Gaige Herrera strolled to the press conference podium, walking with a swagger that hadn’t been as defined as the 19 other times he conducted a winner’s interview. It was as if Herrera had something to say but wouldn’t until a media member asked. 

Herrera responded to the initial cookie-cutter question about his day, which included the quickest run of every round and low elapsed time of race day in beating Angie Smith, wife of his arch-rival Matt Smith. It was barely a contest as Herrera thundered through the lights to a 6.763, 198.70 to 6.829, 197.19.

It’s going to take awhile for the smile to recede from the face of Top Fuel fan-favorite Clay Millican.

Why? Simple.

Millican did the improbable, capturing the coveted U.S. Nationals championship Monday from the No. 13 qualifying spot. It was the most prestigious victory in the long career of the driver from Drummonds, Tenn., who won six consecutive IHRA Top Fuel crowns before beginning a full-time NHRA campaign in 2007.

The stage wasn’t too big for Austin Prock.

In his first season driving a John Force Racing Funny Car full-time, Prock rose to the occasion and captured the biggest win of his career – the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis – in dominant fashion.

Prock qualified No. 1, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge race and season title Saturday, and then capped his weekend off by winning the prestigious Big Go at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park on Monday.

The NHRA concluded its regular season with a performance-filled week, culminating in four first-time professional winners at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. 

Austin Prock ended his remarkable rookie Funny Car season by winning from the No. 1 qualifying position and stopping the winning streak of two-time NHRA champion Ron Capps in the final round. 

Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. 

Final round-by-round results from the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, the 14th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

Paul Lee has never claimed victory in the professional categories of the NHRA.

He’s been close, having visited the final round at the Northwest Nationals in Seattle just three races ago in an agonizing loss to Austin Prock. But the veteran driver has never officially hoisted a trophy in his 152 starts behind the wheel of a nitro-powered Funny Car.

That changed Sunday at the prestigious Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals – sort of.

After three sometimes grueling days of qualifying at the Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, the top qualifiers were established on Sunday. Only one leader changed from those who led Friday’s opening session. 

Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all qualified No. 1 at the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Force, a two-time NHRA champion, has enjoyed the weekend she has needed so far, securing the No. 1 qualifier with Saturday’s 3.693 elapsed time at 333.08 mph. It’s the 48th top qualifier for the second-generation driver, and she needed every bit of it this weekend, entering the U.S. Nationals 10th in points. 

For a short time on Saturday afternoon, NHRA world champion Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith was the 2024 
#2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge season champ.

Until he wasn’t.

Smith was part of the parade of #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge parade of champions and acknowledged the crowd.