Drag Race Central | Presented by Summitracing.com

Fri, 30 Oct 2026, 20:06 PM

Pro Stock Motorcycle Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Dave Rowe

LAS VEGAS - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Pro Stock Motorcycle at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 26th annual MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge listing lane, rider name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

Left Lane: Ronnie Procopio Runs 12.024/59.74, Now #1
Right Lane: Karen Stoffer No Time, Now #2

12:56 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 66 degrees, relative humidity 71 percent, barometer 29.83 inches, adjusted altitude 3,455 feet, track temperature 120 degrees.

This is Ronald Procopio's second race overall and his first at this event. His career-best starting position is seventh, at Martin in 2026. He starts the event with an overall record of 2-1.

Karen Stoffer has 11 national event wins. Her most recent win was at Gainesville in 2022. This is her 281st race overall and her 21st at this event; her first appearance here was in 2002. Her best starting position here is third, in 2010, and her career best is first, achieved six times. Her average starting position is 9.7 at this event and 8.4 for her career.

Procopio gets about 400 feet out and the bike nosed over. Stoffer had problems at the hit and did not make it to the finish line.

Left Lane: Brad Hawkes Runs 8.098/171.51, Now #2
Right Lane: GT Tonglet Runs 7.005/193.43, Now #1

This is Brad Hawkes' second race overall and his first at this event. In his previous race, he qualified 12th at Sonoma in 2025 and lost in Round 1. He starts the event with an overall record of 0-1. This is his first race since Sonoma in 2025.

GT Tonglet has three national event wins. His most recent win was at Brainerd in 2005. This is his 101st race overall and his ninth at this event; his first appearance here was in 2001. His best starting position here is fourth, in 2001 and 2004, and his career best is first, achieved three times. His average starting position is 8.7 at this event and 8.0 for his career.

Hawkes spun the tire off of the line, made a little move to the right, but stayed on the throttle.

Tonglet goes down the groove with a decent pass.

Right Lane: Chris Bostick Runs 8.359/109.37, Now #3

4:50 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 65 degrees, relative humidity 75 percent, barometer 29.80 inches, adjusted altitude 3,415 feet, track temperature 87 degrees.

This is the continuation of the first round after the rain delay.

Chris Bostick has one national event final-round appearance. His most recent final was at Indy-3 in 2020. This is his 98th race overall and his seventh at this event; his first appearance here was in 2020. His best starting position here is seventh, in 2023, and his career best is fifth. His average starting position is 9.7 at this event and 11.6 for his career.

Bostick got out of the groove and he had to back off of the throttle.

Left Lane: Marc Ingwersen Runs 7.030/184.57, Now #3
Right Lane: Geno Scali Runs 7.008/190.32, Now #2

Marc Ingwersen has one national event final-round appearance, in 2026. His most recent final was at Martin in 2026. This is his 85th race overall and his fifth at this event; his first appearance here was in 2022. His best starting position here is eighth, which he has earned three times, and his career best is fourth. His average starting position is 9.5 at this event and 10.3 for his career.

Geno Scali was the 2003 Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion and has four national event wins. His most recent win was at Sonoma in 2003. This is his 184th race overall and his ninth at this event; his first appearance here was in 2001. His best starting position here is third, in 2003 and 2004, and his career best is first, achieved three times. His average starting position is 9.4 at this event and 9.0 for his career.

A good side-by-side, both down the groove with decent passes.

Marc Ingwersen's incremental times: 60ft-1.088 sec., 330ft-2.933, 660ft-4.491/157.43 mph, 1,000ft-5.852.

Geno Scali's incremental times: 60ft-1.089 sec., 330ft-2.914, 660ft-4.467/157.12 mph, 1,000ft-5.832.

Left Lane: Clayton Howey Runs 7.004/190.51, Now #2
Right Lane: Steve Johnson Runs 6.875/194.24, Now #1

Clayton Howey has one national event final-round appearance, in 2026. His most recent final was at Charlotte in 2026. This is his 17th race overall and his third at this event; his first appearance here was in 2024. His best starting position here is seventh, in 2024, and his career best is fifth. His career average starting position is 9.3.

Steve Johnson has 12 national event wins. His most recent win was at Bristol in 2023. This is his 532nd race overall and his 26th at this event; his first appearance here was in 2001. His best starting position here is second, in 2013, 2019, and 2021, and his career best is first, achieved seven times. His average starting position is 8.6 at this event and 9.3 for his career.

Johnson goes down the groove with an impressive pass to take the top spot for now. Howey makes a clean pass and gets in the second spot.

Clayton Howey's incremental times: 60ft-1.086 sec., 330ft-2.913, 660ft-4.467/157.45 mph, 1,000ft-5.829.

Steve Johnson's incremental times: 60ft-1.068 sec., 330ft-2.859, 660ft-4.386/160.19 mph, 1,000ft-5.724.

Left Lane: Chase Van Sant Runs 6.992/194.27, Now #3
Right Lane: Angie Smith Runs 6.953/192.44, Now #2

Chase Van Sant was the 2023 Rookie of the Year and has one national event win, at Seattle in 2024. This is his 55th race overall and his third at this event; his first appearance here was in 2024. His best starting position here is seventh, in 2024, and his career best is second. His career average starting position is 8.7.

Angie Smith has four national event wins, including one in 2026. Her most recent win was at MIR in 2026. This is her 267th race overall and her 17th at this event; her first appearance here was in 2008. Her best starting position here is second, in 2025, and her career best is first, achieved six times. Her average starting position is 8.5 at this event and 8.8 for her career.

Van Sant makes a decent pass and gets in the third spot for now. Smith makes a clean, straight pass and gets in the second spot for now.

Chase Van Sant's incremental times: 60ft-1.083 sec., 330ft-2.934, 660ft-4.487/157.72 mph, 1,000ft-5.837.

Angie Smith's incremental times: 60ft-1.078 sec., 330ft-2.894, 660ft-4.434/158.63 mph, 1,000ft-5.790.

Left Lane: Joey Gladstone Runs 6.911/194.46, Now #2
Right Lane: John Hall Runs 6.973/190.30, Now #4

Joey Gladstone has three national event wins. His most recent win was at Reading in 2022. This is his 91st race overall and his seventh at this event; his first appearance here was in 2016. His best starting position here is third, in 2020, and his career best is first, at Topeka in 2022. His average starting position is 9.8 at this event and 8.8 for his career.

John Hall has five national event wins, including one in 2026. His most recent win was at Martin in 2026. This is his 124th race overall and his ninth at this event; his first appearance here was in 2012. His best starting position here is fifth, in 2025, and his career best is first, at Seattle in 2025. His average starting position is 11.1 at this event and 8.4 for his career.

Gladstone makes a good pass and gets in the second spot for now. Hall drifted to the left all the way through the run, getting very close to the timing block at the end of the track.

Joey Gladstone's incremental times: 60ft-1.070 sec., 330ft-2.878, 660ft-4.414/159.06 mph, 1,000ft-5.757.

John Hall's incremental times: 60ft-1.097 sec., 330ft-2.922, 660ft-4.467/158.50 mph, 1,000ft-5.815.

Left Lane: Ryan Oehler Runs 6.934/191.70, Now #3
Right Lane: Matt Smith Runs 7.005/174.57, Now #9

Ryan Oehler has two national event wins. His most recent win was at the Las Vegas 4-Wide event in 2021. This is his 120th race overall and his ninth at this event; his first appearance here was in 2018. His best starting position here is ninth, in 2020, 2023, and 2025. His career best is first, at Martin in 2026. His average starting position is 11.8 at this event and 10.4 for his career.

Matt Smith is a six-time NHRA World Champion, most recently in 2022, and has 46 national event wins. He has four wins in 2026, with his most recent at Dallas. This is his 351st race overall and his 23rd at this event; his first appearance here was in 2004. His best starting position here is first, in 2019, 2021, and 2022, and his career best is first, achieved 62 times. His average starting position is 4.5 at this event and 5.0 for his career.

Oehler makes a clean, straight pass and gets in the third spot for now. Smith makes a clean run but is well off of the pace.

Ryan Oehler's incremental times: 60ft-1.076 sec., 330ft-2.880, 660ft-4.420/158.35 mph, 1,000ft-5.770.

Matt Smith's incremental times: 60ft-1.089 sec., 330ft-2.914, 660ft-4.453/159.21 mph, 1,000ft-5.799.

Left Lane: Gaige Herrera Runs 6.835/195.42, Now #1
Right Lane: Richard Gadson Runs 6.841/194.41, Now #2

Gaige Herrera is the 2023 and 2024 Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion and has 31 national event wins, including three in 2026. His most recent win was at St. Louis in 2026. This is his 63rd race overall and his fifth at this event; his first appearance here was in 2022. His best starting position here is first, achieved in 2023, 2024, and 2025. His career best is also first, achieved 35 times. His average starting position is 3.8 at this event and 2.5 for his career.

Richard Gadson is the 2025 Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion and has seven national event wins, including three in 2026. His most recent win was at Rockingham in 2026. This is his 45th race overall and his third at this event; his first appearance here was in 2024. His best starting position here is fourth, in 2025, and his career best is first, achieved twice. His career average starting position is 4.3.

This was a good side-by-side. Herrera goes down the groove with the quickest pass of the round to take the top spot. Gadson was right beside him but drifted a little to the left all the way through the run.

Gaige Herrera's incremental times: 60ft-1.028 sec., 330ft-2.824, 660ft-4.353/159.85 mph, 1,000ft-5.690.

Richard Gadson's incremental times: 60ft-1.022 sec., 330ft-2.816, 660ft-4.347/159.42 mph, 1,000ft-5.690.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink