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Kalitta, Prock, Latino, and Herrera Claim Top Spots at NHRA Midwest Nationals
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Highlights
- Doug Kalitta took provisional No. 1 in Top Fuel qualifying.
- Austin Prock, Eric Latino, Gaige Herrera earned No. 1 in classes.
- Kalitta aims for first playoff win; holds eight No. 1 qualifiers.
- Qualifying continues Saturday at 12:15 p.m. CT at WWTR.
- Event is midpoint of 2025 Countdown to Championship playoff series.
Doug Kalitta topped Friday Top Fuel qualifying at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway, clocking 3.675 seconds at 334.82 mph.
Kalitta’s 3.675 seconds at 334.82 mph set Friday’s Top Fuel benchmark.
If it stands, the Mac Tools driver banks his eighth No. 1 of 2025 and strengthens his Countdown platform while pursuing a first playoff win this season.
NHRA marked the effort with the “2025 Friday No. 1 Qualifier Top Hitter” Rawlings bat, a keepsake that underscores Friday execution in changeable evening conditions.
The depth behind Kalitta is clear. Antron Brown posted 3.688 at 337.41 for second, with regular-season champion Tony Stewart third after 3.690 at 335.15.
“Every point counts in Top Fuel.” — Doug Kalitta
Kalitta framed the session as finely balanced, noting the run demanded precision against a tightly grouped field likely to compress further on a cooler track.
That dynamic points to qualifying position translating directly into lane choice leverage on raceday, making incremental gains and bonus points materially significant.
Austin Prock continued his Funny Car form, leading with 3.845 at 337.16. The points leader seeks a fifth No. 1 of 2025 and a first victory at this venue.
Austin Prock posted 3.845 seconds at 337.16 mph to lead Funny Car.
Prock referenced limited traction near the centerline, crediting crew and track consultation for a deliberate target line. That cooperation limited scrub and preserved speed in the middle segment.
Eric Latino set the Pro Stock pace at 6.515 at 209.75 in his GESi Chevrolet Camaro, edging points leader Dallas Glenn’s 6.516 at 209.14 by one thousandth.
Eric Latino’s 6.515 seconds positions him for a career-first Pro Stock No. 1.
Holding that number would deliver Latino a career-first No. 1, a marker of a tidy early increment and stable gear-change execution over the back half.
Gaige Herrera led Pro Stock Motorcycle with 6.741 at 200.41, his seventh provisional No. 1 of 2025. Richard Gadson followed at 6.759, with Brayden Davis third at 6.767.
Herrera stressed point accumulation and favorable conditions, while acknowledging Saturday variability could reshape the ladder and the Sunday matchups.
This is round 17 of the 2025 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and the Countdown midpoint, sharpening the premium on bonus points and lane choice heading into eliminations.
Qualifying resumes Saturday at 12:15 p.m. CT, with teams trimming setups as temperatures stabilize and the surface tightens.
Visual Summary
Top Fuel
🥇Kalitta 3.675s
🥈Antron Brown 3.688s
🥉Tony Stewart 3.690s
Funny Car
🏁Austin Prock 3.845s
Pro Stock
💨Eric Latino 6.515s
Pro Stock Motorcycle
🏍️Herrera 6.741s
🏆
COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Midpoint ➡️
COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Midpoint ➡️
17 of 24 events
⏱️ Qualifying continues Saturday at 12:15 p.m. CT
Who will finish on top?
Who will finish on top?
Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.
