As the 2023 edition of the NHRA’s storied Western Swing concludes, we’re getting an ever-clearer picture of the Championship points standings. A pair of contenders put themselves deeper in the hunt, while another put more distance between his competition—and hammered his name into the NHRA history books along the way. So enough suspense already, let’s hop to it in this week’s NHRA Wrap-Up.
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2023 NHRA Sonoma Nationals Top Fuel Results
It was a pair of Toyotas in the Top Fuel final round on Sunday as Antron Brown squared off against Justin Ashley. Brown cut the faster light, but it was Ashley who crossed the beams first to grab the Wally with a 3.778 second, 328.78 mph run to best Brown’s 3.787 @ 327.90.
The win put Justin Ashley in the top slot for the Championship Points standings too.
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2023 NHRA Sonoma Nationals Funny Car Results
Coming in second last week in Seattle, WA, J.R. Todd was really, really hungry for his first win of the 2023 season. Facing off with Chad Green on Sunday, Green beat him off the line, but Todd caught up fast—racing to a 3.972 second, 322.81 mph pass, beating a 4.039 @ 314.17 from Green.
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2023 NHRA Sonoma Nationals Pro Stock Motorcycle Results
We alluded to it last week: Gage Herrera had a chance to sweep all three races in the NHRA’s Western Swing.
And the man delivered—despite an anticlimactic final.
Matt Smith was in the other lane on Sunday, but couldn’t get his bike to fire for the final round run, allowing Herrera to dance to an uncontested 6.775 @ 198.12 win.
That’s probably not the way Herrera wanted to earn his victory, but we don’t think he’ll be too disappointed. His Wally-winning performance means that he’s become the ninth racer in NHRA history to sweep the grueling Western Swing, and the first Pro Stock Motorcycle rider to accomplish such a feat. (It had been over a decade since someone had last swept the swing, too.)
Congratulations to Gage Herrera and the entire team for a history-making performance!
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THE 2023 NHRA SEASON CONTINUES WITH THE MENARD’S NHRA NATIONALS AUGUST 11 – 13 AT HEARTLAND MOTORSPORTS PARK IN TOPEKA, KANSAS.
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Current 2023 NHRA Championship Points Standings
PRO STOCK
- Dallas Glenn, 831
- Matt Hartford, 629
- Troy Coughlin Jr., 627
- Deric Kramer, 584
- Aaron Stanfield, 532
- Erica Enders, 516
- Greg Anderson, 498
- Camrie Caruso, 492
- Christian Cuadra, 437
- Kyle Koretsky, 425
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TOP FUEL
- Justin Ashley, 935
- Steve Torrence, 903
- Brittany Force, 736
- Antron Brown, 721
- Leah Pruett, 718
- Austin Prock, 715
- Doug Kalitta, 672
- Mike Salinas, 654
- Josh Hart, 651
- Clay Millican, 604
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FUNNY CAR
- Matt Hagan, 912
- Ron Capps, 893
- Chad Green, 796
- Robert Hight, 758
- Alexis DeJoria, 755
- Tim Wilkerson, 707
- Bob Tasca III, 696
- J.R. Todd, 693
- John Force, 637
- Cruz Pedregon, 540
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PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
- Gaige Herrera, 924
- Hector Arana Jr., 565
- Eddie Krawiec, 563
- Matt Smith, 549
- Angie Smith, 506
- Steve Johnson, 480
- Chase Van Sant, 420
- Marc Ingwersen, 344
- Jianna Evaristo, 341
- Kelly Clontz, 294
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