There’s a whole lot on the line at this weekend’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals for Pro Stock Motorcycle teammates Richard Gadson and Gaige Herrera.
The pair of Vance & Hines standouts are racing not only for a championship this weekend at the famed In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, but also for two event wins on a unique weekend for both Gadson, the reigning world champ and points leader, and Herrera, who won back-to-back world titles in 2023 and 2024.
They will face off in the final round of the Las Vegas race, which was postponed to the third qualifying session on Saturday in Pomona after excessive winds in Vegas. That will likely set the stage for a possible Sunday showdown, as Gadson takes a 55-point lead over his teammate into the final weekend of the year.
If Gadson wins, that lead bumps up 20 points and gives him an extra cushion going into Sunday as he seeks a second straight world title. Herrera, meanwhile, can cut the gap to 35 points – and possibly even lower if qualifying goes well – which would set the stage for a Sunday thriller in Pomona.
After rain washed away last year’s race in Pomona, denying fans of a potential Gadson-Herrera showdown, this year’s version could more than make up for that.
“I don’t know what it’s going to be like. We’ll have to see in Pomona,” Gadson said. “Obviously we all saw in Vegas (Herrera’s) performance. His bike is fast. So for me, to look at the rearview mirror and see what’s coming behind me, it’s hard to watch.
“I’m going to just do a lot of praying and see if Eddie (Krawiec, crew chief) has any tricks up his sleeve. It’s going to be fun. This is what we were born for. This is what we were built for. This is the way it should have been last year. So now, Pomona is a doubleheader for all the people who didn’t get to see last year. Now we kind of made up for it. Now you get to see two finals in one race and it’s going to be a long Saturday and Sunday.”
Last year’s In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, saw Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claim world championships. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations coverage starting at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 15.
Gadson has been remarkably consistent in 2026, winning the opener in Gainesville and maintaining the points lead the entire season. He’s won three races and advanced to nine finals this year and Gadson will look to make it an impressive wire-to-wire lead if he can come through in Pomona.
Herrera, meanwhile, is after his third world title in four years. His bike has performed well as of late and he’ll take that momentum in Pomona, where Herrera knows it will be a high-intensity weekend.
“It’s going to be emotional,” said Herrera, who has three victories in 2026. “It’s going to be heartache. We’re both going to be sweating the whole weekend. So we’ll see what happens. At the end of the day, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon will look to clinch his second career world title this weekend in Pomona. He has a 107-point lead over teammate Kalitta, as Langdon will look to close out the title in Pomona.
The Funny Car class has the tightest competition as the series enters Pomona. Four-time world champion and current points leader Matt Hagan is eyeing a fifth title, while standout Jordan Vandergriff is only 39 points back in second and is coming in hot after a Las Vegas win. Kalitta Motorsports’ J.R. Todd is third after a Dallas win and is 104 points out of the lead.
In search of his second straight Pro Stock world title, Dallas Glenn takes an 87-point lead into Pomona over Matt Hartford, with Greg Stanfield 99 points back.
Race fans will also enjoy action in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, along with the Summit Jr. Drag Racing League Shootout and the LASD Racing exhibition.
Pomona race fans can also enjoy special pre-race ceremonies on Sunday, along with the SealMaster Track Walk. Another can’t-miss experience is Sunday’s winner’s circle celebration, where fans are invited to congratulate the champs and event winners. As always, every ticket is a pit pass to the most powerful motorsports attraction. Fans can see their favorite teams in action, get autographs from their favorite drivers and more. They can also visit the midway for displays, merchandise, food and fun.
In Pomona, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will feature two qualifying rounds at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Nov. 13, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. PT on Sunday, Nov. 15. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, followed by eliminations coverage at 5 p.m. ET.
To purchase tickets to the 61st annual In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult. For more information about NHRA, visit www.NHRA.com.
