Let's talk about Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Gaige Herrera - Photo by Jerry Foss/ National Dragster

In the world of sports, anyone who is dominant will have their share of those who don't like them. Take for example, the NASCAR statistical career of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. - who won 7 Winston Cup Championship titles in his 26-year career as a driver. You didn't have to look far to find those who disputed him for his actions on the racetrack, but what could not be disputed is his talent as a driver. We're not here to talk about four wheeled 3400-pound bricks driving in circles in conditions akin to rush-hour traffic, at speeds approaching 200 miles an hour. Let's have a chat about the more recent and historic career that has unfolded behind the handlebars of Gaige Herrera's Vance & Hines powered RevZilla Mission Foods Suzuki Hayabusa.

I'll lead this off by saying that I am not here to pick and choose sides of the battle, but solely to enlighten those who believe that illegal tactics are being used to gain an unfair advantage. Could there be a better parity between the Suzukis and Buells? Sure. But where are you going to start? Throw weight at the 'Zuks, and take weight away from the Buells par for course? What about mechanical limitations of the equipment? Track conditions, weather conditions, potential tuning errors, the list goes on and on. Bear in mind, any race program in Pro Stock Motorcycle can be defeated. Even with this current rule set, there are ways, my friends!

Why are we even talking about this?

Let's begin here. Nine consecutive event victories (as of 6/23/2024.) This statistic matches Bob Glidden's consecutive event victory streak that he amassed in Pro Stock (car) in the 1978 and 1979 seasons. This is the current all-time pro category consecutive event win streak record. In other words, we have not seen a consecutive performance like this in the last 45 years of NHRA Drag Racing.

It was two weeks ago (6/9) at the Super Grip NHRA Nationals (Bristol) that Gaige forever penciled himself into the Pro Stock Motorcycle History books by matching the legendary late Dave Schultz's longest win streak of Eight consecutive event victories that was set in the 1994 NHRA Winston Drag Racing Season. Two weeks later at the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals, Gaige raised the bar to Nine consecutive event victories and erased a 30 year-old record that was set by someone with the very same talent that could not be disputed.

If you want to see this from a true, unbiased perspective, you first have to consider the rider's ability. Gaige is a transplant from Pro Street Motorcycle, as is his teammate, Richard Gadson. Gaige's riding style has always lent itself to efficiency; at this point, he's making it look easy, but there are a number of practices that go into Gaige's riding style that make every single run so consistent. This can be simplified into a single word as talent.

Talent doesn't stop at the rider. You have to consider the amount of research and development that went into the Vance and Hines Racing Suzuki program to even get it off the ground, and then they had to perfect it by way of tuning for efficiency. Sure, you have the rider-owner teams that are competitive, and I won't discount any other team in any way, shape, or form. Also consider the fact that Matt Smith has gone through the very same R&D on the V-Twin side, and has piloted his Denso Buell well into the 6.60-second range at well over 200 miles an hour on several occasions (...and 205.04 on one of those occasions, mind you.)

But remember, as I said, any program can be defeated.

This has happened on more than just one occasion regarding MSR and VHR.

Matt Smith's Denso Buell has been not unlike a snake in the grass, waiting to strike at its earliest opportunity for a savory meal. The Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge has proven that Matt is not to be underestimated at any point in competition so far this season. This weekend in Virginia, Matt's Denso Buell plowed through both of the Vance and Hines RevZilla Mission Foods Suzuki Hayabusas in the #2F2T Challenge - Gaige Herrera fell first round, and Richard Gadson fell in the final.

Matt Smith - Photo by Gary Nastase/ Auto Imagery Inc.

Okay, that's just one example of the V-Twin connecting on a final round appearance. Let's take a deeper dive and include the rest of the statistics.

While Gaige Herrera has claimed the yellow hat (number-one qualifying position) Three times so far this season, Matt Smith has either been close by in the order or wearing the hat himself - Smith has been on the pole Twice times this year (Rt. 66 and Virginia,) and started no lower than third for any other event so far on the Pro Stock Motorcycle schedule. Matt has his Denso Buell working hard, and it is clear that he has found a combination that has allowed him to maintain his presence in the category, and rightly so.

You have got to look at the level of competition that has been produced by not only VHR, but MSR, and the other PSM teams that are present. Matt and Angie's Denso Buells have been a reckoning force in the fields, with Jianna Evaristo even making a final round appearance against Gaige in Bristol, and putting up one hell of a run against Richard Gadson's VHR entry to get there. You can not watch this level of motorcycle drag racing and possibly tell me that there's no parity. Could it be better? Yeah, sure, it could be better. However, the riders and tuners are sticking aces up their sleeves and holding their cards tight to their chests at the 1,320-foot black top poker table.

The results are in favor of Gaige Herrera. The time slips tell the story from the Christmas Tree to the Finish Line. Remember Sir Isaac Newton's Third Law? What goes up must come down. Gaige's win streak will eventually come to an end, but I imagine that Gaige has his sights locked in on putting his name into the record books once more. Now the question is, will Matt Smith have something to say about it as we go into Norwalk next week, and leave Gaige tied with Glidden by way of consecutive event wins? Or will Gaige continue to claim his territory in Pro Stock Motorcycle?

Time will tell, friends. Man, this is going to be one hell of a race.

Cheers.