NHRA Countdown to the Championship Playoffs
38th annual Pep Boys NHRA National
Maple Grove Raceway
September 15-17, 2023

Defending world champ Smith moved into the points lead with his second win of the season, going 6.807 at 198.50 in the final round on his Suzuki. It is Smith’s 38th career win.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

The weekend couldn’t have ended any better for defending Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith, as he took down teammate Chip Ellis in the final round with a run of 6.807 at 198.50 on his Denso Auto Parts Suzuki. Coupled with Gaige Herrera’s surprising second-round defeat, it sent Smith into the points lead for the first time this season as he earned his second straight victory. Chasing what would be a PSM record seventh world championship, Smith followed his Indy victory with a strong opening statement in the Countdown to the Championship.

He knocked off Chris Bostick, Marc Ingwersen and teammate Jianna Evaristo to reach the final round and picked up his 38th career victory a round later. With five races remaining, Smith now holds a 17-point lead over Herrera.

“Today was exciting. We’ve won races on Monday before and we pulled it off today,” Smith said. “All in all, we had a great weekend. Personally, my bike still isn’t the bike I need out here to win a seventh championship. We just have to get my bike better. My bike isn’t 60-footing the way it needs to. We know we have really good power, even though we qualified fourth, we’re still way behind.

“(But) we’ve won six championships because we play our cards right and we’re smart and we do what we need to do. We brought a fourth bike (to this race) and that was our goal. When you don’t have the best stuff, you have to bring other stuff in to try to learn. All in all, that’s why we brought that bike to Reading and Chip knocked out some people that we needed him to knock out.”

Ellis, who qualified second and was hired by Matt Smith Racing to ride a team bike during the Countdown, took down Cory Reed, Eddie Krawiec and Hector Arana Jr. to reach the championship round.

The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to action Sept. 22-24 with the 15th annual betway NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

ELIMINATIONS

Round 1

W – Gaige Herrera / 0.009 / 6.695 / 202.24
L – BYE

The #1 PSM qualifier has won this race 8 times (in 14 final round appearances). Herrera with a great light on the bye run.

W – Angie Smith / 0.084 / 6.779 / 199.46
L – John Hall / 0.047 / 6.866 / 196.04

Angie Smith is 6 – 0 in Rd. 1 since Bristol. She has now made 48 200 mph runs. John Hall is 1 -4 against Angie Smith. Smith is 4 – 1 against Hall in prior events. Hall with the starting line advantage, but Smith has the lead by half track and never trails from there on for the win.

W – Eddie Krawiec / 0.031 / 6.743 / 201.04
L – Kelly Clontz / 0.171 / 7.046 / 186.74

Eddie Krawiec is 217 – 37 (85%) in Rd. 1 in his career. Kelly Clontz is 0 – 10 in Rd. 1 against Krawiec. Krawiec with the starting line advantage and the win. He makes his quickest pass of the weekend for the win.

W – Chip Ellis / 0.079 / 6.766 / 197.83
L – Cory Reed / 0.032 / 6.948 / 189.87

Chip Ellis is #2 and the #2 PSM qualifier is 29 – 0 in Rd. 1 at this event. Cory Reed is making his 56th start. Reed with the starting line advantage, but Ellis has the lead by 150 feet and never trailed from there on for the win. He will give up lane choice to Krawiec in the next round.

W – Hector Arana Jr / 0.047 / 6.745 / 199.11
L – Ron Tornow / – 0.337 / 7.024 / 183.47

Hector Arana Jr. is 7 – 2 in Rd. 1 this year. Ron Tornow is 1 – 6 in Rd. 1 this year. Arana Jr is 1 – 0 against Tornow in prior events.
Arana Jr. with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. He makes his quickest pass of the weekend for the win. He will have lane choice over A. Smith in the next round.

W – Marc Ingwersen / 0.013 / 6.881 / 193.77
L – Chase Van Sant / 0.028 / 8.318 / 104.02

Chase Van Sant is 6 – 3 in Rd. 1 this year. Marc Ingwersen is making his 36th start. This is the first time Van Sant and Ingwersen have faced each other in eliminations. Ingwersen with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. Van Sant with problems and sits up on the bike.

W – Matt Smith / 0.065 / 6.807 / 199.67
L – Chris Bostick / -0.036 / 6.950 / 190.11

Matt Smith wins 82% of his Rd. 1 races when he has lane choice. Chris Bostick is 0 – 6 in Rd. 1 this year. Smith is 8 – 0 against Bostick in prior events. Bostick goes red to give M. Smith the win. He will have lane choice over Ingwersen in the next round.

W – Jianna Evaristo / 0.018 / 6.853 / 197.22
L – Steve Johnson / 0.113 / 7.727 / 125.45

Steve Johnson is 5 – 1 against Evaristo. Jianna Evaristo is the 15th PSM rider to make a 200 mph run. Evaristo with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the win. She will give up lane choice to Herrera in the next round.

Round 2

W – Matt Smith / 0.063 / 6.793 / 200.26
L – Marc Ingwersen / -0.008 / 7.079 / 188.52

Smith is 5 – 1 against Ingwersen in prior events. Ingwersen goes red to give Smith the win.

W – Hector Arana Jr / 0.075 / 6.745 / 200.62
L – Angie Smith / 0.072 / 6.808 / 199.02

Arana Jr is 17 – 6 against Smith in prior events. Smith with a slight starting line advantage, but Arana Jr. has the lead as they go by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win.

W – Chip Ellis / 0.040 / 6.738 / 201.46
L – Eddie Krawiec / 0.030 / 6.771 / 200.83

Krawiec is 9 – 7 against Ellis in prior events. Krawiec with the starting line advantage, but Ellis has the lead when they went by the Christmas tree and never trailed from there on for the win. Chip Ellis’ MOV: 0.0235 seconds (approximately 7 feet). He will have lane choice over Arana Jr. in the semifinal.

W – Jianna Evaristo / 0.039 / 6.894 / 196.44
L – Gaige Herrera / 0.032 / 7.069 / 194.07

Herrera and Evaristo have each won 1 times against the other in prior events. Herrera with the starting line advantage, but spun the tire. Evaristo has the lead as they go by the Christmas tree and never trailed for the win. She will give up lane choice to M.Smith in the semifinal

Semi-Final

W – Matt Smith / .046 / 6.856 / 198.20
W – Jianna Evaristo / 0.032 / 6.890 / 196.04

Matt Smith is 70 – 56 (56%) in Rd. 3. Jianna Evaristo is 2 – 3 against Matt Smith. Evaristo with the starting line advantage, but started to drift out of the groove, she reeled it in. Smith grabs the lead just before 1000 feet and takes the win. Matt Smith’s MOV: 0.0205 seconds (approximately 6 feet). Smith is advancing to his 75th career final and fourth this year.

W – Chip Ellis / 0.089 / 6.801 / 198.32
L – Hector Arana Jr / -0.007 / 10.989 / 74.49

Chip Ellis is 6 – 6 against Hector Arana Jr.. Hector Arana Jr. is 30 – 48 (38%) in Rd. 3. races. Arana Jr. goes red to give Ellis the win. Ellis is advancing to his 16th final round and second this season.

Final

W – Matt Smith / 0.076 / 6.807 / 198.50
RU – Chip Ellis / 0.400 / 6.727 / 199.37

Matt Smith is 15 – 5 against Chip Ellis and 2 – 0 against him in Final rounds. The #2 PSM qualifier is 7 – 5 in final rounds at this event. The #4 PSM qualifier is 6 – 1 in final rounds at this event. Smith with the starting line advantage and never trailed for the hole shot win. Smith wins his 38th Wally and the second this season. Ellis runs a career-quickest pass in the losing effort.

Camping World Points Standings

Unofficial points standings following the completion of the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, the 16th race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season and the first event in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

SATURDAY QUALIFYING

Gaige Herrera ended qualifying on another massive note in Pro Stock Motorcycle, tying his mark for the quickest run of the year with a strong 6.672 at 202.94 on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. That lowered the track E.T. record he set on Friday and the points leader also set the track speed record with a pass of 203.00 earlier in the day. Not only did Herrera, who is making his first appearance in the Countdown to the Championship, claim his ninth No. 1 qualifier in 10 races this year, he also picked up the most possible points in qualifying.

Herrera made the quickest run in all four sessions, giving him plenty of confidence heading into the first of six playoff races on Sunday. “I’m very confident. I have to give all the credit to the whole Vance & Hines Mission Suzuki team and Andrew (Hines, crew chief) and all the guys back at the shop,” Herrera said.

“We’re basically just showing off their hard work and to go out there and run that, I’m very happy with it, Andrew is very happy with it. We’re definitely happy with it and I’m going into tomorrow with all the confidence in the world. I’m glad to get as much points as I can so far going into the Countdown. My whole goal is to try to get as many as I can again. That was my goal, and Andrew is always shooting to be No. 1 so he was all for it.”

Chip Ellis made a big jump to qualify second thanks to his run of 6.741 at 200.17 and Hector Arana Jr. took third with his 6.747 at 201.85.

Eliminations for the 38th annual Pep Boys NHRA Nationals begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday at Maple Grove Raceway.

1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.672, 202.94
2. Chip Ellis, EBR, 6.741, 200.17
3. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.747, 201.85
4. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.751, 201.28
5. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.754, 200.02
6. Angie Smith, EBR, 6.773, 201.70
7. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.777, 200.32
8. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.786, 196.96
9. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.795, 200.02
10. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.824, 196.44
11. John Hall, EBR, 6.834, 198.09
12. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.873, 196.42
13. Chris Bostick, EBR, 6.885, 193.82
14. Ron Tornow, Victory, 6.896, 195.11
15. Cory Reed, Suzuki, 7.044, 192.69

FRIDAY QUALIFYING

Gaige Herrera made a major statement in his first career appearance in the Countdown to the Championship, shattering the track E.T. record in Pro Stock Motorcycle on both runs Friday, including an incredible 6.678 at 202.45 on his Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki to close out the day.

Should that hold, Herrera, the points leader, would grab his ninth No. 1 qualifier in 10 races in the class this season, with the time just off the 6.672 he ran in Chicago earlier this year. It’s the third-quickest run of the season for Herrera, who was thrilled with how his bike ran to open the playoffs on Friday.

“I was kind of shocked it ran 6.67, but Andrew (Hines, crew chief) isn’t,” Herrera said. “He said all the conditions are there to do it. To come out and be able to get the provisional No. 1 qualifier in the start of the Countdown and get as much points as we can – all those little points add up – I’m happy with today.

“It’s just qualifying so far, but we’re off to a good start. This definitely takes some pressure off. I think everyone kind of flips a switch when the Countdown starts, and I kind of expected all the other teams to step up. For us to have that little step forward in front of everyone, I’m definitely happy with that and the whole team.”

1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.678, 202.45
2. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.747, 201.85
3. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.754, 200.02
4. Chip Ellis, EBR, 6.756, 200.59
5. Angie Smith, EBR, 6.773, 201.70
6. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.788, 200.05
7. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.801, 197.02
8. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 6.844, 199.08
9. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 6.860, 198.12
10. John Hall, EBR, 6.862, 197.62
11. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.865, 194.02
12. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.873, 196.42
13. Chris Bostick, EBR, 6.892, 189.84
14. Ron Tornow, Victory, 6.896, 195.11
15. Cory Reed, Suzuki, 7.226, 188.41

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