DOUG KALITTA
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 26, 2025) – Top Fuel’s Doug Kalitta landed in the
provisional No. 1 spot at the 14th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest
Nationals as the Countdown to the Championship playoffs continued at
World Wide Technology Raceway.
The Top Fuel points leader clocked a 3.675-second pass at 334.82 mph in
his Mac Tools dragster. If that holds for best of the class, it will
mark his eighth No. 1 qualifier of the season. With two wins so far in
2025, Kalitta is looking for his first win in the playoffs.
The highlight of Friday night’s qualifying session was the “2025
Friday No. 1 Qualifier Top Hitter” bat from Rawlings. Low qualifiers
were awarded custom bats from the St. Louis-based bat company as part of
the St. Louis race.
“That was really cool to end up with the bat; it’s engraved and the
whole deal,” said Kalitta. “It was an interesting round. I was sitting
back there thinking man, I sure hope my car goes down the track because
everyone is running really well. Got down there and it felt good. Real
fortunate to be able to pull off a good run and come out No. 1 so
far.”
Austin Prock (Funny Car), Eric Latino (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro
Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers of the 17th
event of the 2025 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and halfway
point of the Countdown to the Championship.
Kalitta has four wins from the fan-favorite World Wide Technology
Raceway. If he wants to collect win number five on race day, he’ll
need to get past the stacked field, including reigning world champion
Antron Brown, who is provisionally qualified second after running a
3.688 at 337.41, and regular season champion Tony Stewart, who sits
third with his 3.690 at 335.15.
“It’s all about Sunday and going rounds and trying to get the
finals. It’s going to take any point you can get with the Top Fuel
group. Everybody is running strong,” said Kalitta.
Reigning Funny Car world champion Prock once again leads the field in
points, after earning eight wins throughout the season. He is currently
the provisional No. 1 qualifier at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest
Nationals thanks to his 3.845 at 337.16 effort from Friday night. Prock
is looking for his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the year and come Sunday,
he’ll be seeking his first win from World Wide Technology Raceway.
“That was a nice clean pass during Q3, it felt really smooth leaving
the starting line,” said Prock. “The lane felt really difficult to
drive tonight, a lot of cars earlier in the session were getting inside,
and there’s just not as much traction toward the centerline. So, I was a
little bit clenched going up there and didn’t want to make that mistake,
but I worked with (track specialist) Lanny Maglizzi and my crew chiefs
on how to aim the car, and it went right down the center of the
racetrack. It’s been pretty cool, anytime there’s anything on the line
on Friday night, we’ve been good enough or lucky enough to take home the
award. It’s cool to add this bat to the list.”
Four-time Funny Car world champ Matt Hagan sits second with his 3.868 at
329.91 mph, while Daniel Wilkerson is third with a 3.871 at 332.10.
Pro Stock’s Latino powered to a 6.515 at 209.75 and took the
provisional spot on Friday in his GESi Chevrolet Camaro. Latino booted
Pro Stock points leader Dallas Glenn from the Top Hitter’s seat on
Friday when he out-ran Glenn’s 6.516 at 209.14 effort, to land Glenn
in the provisional No. 2 position. If Latino’s low spot holds, it will
be his first career No. 1 qualifier.
“I felt like it was a good run,” said Latino. “As I came around
the corner, they opened the door and told me to hurry up and get up
there, Dallas Glenn is off the seat and that baseball bat is yours. I
was a little bit in disbelief because it’s really tough to be No. 1
qualifier in this class. It was just a good run.”
Norwalk winner Cory Reed holds the third place with his 6.523 at 209.10.
Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Herrera put himself in position for
his seventh No. 1 qualifier of the season going 6.741 at 200.41 on his
Suzuki. Herrera is currently fourth in points. After another year of
dominance and a regular season champion, he finds himself chasing his
teammate and points leader Richard Gadson.
“I’m definitely counting all these little points,” said Herrera.
“We were able to capitalize tonight on the good weather. I hope that
No. 1 qualifier sticks going into Sunday, but you never know — this
track has been really good. One thing I love about drag racing is that
you never know how the table is going to turn or what’s going to
happen.”
Herrera and his Vance & Hines teammates cover the top three at the NAPA
Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals with Gadson in second with his 6.759
at 200.02 and Brayden Davis in third with a 6.767, 198.47.
Qualifying continues at 12:15 p.m. CT on Saturday at the NAPA Auto Parts
NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway.
***
MADISON, Ill. — Friday’s results after the first two of four rounds of
qualifying for the 14th annual NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at
World Wide Technology Raceway, 17th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission
Foods Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s
final eliminations.
Top Fuel — 1. Doug Kalitta, 3.675 seconds, 335.73 mph; 2. Antron Brown,
3.688, 337.41; 3. Tony Stewart, 3.690, 335.15; 4. Shawn Reed, 3.703,
332.10; 5. Brittany Force, 3.709, 340.47; 6. Kyle Wurtzel, 3.711,
329.10; 7. Clay Millican, 3.721, 334.82; 8. T.J. Zizzo, 3.724, 336.23;
9. Steve Torrence, 3.727, 331.53; 10. Tony Schumacher, 3.744, 332.34;
11. Josh Hart, 3.746, 336.07; 12. Justin Ashley, 3.754, 334.40; 13. Ida
Zetterstrom, 3.788, 328.78; 14. Cameron Ferre, 3.912, 298.93; 15. Will
Smith, 4.046, 249.90; 16. Shawn Langdon, 5.050, 138.58.
Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.845, 337.16; 2. Matt
Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.868, 329.91; 3. Daniel Wilkerson, Ford Mustang,
3.871, 332.10; 4. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.877, 337.33; 5. Chad Green,
Mustang, 3.886, 334.07; 6. Alexis DeJoria, Charger, 3.900, 332.84; 7.
Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.902, 326.40; 8. Spencer Hyde, Mustang, 3.903,
325.61; 9. Jack Beckman, Camaro, 3.906, 328.54; 10. J.R. Todd, Toyota GR
Supra, 3.919, 330.55; 11. Blake Alexander, Charger, 3.980, 324.98; 12.
Ron Capps, GR Supra, 3.983, 276.75; 13. Alex Laughlin, Charger, 4.049,
315.86; 14. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.112, 268.87; 15. Paul Lee,
Charger, 4.133, 229.78; 16. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 9.290, 80.18.
Pro Stock — 1. Eric Latino, Chevy Camaro, 6.515, 209.75; 2. Dallas
Glenn, Camaro, 6.516, 210.24; 3. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.523, 209.10; 4.
Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.529, 209.72; 5. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.538,
210.87; 6. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.538, 209.85; 7. Greg Anderson,
Camaro, 6.541, 208.88; 8. Cody Coughlin, Camaro, 6.541, 208.49; 9.
Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.549, 208.91; 10. Mason McGaha, Camaro,
6.558, 209.62; 11. Greg Stanfield, Camaro, 6.562, 208.65; 12. Cristian
Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.563, 209.72; 13. Chris Vang, Camaro, 6.564,
208.78; 14. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.566, 209.17; 15. Troy Coughlin Jr.,
Camaro, 6.568, 209.85; 16. Matt Latino, Camaro, 6.577, 209.72. Not
Qualified: 17. Kenny Delco, 6.586, 210.14; 18. Stephen Bell, 6.594,
209.79; 19. Chris McGaha, 6.596, 209.49; 20. Deric Kramer, 6.620,
208.30.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.741, 200.41; 2.
Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.759, 200.08; 3. Brayden Davis, Suzuki, 6.767,
200.20; 4. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.776, 200.41; 5. Angie Smith, Buell,
6.783, 201.04; 6. John Hall, Beull, 6.786, 200.53; 7. Kelly Clontz,
Suzuki, 6.830, 198.82; 8. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.834, 200.44; 9. Ryan
Oehler, EBR, 6.840, 196.85; 10. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.856, 197.08;
11. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.861, 193.13; 12. Marc Ingwersen, EBR,
6.886, 196.64; 13. Wesley Wells, Suzuki, 7.161, 188.23; 14. Chris
Bostick, Suzuki, 7.422, 140.81; 15. Lance Bonham, Buell, 8.156, 182.45.
-NHRA-