In a High Gas subject crammed with championship contenders, it was part-time racer T.J. Zizzo who impressed probably the most for the second time this season in entrance of a capability crowd on Saturday at World Large Know-how Raceway for the thirteenth annual NHRA Midwest Nationals.
Austin Prock (Humorous Automotive), Erica Enders (Professional Inventory) and Gaige Herrera (Professional Inventory Bike) additionally certified No. 1 on the seventeenth of 20 races throughout the 2024 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Collection season and the third of six races within the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Zizzo raced to the No. 1 spot with a run of three.714s at 327.66mph in his Rust-Oleum dragster. It’s the second profession No. 1 qualifier for the veteran, who earned his first profession prime spot earlier this yr in Chicago. He put collectively the same efficiency on Saturday in St. Louis, holding off a fully loaded High Gas subject.
He’ll open race day towards Billy Torrence, seeking to decide up his first profession High Gas victory, and Zizzo had a lot to be enthusiastic about after two sturdy runs on Saturday.
“It’s spectacular. Our all-volunteer crew, we do that as a result of we love the game. We love the game of NHRA championship drag racing,” Zizzo mentioned. “We come out right here and qualify No. 1 twice now. So far as the mindset of a driver, it places far more stress on me. That’s what a very good race automotive does. I can’t go up there and lollygag anymore, I’ve to go up there and get after it.
“The 16 (vehicles) which might be certified for the present, no joke, any one among us can win. It might be close to and expensive to my coronary heart to have the ability to qualify No. 1 after which go 4 rounds tomorrow, however I do know that’s a troublesome feat.”
Eight-time world champ Tony Schumacher impressed on Saturday as nicely, qualifying second with a 3.718s at 325.22mph and Brittany Power is third after going 3.722s at 314.39mph. Factors chief Antron Brown, who has gained the primary two races within the Countdown, certified tenth and can open eliminations Jasmine Salinas.
Humorous Automotive factors chief Prock rolled to his twelfth No. 1 qualifier of the season for John Power Racing and simply missed the monitor file set by Robert Hight in 2017, going 3.836-sat 330.72mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. His twelfth No. 1 qualifier this season additionally pulls him to inside one No. 1 spot of tying John Power for probably the most prime qualifiers in a single season in Humorous Automotive historical past.
Prock has picked up 12 No. 1 qualifiers within the first 17 races and he stays centered on his quest for a primary profession world championship. The younger standout has gained the primary two playoff races, holding a 129-point lead getting into the weekend, and can attempt to decide up his eighth win of the yr on Sunday.
“This entire crew, they’re so extremely sensible and dialed in proper now,” Prock mentioned. “It positive is enjoyable to drive. We have been low each periods and I’m actually proud to be driving this AAA Camaro this weekend.
“We’re undoubtedly not altering our mindset, we’re not laying up in any respect. We’re going on the market and racing like what bought us so far. We wish to get as a lot of a factors lead as we will presumably have going into Pomona, and we’ve been doing a very good job of that at this time. We racked up all of the qualifying factors at this time. It was one other nice day – stout runs, and we have now a very good scorching rod for tomorrow.”
Chad Inexperienced jumped to the second spot throughout the ultimate qualifier with a run of three.876s at 325.77mph and Ron Capps took third on the energy of a 3.878s at 333.33mph.
Trying to make a late-season run, St. Louis could be the place for defending Professional Inventory world champ Erica Enders to do it and she or he made probably the most of Saturday’s two periods, taking the No. 1 qualifier for the seventh time this yr after a run of 6.565s at 208.01mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Storage/Melling Efficiency/Scag Energy Gear automotive. Enders thriving at World Large Know-how Raceway must be no shock, because the six-time world champion has extra wins on the facility than any driver in NHRA historical past.
Getting into the weekend third in factors, she’ll look to win for the seventh time in St. Louis on Sunday, opening raceday towards Chris McGaha. Enders hasn’t gained because the season-opening race in Gainesville and Sunday will surely be a really perfect time as she tries to trace down factors chief Dallas Glenn and Elite Motorsports teammate Aaron Stanfield.
“The [qualifying] factors at all times add up, I’ve mentioned that from the start of our profession, and so they made an enormous distinction in each of our ‘14 and ‘15 championship chases,” Enders mentioned. “I think about it will likely be the identical this yr, however to return off the trailer after an extended day yesterday and go to the No. 1 spot, you wish to run nice however be ok to get down. We made an enormous error within the second qualifier however have been nonetheless second for the session, and we’ll take that into Sunday and see what we will do with it.
“It’s extraordinarily vital to get down and go as quick as you may since you need these factors, however it’s a must to be conservative sufficient to not go on the market and blow the again window out. It’s a effective line to be quick and a bit bit uncontrolled. I’m glad they bought the monitor prepared at this time and it was superior for us.”
Glenn certified second with a 6.570s at 207.66mph and his KB Titan Racing teammate Greg Anderson took third after going 6.578s at 207.91mph.
In Professional Inventory Bike, Gaige Herrera delivered a stellar run to open qualifying on Saturday, going 6.796s at 197.74mph on his RevZilla/Mission Meals/Vance & Hines Suzuki, incomes his seventh No. 1 spot of the season. Herrera, the defending world champ, entered the weekend in an unfamiliar spot, as Matt Smith took over the factors lead final weekend along with his victory in Charlotte.
Smith has been terrific in St. Louis through the years, however Herrera gained the occasion final yr and can try and make it two in a row on the pivotal playoff race.
“That is what makes it enjoyable — between Vance & Hines and [Matt Smith Racing], we’re going backwards and forwards, and that’s the way it must be going by means of the Countdown,” Smith mentioned. “The factors are very tight, inside one spherical, so I’m glad to get that No. 1 qualifier and see if we will proceed this tomorrow and all through race day. That’s all that counts.
“My mindset is simply attempting to go round-by-round. I actually don’t look again ultimately yr or yesterday, I simply attempt to go on the market and go A-to-B as a rider. It’s going to play out the way it’s going to play out.”
Smith completed proper behind in second due to a 6.807s at 198.12mph and Richard Gadson, who has superior to the finals in every of the primary two playoff races, is third after going 6.840s at 195.28mph.
Eliminations for the NHRA Midwest Nationals start at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday at World Large Know-how Raceway.
