NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The day has come, here at World Wide Technology Raceway. It’s time to award the event trophies at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals. Here’s a look at each Pro class ahead of the action. 

Top Fuel

In a season that has not proven exceptionally fruitful, reigning world champion Antron Brown and his Matco ‘Tools for the Cause’ dragster have more nitro wins than any other driver in St. Louis. Aiming for a sixth World Wide Technology Raceway win to tie the most winning driver in the event’s history, Erica Enders, Brown is No. 2 in the qualifying order and set for a first-round meeting with Cameron Ferre. Brown, No. 9 in the standings, picked up a pair of bonus points, as did SCAG campaigner Justin Ashley, who will race HendrickCars.com-backed Brittany Force in round one. Ashley is 46 points behind No. 1 qualifier and Mac Tools man Doug Kalitta entering the day.

Kalitta will race Will Smith in round one, while teammate Shawn Langdon, driving the 25th anniversary Kalitta Air Careers dragster, is No. 3 in the points heading into Sunday and set to meet Reading winner Shawn Reed, who is seventh in the points, 67 marks back.

Tony Stewart, ranked fourth in Top Fuel after qualifying, will race Ida Zetterström in the first round.

Qualifying bonus points were scattered across the Top Fuel category, with Illinois-based T.J. Zizzo and Kalitta each earning four; Force, Langdon, and Reed claiming three each; Clay Millican, Brown, and Ashley each earning two; and Stewart grabbing one.

Zizzo will race Steve Torrence in round one, and Milican will come up against defending event and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher. Kyle Wurtzel and his career best numbers will meet up with R+L Carriers driver Josh Hart.

Funny Car

No. 1 qualifier Austin Prock, carrying the banner for Cornwell Tools, has the points lead by 80 marks as raceday dawns. His five bonus points earned in qualifying were matched by Matt Hagan, who is the gentleman holding for the moment at No. 2 in the standings. Prock is matched with Bobby Bode, and American Rebel Dodge driver Hagan, on the other side of the ladder, is dialed in to meet Alex Laughlin in Jim Dunn’s Funny Car.

Hometown racer Daniel Wilkerson, driving the SCAG Ford, claimed top bonus points (six) and is starting from the No. 3 position. He enters raceday No. 6 in the standings and set to meet up with teammate Dave Richard in the first round.

Defending event champion Jack Beckman, despite feeling a bit under the weather, earned four bonus points in quaifying driving his PEAK Chevrolet. Beckman is tied for third with longtime NAPA Auto Parts-backed Ron Capps; they are each 105 points out of the lead. Beckman will race Spencer Hyde, and Capps — who picked up a bonus point — will meet a surging Bob Tasca III, who scored a trio of bonus marks of his own.

Teammates Chad Green and Blake Alexander are paired for round one, as are Charlotte winner Cruz Pedregon and J.R. Todd, and Alexis DeJoria and Paul Lee.

Pro Stock 

After earning the low qualifier award for the first time in his Pro Stock career, Eric Latino land his GESi Pro Stocker will be coming to the starting line for a standoff with Troy Coughlin Jr. Latino, who earned six bonus qualifying points, is No. 6 in the Pro Stock points, two marks ahead of six-time world champion Enders, the most winning driver in any professional category in St. Louis. Although a championship is unlikely at this point (Latino is 213 out of the lead and Enders is 215 back), both drivers are heavily invested in finishing as high in the top 10 as possible.

Enders, behind the wheel of the red JHG Chevrolet, is seeking her 51st win, while Latino is seeking his first in NHRA Pro Stock. Enders will meet her Elite Motorsports teammate Greg Stanfield in round one.

Latino is on the opposite side of the ladder from son Matt Latino, who moved out of the No. 16 position on day two of qualifying to narrowly avert a first-round meeting with his dad. The younger Latino will race heavy hitter Aaron Stanfield, who qualified in the. No. 6 position in his JHG entry and is 180 points away from the top spot.

Reigning and six-time world champion Greg Anderson is matched with Mason McGaha for round one after a group of unsatisfying qualifying sessions that left him shaking his head in dismay. No. 2 in the points and 85 marks behind points leader and defending event champion Dallas Glenn — his KB Titan Racing teammate — Anderson brought in three bonus points to Glenn’s five. Anderson, driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, has three previous St. Louis wins and holds the track record for elapsed time (6.492, set in 2015).

Driving the RAD Torque Systems Camaro, Glenn pulled one of the most intriguing matches of the day. Known as one of the best on the starting line, the young gun will race veteran Jeg Coughlin Jr., who was known for his own starting-line skill throughout his diverse career. Both drivers honed the craft in the Sportsman ranks.

Cory Reed, No. 4 in the standings, earned the most bonus points in qualifying of any driver or rider with seven marks awarded to his efficient J&A Service Camaro. Reed will race the newest Pro Stock driver on the property, Chris Vang, in the first round. Matt Hartford, No. 5 in the Pro Stock points, is set to meet with Cristian Cuadra. Cristian’s brother, Fernando Cuadra Jr., will race Cody Coughlin.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

Defending event champion and world champion Gaige Herrera is also the No. 1 qualifier heading into Sunday. Herrera, who claimed seven bonus points in qualifying aboard his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki, is now third in the standings, 69 points out of first. Herrera will have a bye run in the first round and will race the winner of the Jianna Evaristo vs. Kelly Clontz match.

Incoming points leader Richard Gadson, Herrera’s RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki teammate, scored six bonus points to stretch his lead over seven-time world champ Matt Smith. Gadson is starting second in St. Louis. He will race Lance Bonham in round one.

Smith and his MSR/DENSO Buell enter Sunday just 13 marks behind Gadson. With four bonus points in his pocket, he will race Marc Ingwersen in the opening act, while MSR teammate John Hall is fourth in the points — 75 back from the top — and is set to race Chase Van Sant. Angie Smith, with three bonus points collected as well as top speed of the meet (202.09 mph), will race Wesley Wells.

Steve Johnson landed a bonus point in qualifying as well; he will meet Ryan Oehler in the first round, while Brayden Davis, earner of three extra marks in qualifying, is paired with Chris Bostick.

2024 EVENT WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; Jack Beckman, Funny Car; Dallas Glenn, Pro Stock; Gaige Herrera, Pro Stock Motorcycle
MOST VICTORIES: Antron Brown, 5, TF; Ron Capps, 4, FC; Erica Enders, 6, PS; Matt Smith, 5, PSM.

TRACK RECORDS
Top Fuel - 3.631 sec. by Clay Millican, Sept. ’17; 340.47 mph by Brittany Force, Sept. ’25
Funny Car – 3.814 sec. by Austin Prock, Sept. ’24; 338.60 mph by Robert Hight, Sept. ‘17
Pro Stock – 6.492 sec. by Greg Anderson Sept. ’15; 213.47 mph by Jason Line, Sept. ’12
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.701 sec. by Gaige Herrera, Sept. ’23; 203.40 mph by Matt Smith, Sept.  ‘23

SCHEDULE 
SUNDAY, Sept. 28 (All times Central)
LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations at 9 a.m.

Pre-race ceremonies and Seal Master track walk at 9:45 a.m.
NHRA MISSION FOODS SERIES eliminations at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION
Sunday, Sept. 28, FS1 will televise one and one-half hours of qualifying coverage beginning at 1:30 p.m. (ET)
Sunday, Sept. 28, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage beginning at 3 p.m. (ET)