Chris Bostick, the driver of The Surf Signature RV Resort Suzuki, is leaving Seattle with renewed enthusiasm after achieving a new personal best elapsed time at the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways. The skilled Pro Stock Motorcycle standout celebrated as his White Alligator Racing (WAR) teammate Chase Van Sant raced to his first national event victory.
Bostick gained new fans at the iconic facility thanks in part to a fantastic performance on Friday in qualifying, showcasing the cohesive advancements made by both driver and crew chief. His first qualifying effort on his Tim Kulungian-tuned machine resulted in a phenomenal reaction time of .010 seconds and a stellar 60-foot time of 1.064 seconds.
It was Bostick’s second qualifying pass that brought spectators to their feet. He kept his powerful Surf Suzuki hooked up all the way down the track to lay down the best elapsed time of his career with a pass of 6.812 seconds at 197.19 mph (with an improved 60-foot time of 1.05 seconds). Despite a few struggles in qualifying on Saturday, his Friday evening pass put him in the No. 9 qualifier position, which meant he would run his former crew chief, Richard Gadson, in the first round of eliminations.
On race day, Bostick got the starting line advantage but Gadson outpaced him to the finish line. Despite the early exit, the WAR team was encouraged not only by Bostick’s 60-foot time of 1.044 seconds but also by his overall performance as he ran a 6.831 at 195.90.
In the meantime, Bostick’s WAR teammate, 2023 NHRA Rookie of the Year Chase Van Sant, defeated Brandon Litten, John Hall, six-time world champion Matt Smith and current world champion Gaige Herrera to pick up his first career victory.
Bostick and the WAR team will head directly to Sonoma, Calif. for the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Sonoma Raceway, July 26-28.
This story was originally published on July 23, 2024. 
