Kalitta Is Good In zMAX Dragway Drills

CONCORD, N.C. — Doug Kalitta helped guarantee Kalitta Motorsports stayed excellent within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem within the High Gasoline ranks, profitable the bonus race on Saturday at zMAX Dragway and in addition securing the No. 1 qualifier spot on the fifteenth annual American Insurgent Gentle NHRA 4-Vast Nationals.

Austin Prock (Humorous Automobile), Matt Hartford (Professional Inventory) and Richard Gadson (Professional Inventory Motorbike) additionally picked up Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem wins on Saturday.

Paul Lee (Humorous Automobile), Dallas Glenn (Professional Inventory) and Gaige Herrera (Professional Inventory Motorbike) certified No. 1 on the fifth of 20 races throughout the 2025 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Sequence season.

In a wild ultimate quad of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem bonus race, Kalitta gained in a pedal fest over Antron Brown, Steve Torrence and Josh Hart, going 4.661 seconds at 237.92 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Instruments dragster. It’s the second straight win within the specialty occasion for Kalitta, as he swept each four-wide races after teammate Shawn Langdon gained the primary Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem races of 2025.

Kalitta, who additionally gained the Proper Trailers High Gasoline All-Star Callout in Pomona, has thrived in bonus races this yr and now he’ll have an opportunity to brush a particular weekend.

It’s the 1,000th High Gasoline race in NHRA historical past and Kalitta already has two large achievements this weekend, additionally qualifying No. 1 for the third time this yr on the energy of Friday’s track-record run of three.646 at 333.74.

There’s a particular trophy on the road and Kalitta, who gained the five hundredth High Gasoline race in 2002, has the chance for one thing historic on Sunday. His opening-round quad consists of Las Vegas winner Tony Stewart, Steve Torrence and Lex Joon.

“About half-track the factor clearly determined it wasn’t going to make it with out smoking the tires, so it simply sort of ran in half throttle the remainder of the best way, and it labored out,” Kalitta stated. “When it will get later within the day, you sort of anticipate perhaps one thing like that’s going to occur. We’ve bought quite a lot of guys on the market that may pedal very properly, so you bought to simply sort of do what you’ll be able to to get it to the end with out blowing the factor up.

“I’m very lucky with this chance with this group of men. It’s a heck of a possibility so I’m simply attempting to make one of the best of it, and we’ll see what tomorrow brings. We wish to win that particular trophy.”

Langdon certified second with a 3.665 at 333.33, and Brittany Pressure’s 3.667 at a report 341.58 from Friday has her third.

Reigning Humorous Automobile world champion Austin Prock was deadly on the beginning line on Saturday and it proved to be crucial within the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem, slipping previous Spencer Hyde with a run of three.949 at 322.50 in his 12,000-horsepower Cornwell Instruments Chevrolet SS for John Pressure Racing.

Hyde, who gained the bonus race in Phoenix, ran an similar 3.949, however Prock was faster on the beginning with a stout .058 response time en path to his first specialty race win of the yr.

It continues the robust momentum for Prock, who gained two weeks in the past in Las Vegas and appears primed for an enormous weekend in Charlotte.

“Final yr we found out how essential these Mission Problem factors are and what number of factors you’ll be able to truly earn,” Prock stated. “I believe we went into the Countdown with 24 factors, nearly two rounds of competitors, on high of second place. In order that felt actually good. I actually wished to win right now. I felt like we had a shot at doing it. I’ve been driving good all weekend and we had been capable of get the job performed as a group.

“Each runs right now, the automotive went down the racetrack and made good, clear runs in hotter circumstances, which we’re most likely going to see extra like tomorrow, in order that felt good. This race automotive’s been giving us somewhat grief, however they’ve been working onerous and doing their homework.”

Paul Lee simply grabbed his second straight No. 1 qualifier because of Friday’s run of three.829 at 328.54 in his 12,000-horsepower SRI Efficiency/Daido Steel Dodge Charger SRT. His opening quad consists of Matt Hagan, Bobby Bode and Dave Richards, because the Humorous Automobile factors chief seeks out his second win of the 2025 marketing campaign. Prock took second after his 3.844 at 336.49 and Daniel Wilkerson’s career-best 3.855 at 330.07 gave him the third spot.

“The Humorous Automobile class is hard. We’ve bought 14 vehicles faster than 3.93. I don’t suppose I’ve ever seen it that shut,” Lee stated. “It’s best that I’ve ever seen. I’m right here for the competitors. All people has a unique motive why they race. Some get pleasure from simply to return out right here and make laps down the observe. If I can’t be aggressive, I’ll go do one thing else. I race for competitors. I like to beat them.”

On a powerful holeshot, Professional Inventory’s Matt Hartford gained for the second time within the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem this yr, utilizing a .021 response time and a run of 6.567 at 210.37 in his Complete Seal Camaro to carry off Greg Anderson.

Hartford gained the bonus race earlier this yr in Pomona and loved one other victory on Saturday, conserving Anderson and his run of 6.540 at 210.24 at bay to take loads of confidence into Sunday eliminations.

“Final yr was a tough yr however we turned it round throughout the Countdown and went from 14th to sixth and I’m tremendous happy with that,” Hartford stated. “We dragged the automotive out this yr with no modifications aside from the up to date engine from KB Titan. We used our 2023 set-up and if the motive force does his job this automotive can win quite a lot of rounds this yr.

“On this [Mission Foods #2Fast2tasty Challenge] there’s quite a lot of momentum you’ll be able to construct, and you may look and see what different drivers are doing. To return out right here and run properly on Saturday provides you optimistic power for Sunday. Whenever you wrestle on Saturday, your evening isn’t good. Now, I really feel assured heading into tomorrow.”

On the website of his first profession Professional Inventory win, Dallas Glenn secured his first high qualifier of the yr because of Friday’s robust run of 6.502 at 211.10 in his RAD Torque Methods Camaro. Glenn additionally will get the $2,000 prize for profitable the GESi Professional Inventory No. 1 Qualifier Award.

Glenn and Anderson have break up the primary 4 races this yr and Glenn is in a very good place for a 3rd win in 2025, taking over an opening-round quad that features Matt Latino, Mason McGaha and Erica Enders. Anderson is second with a 6.502 at 210.93 and Hartford took third together with his 6.510 at 209.43.

“Greg had been hogging all of them. He has an excellent quick automotive, however we bought the No. 1 qualifier and we’re excited to get that GESi No. 1 Qualifier Award,” Glenn stated. “We’ve bought a very good sizzling rod for tomorrow and we’ll attempt to go get them.”

In Professional Inventory Motorbike, Richard Gadson collected his first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Problem win of the yr on his RevZilla/Mission Meals/Vance & Hines Suzuki, defeating teammate Gaige Herrera and Matt Smith within the ultimate spherical of the bonus race.

“It was loopy however I’ll take it,” Gadson stated. “It’s not usually you get there in entrance of Gaige and Matt. It’s large for our group to know we have now a second bike that may get the job performed. Right now was the primary day I felt like I had bike that might run with them.

“I didn’t see Gaige and I noticed his win gentle got here on. It was all a bit complicated till they came visiting and advised me I’d gained. Regardless of the case could also be, I’ll take it. To be trustworthy, I didn’t actually take into consideration profitable until half-hour earlier than we ran.”

Herrera simply grabbed his twenty fifth profession No. 1 qualifier because of Friday’s excellent run of 6.680 at 201.64. Gadson took second with a 6.759 at 200.77 and Smith’s 6.773 at 201.34 gave him third.

“I’m completely satisfied to see (Richard) get the win. All of the onerous work he’s put in after Gainesville is paying off. The underside line is we’ve each bought quick sizzling rods. Now, I fear about him greater than Matt,” Herrera stated.