High Gas run of the 2024 season on Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, qualifying No. 1 for the fourth time previously 5 races on the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals.
Austin Prock (Humorous Automotive), Greg Anderson (Professional Inventory) and Matt Smith (Professional Inventory Motorbike) additionally certified No. 1 on the final of 20 races through the 2024 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Collection season and the sixth race within the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Drive, who received the newest race in Las Vegas, went a formidable 3.643s at 336.65mph in her Monster Power/Chevrolet dragster, amassing her sixth No. 1 of the season. After enduring her share of struggles this season, Drive and her group have come on robust to shut out the season as she appears to finish the yr with a second straight win. She’s 108 factors out of first, giving her an outdoor shot at a championship as nicely, however Drive is thrilled with how her group has persevered to get again on monitor.
Steve Torrence went 3.644s simply moments earlier on Saturday, however Drive and her group laid down an unimaginable run to shut out qualifying.
“We ran a 3.64s and that’s big. I’m very happy with [crew chief] David Grubnic and John Collins, and the entire Monster Power group. I wished as many bonus factors as we may get,” Drive stated. “[The number of cars in the 3.6s] says the competitors is fierce. It’s killer on the market. I didn’t know the way fast I ran however once I pulled off the monitor there have been cameras in my face so I assumed it is likely to be higher than it felt.
“I’m not upset [in being a championship longshot]. Every part occurs for a motive and all of it helps pull our group collectively. We win as a group and we lose as a group.”
Torrence’s 3.644s at 334.90mph places him second, whereas defending world champion Doug Kalitta is third after a 3.650s at 334.98mph. Shawn Langdon took fourth with a 3.653s at 331.45mph, leaping into second in factors.
He’s at the moment 43 behind factors chief Justin Ashley, who’s searching for his first world championship. Ashley will open eliminations in an epic first-round matchup towards Antron Brown, who is just 46 factors behind the younger standout. Kalitta and Torrence are 78 and 79 factors behind, respectively, whereas Clay Millican additionally stays in competition at 95 factors out of first heading into the opening spherical of eliminations.
In Humorous Automotive, Austin Prock closed out qualifying with an unimaginable track-record run of three.804s at 334.57mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. Prock clinched his first profession world championship in qualifying, making the quickest Humorous Automotive run in seven years and the fourth-quickest in Humorous Automotive historical past. It’s his fifteenth No. 1 qualifier in 2024, essentially the most in Humorous Automotive historical past.
Professional Inventory’s Greg Anderson stayed alive within the championship chase, making two robust runs of 6.50s on Saturday, together with a category-best 6.505s at 211.20mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It’s the eighth No. 1 qualifier of the season for the five-time world champion, who additionally remained in competition for the world title. He’s at the moment 48 factors behind chief Aaron Stanfield, with a possible semifinal matchup looming between the contenders.
He may additionally meet KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn within the championship spherical in what could be a winner-take-all last spherical. It’s a state of affairs that has the veteran and the all-time wins chief within the class excited for Sunday, as an epic championship finale might be in retailer at Pomona.
“Qualifying means every little thing. To have the ability to management our personal future on Sunday is all you may ask for,” Anderson stated. “The way in which the ladder is about up is a prayer answered. I can’t bear in mind a time once we had three automobiles inside two rounds of the championship going into Sunday.
“Win the race and win the championship. If I can pull that off, it is likely to be the most important factor I’ve achieved on this sport. We’ve obtained all of it arrange. I simply hope I get up on the precise aspect of the mattress. For the final dozen races I’ve had the strongest horse out right here however I simply haven’t closed the deal. Tomorrow, I hope the solar shines on me and if it doesn’t, I hope it shines on my teammate, Dallas Glenn.”
Glenn is 29 factors behind Stanfield, qualifying second with a run of 6.512s at 209.82mph, pulling to inside a spherical of Stanfield heading into eliminations. He may probably meet Stanfield in a winner-take-all last spherical as nicely, whereas Stanfield certified fourth with a 6.517s at 209.98mph.
Matt Smith stored Gaige Herrera from his second straight championship on Saturday, securing sufficient qualifying bonus – in addition to the No. 1 spot – to increase the championship race into Sunday. He certified within the high spot for the sixth time this yr, going 6.721s at 202.64mph on his Denso Auto Elements/Matt Smith Racing Buell. With that, he closed the hole to 119 factors towards Herrera, although Smith will want loads of assist to safe a seventh world championship on Sunday.
If Herrera knocks off Clayton Howey within the opening spherical of eliminations, Herrera will declare his second straight world title. Smith’s solely path to a championship is that if Herrera loses within the first spherical and Smith wins the race. If that doesn’t occur, Smith would at the least like to finish the yr with a victory.
“We got here right here to attempt to get the win and we’re in a spot to do this,” Smith stated. “We’re nonetheless alive [for the championship] however we made too many errors through the Countdown to battle Gaige [Herrera] for the championship.
“Humorous, however I’m going to complete No. 2 within the championship and I’ve by no means been No. 2 in my profession. I’ve both received the championship or been third or fourth or decrease. It will be big for us to win the race tomorrow or for Angie [Smith], John Corridor or Jianna [Evaristo] to win it. I’d like to see one among them win it. It will be an effective way to finish the season.”
A. Smith certified second with a 6.758s at 201.43mph and Herrera is third after going 6.765s at 201.22mph.
Eliminations for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals start at 11 a.m. PT on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.
