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Richard Gadson Wins All-Revzilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki Final at Rockingham

Gadson earned his third Pro Stock Motorcycle victory of the season and extended his Countdown to the Championship lead.


Brea, CA – (September 28, 2026) – A week after Richard Gadson and Gaige Herrera each faced disappointing early-round losses, the RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines team came back with a vengeance by sending both riders to the final round in Pro Stock Motorcycle, with Gadson capturing his third win of the season aboard his Suzuki Gen 3 Hayabusa and extending his lead in the Countdown to the Championship at the NHRA Nationals at The Rock at Rockingham Dragway in Rockingham, NC, on Sunday.
 
Race Highlights
• Richard Gadson qualified fifth, won his third race of the season and extended his lead in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs
• Gaige Herrera qualified second, advanced to the final round of eliminations and jumped to second in the Countdown standings
Just a few days after the completion of racing at the rain-delayed NHRA race in Martin, Michigan, the second round of the Countdown to the Championship kicked off at the track affectionately known as “The Rock,” the fourth new facility this season and second in a row to make its debut on the NHRA national event circuit.
 
Richard Gadson qualified fifth with a 6.683-second/202.41 mph pass on Saturday, posting his quickest career run since joining the Vance & Hines team in 2024 and his first in the 6.60s.
 
In round one, Gadson defeated Geno Scali (6.927 seconds/196.08 mph) with a 6.742 second/ 200.71 mph run, then advanced with a 6.797-second/200.09 mph pass when Ryan Oehler fouled in round two.
 
Gadson survived a wild ride in the semi-final round when his Hayabusa moved sharply out of the racing groove and drifted toward the outside track wall en route to a 6.790-second/198.85 mph victory over Chase Van Sant (6.825 seconds/198.06 mph). 
 
Facing Gaige Herrera in a final round for the third time this season, Gadson cruised to a 6.790-second/198.85 mph victory when his teammate uncharacteristically fouled on the starting line, handing the reigning world champion his third win this season and seventh of his career. 
 


Richard Gadson advanced to victory at The Rock aboard the RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki Gen 3 Hayabusa.

The victory, combined with early round losses by rivals John Hall and Matt and Angie Smith, extended Gadson’s lead in the Countdown to the Championship standings to 64 points over Herrera, who jumped four spots up the order to second, a difference of just over three rounds of competition.
 
“I stole this one. It was robbery. I would have liked to be closer to Gaige’s performance today, but to be honest, I feel like we’ve been racing against the timing system these last two races, and it could have been anybody’s race. I just happened to do a better job today of getting four green lights,” Gadson said. “I went up there in the final with the mindset of trying to cut a killer light, but (crew chief) Eddie Krawiec told me, ‘Just cut a regular light. Just be green.’ So that’s what I did, and it worked this time,” Gadson said.
 
“I’m looking forward to getting back to tracks that use our regular timing system for the final four races in the Countdown, so I can go back to my normal process on the starting line rather than trying to slow myself down,” he said. “Three rounds is nothing for Gaige to make up, so comfort is definitely not what I feel, but I’m happy to have a little bit of a cushion. I’m going to keep my hand on the throttle, my foot on their necks and hold on for dear life.”
 
Seeking redemption from an engine failure that ended his race in round one last week, Gaige Herrera qualified second on Saturday with a 6.680-second/202.07 mph run, his quickest qualifying performance of the season.
 
Herrera kicked off Sunday’s elimination rounds with back-to-back passes in the 6.60s, running 6.683 seconds at 201.97 mph, the low elapsed time of the round, over Lance Bonham (foul) in round one. He went low ET again in round two, dodging a perfect .000 reaction time from Clayton Howey (6.822 seconds/196.59 mph) with a 6.699-second/201.25 mph run to advance to the semi-final round.
 
Slowing up a bit in the semis, Herrera’s 6.714-second/201.16 mph run was still quick enough to fend off Joey Gladstone (6.791 seconds/197.89 mph) and set up a final-round matchup against Gadson, which Gaige lost when he left the starting line too early.
 
Nonetheless, Herrera’s charge resulted in a four-place jump up the Countdown standings, leapfrogging him into second place, 64 points behind Gadson, and putting him firmly back into contention to win a third world championship.




Gaige Herrera made his fifth final-round appearance of the season at The Rock.

“My Hayabusa was running great this weekend. Andrew really had the tuneup unlocked. I just gave it away there in the final, but at least the team got the win.” Herrera said. “I feel good about moving up the standings and we’ve still got four races to go. St. Louis is a track that’s been really good for me, so I’ve got to do whatever I can next weekend to get some points and try to catch up to Richard.”
 
For the second race in a row, RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki crew chief Andrew Hines said the Rockingham track’s short-rollout timing system, similar to the one used at Martin, required riders and crew chiefs to scramble to adjust starting line procedures to prevent red-light fouls.
 
“We probably learned more about clutch tuning this weekend than we ever have, trying to adjust for the timing system to keep the guys on the green side of the light and still produce the good 60-foot times we need to generate quick elapsed times. With the track conditions and weather here, we probably could have set some 60-foot records, but we had to slow the bikes’ reaction from when the clutch lever is released until it starts to move, in order to keep the guys green, which gives up some elapsed time,” Hines said. “Gaige’s bike was dialed in after the third round of qualifying yesterday, and we didn’t make any more changes today. In the final round the track got better, the bike reacted faster, he reacted faster and he ended up on the wrong side of the tree.”
 
“I feel like it’s going to be a battle between Richard and Gaige for the rest of the season, with an intermix of other riders from the Smith Racing camp,” he continued. “We’re happy where we’re sitting now, we’ve just got to keep performing at a high level and try to keep anyone else from putting two bikes in the final round like we did today.”
 
With four races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship, Gadson and Herrera sit first and second in the championship standings, with 2,286 and 2,222 points, respectively.
 
The RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines team returns to action Oct. 2-4 for round three of the Countdown to the Championship at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, IL.

For the latest Suzuki team news, race reports, and information visit SuzukiCycles.com/Racing/Drag-Racing
 
About Suzuki 
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit  https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/kcBlCjRN2ZhnY1DosJUAAimY6DI?domain=suzuki.com. 
 
About Vance & Hines Motorsports
Vance & Hines Motorsports is a powerhouse in the world of motorcycle racing, boasting a rich legacy of success. With a focus on innovation, performance, and a commitment to pushing boundaries, the team continues to redefine excellence in the NHRA and MotoAmerica. For more information, visit www.vanceandhinesmotorsports.com.