NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

A record six women qualified for the Chicago Pro Stock Motorcycle field and five of them advanced in an upset-filled first round. Wins by Angelle Sampey, Karen Stoffer, and Angie Smith could be expected, but the first-career wins for Andie Rawlings and Jianna Salinas came from some of the biggest upsets of the year. Salinas, making just her second race-day start, beat 2009 world champ Hector Arana Sr. in a close 7.008 to 7.020 battle. In qualifying, Salinas recorded the first six-second run of her career.

The jaw dropping moment of the round came when points leader Andrew Hines' Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson stumbled badly off the starting line. That was enough for Rawlings to earn her first round win. Hines, who hadn't been outrun to the finish line this year, recovered to run a 7.622, but it wasn't enough to hold off Rawlings' 7.255 pass on her Suzuki, a former Joe DeSantis bike.

Round two pairings (lane choice first): Eddie Kraweic vs. Karen Stoffer; Hector Arana Jr. vs. Jianna Salinas; Matt Smith vs. Angelle Sampey; Angie Smith vs. Andie Rawlings