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NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Tricky Tipster: Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals

As NHRA returns to Route 66 Raceway for the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Peak Performance, Tricky Tipster has studied the probabilities and come up with a list of favorites that includes Doug Kalitta, Austin Prock, Erica Enders, and Gaige Herrera.
16 May 2024
NHRA National Dragster staff
Tricky Tipster速
Tricky Tipster

Now that the madness of four-wide season is behind us, its time to return to racing in a more traditional two-wide format as the second quarter of the 2024 season begins at Route 66 Raceway.

Justin Ashley, Austin Prock, Greg Anderson, and Gaige Herrera enter the event as the top points earners in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Prock and Herrera are the favorites this weekend, while Tipster leans towards Doug Kalitta and Erica Enders.


TOP FUEL

The favorite: The first three events of the 2024 season werent kind to reigning champ Doug Kalitta, but he was solid at the two four-wide events with a win in Las Vegas and a semifinal in Chicago. Kalitta also qualified No. 1 at both events, which plays a sizable role in his pick as our pre-race favorite. Its been a while, but Kalitta also has a bit of history at Route 66 Raceway with wins in 2002, 2004, and 2006, and hes 3-0 in final rounds there.

The contenders:油 Justin Ashley enters Chicago as the championship leader, and thats largely because hes got a couple of holeshot wins already. Ashleys qualifying results havent been exactly what the Scag Power Equipment team has expected as hes started in the bottom half twice and was the No. 8 seed in Gainesville. Thats the only issue that prevents him from topping our chart.

Shawn Langdon continues to enjoy a bounce-back season, and hes the one guy who can rightfully take offense to the notion that Ashley is the best driver in the Top Fuel class. More often than not, Langdons lights are equal or better than anyone else in the class, and for what its worth, hes been on a tear in high-stakes bracket racing with a couple of big payouts already this season.

It's also very possible that the Capco team gets on the scoreboard this week as both Steve Torrence and his father, Billy, have gotten off to strong starts this year. Well also give a nod to Antron Brown, who has three Top Fuel victories here.

The dark horse: Clay Millican is the defending event winner, so it probably isnt fair to label him as a dark horse or a long shot, but hes also No. 8 in the standings. Lately, the Parts Plus team has been solid, especially in qualifying, as they were No. 3 in Las Vegas and No. 4 in Charlotte. Millican was also a runner-up at the zMax NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.

ODDS
Doug Kalitta油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 Mac Tools油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 4-1
Shawn Langdon油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油 Kalitta Air油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 5-1
Justin Ashley油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 SCAG Power Equipment油油 油油油 油油油 6-1
Steve Torrence油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油 Capco Contractors油油油油油油油油油油油油 油油油 油油油 7-1
Billy Torrence油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油 Capco Contractors油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油 8-1
Antron Brown油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油 Matco Tools油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 9-1
Tony Stewart油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油 Mobil 1油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 10-1
Clay Millican油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 Parts Plus油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 11-1
Brittany Force油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油 Monster Energy油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 12-1
Tony Schumacher油油 油油油油油油油油 Leatherwood Distilleries油油 油油油 油油油油 13-1
Field油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 15-1

FUNNY CAR

The favorite: There have certainly been a few miscues along the way, but after five races, its hard to find much fault in the performance of Austin Prock, as hes successfully made the transition from Top Fuel to Funny Car. Prock has already appeared in three final rounds and won in Phoenix. While hes coming off a round-one loss in Charlotte, its hard not to pick the Cornwell Tools team as the pre-race favorites, especially after theyve qualified No. 1 at three of five races.

Prock already has nine round-wins this season in five races, and by comparison, he had just 19 last year during a full 21-race season in Top Fuel.

The contenders: Bob Tasca III has been a major headline-maker in the Funny Car class as of late, but the fact remains that hes a leading contender for the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series championship. Tasca already has a win this season and a semifinal in Gainesville, and hes also got some of the fastest time slips in the history of the Funny Car class.

While were not going to dive into the whole big three or big four labels when it comes to the Funny Car category, we are going to add J.R. Todd and Matt Hagan to our list of leading contenders. While were at it, throw in Ron Capps, who has appeared in seven final rounds at Route 66 Raceway and collected two wins in 2005 and 2017. Capps has struggled a bit out of the gate with just two semifinals, but the NAPA team is rarely down for long, so its reasonable to think a big comeback is on the horizon.

Finally, never count out John Force, a notion that the 16-time champ reinforced in Pomona with his 156th career victory. Force qualified No. 2 in Las Vegas and was the leader in Charlotte with the quickest run of his career, all of this as he recently celebrated his 75th birthday.

The dark horse: There are a lot of ways we could go here, but lets throw a dart here and go with Paul Lee. While hes got just one semifinal in his nitro career, there is something good happening with the McLeod/FTI team as crew chief Jonnie Lindberg and consultant John Medlen have already made a huge difference. After qualifying No. 10 in Gainesville, Lee has been solidly in the top half of the show at the next four events. Sooner or later, that will translate into round-wins.

ODDS:
Austin Prock油油 油油油 油油油油油 Cornwell Tools Chevy油油 油 油 油 油油油 油油油油 4-1
Bob Tasca III油油 油油油 油油油油油 Motorcraft Ford油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油 5-1
J.R. Todd油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油 DHL Toyota油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油 6-1
Matt Hagan油油 油油油 油油油油油油 Dodge Power Brokers Dodge油油油油 7-1
John Force油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油 Peak/Blu Def Chevy油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油 8-1
Ron Capps油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油 NAPA Toyota油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油 9-1
Daniel Wilkerson油油 油 SCAG Mowers Ford油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油 10-1
Chad Green油油 油油油 油油油油油 Bondcoat Ford油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油 11-1油油 油
Paul Lee油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油 McLeod/FTI Dodge油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油 12-1
Alexis DeJoria油油 油油油 油油 Bandero Toyota油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油 14-1
Blake Alexander油油 油 Pronto/Head Inc. Ford油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油 15-1
Field油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油 18-1


PRO STOCK

The favorite: When she won in Gainesville to open the season, there was no reason to think Erica Enders wouldnt continue winning and make a serious run at 2022s 10-win campaign. That might still happen, but the reigning champ has slipped to second place following a runner-up, a semifinal, and two quarterfinal finishes. Enders has just one win in Chicago, but its a big one as she scored her first Pro Stock title here in 2012 following a memorable final round against Greg Anderson. The Elite flagship has qualified sixth and seventh at the last two events, but given how close Pro Stock fields are, thats not much of a concern. Between the race, the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and the GETTRX Allstar Pro Stock Callout, Enders has three shots to take a win in Chicago. Were betting she lands one or more.

The contenders: As usual, the other 15 qualifiers in Pro Stock can rightfully be called contenders, but in reality, that distinction falls to current points leader Greg Anderson, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and Dallas Glenn and have a slight separation from the rest of the field.

Anderson has just two wins in Chicago, which seems low for someone who has attended just about every event ever staged at Route 66 Raceway, but in this what have you done for me lately world, hes off to a great start in 2024 with a pair of wins and a 12-3 record in elimination rounds.

Coughlin, on the other hand, has bagged six Pro Stock titles in Chicago, and hes coming off a win in Las Vegas while Glenn is the defending event winner and was also the low qualifier in NHRAs return to Route 66 Raceway last season.

The dark horse: Could we see a first-time Pro Stock winner this weekend? Its entirely possible, and there are multiple candidates, including Jerry Don Tucker, who was the low qualifier in Las Vegas, as well as Brandon Foster, who is solidly in the top 10 in his rookie season. Wed also have to take a look at Cristian Cuadra, who has been close on several occasions. Brothers David and Fernando Cuadra Jr., Mason McGaha, and Sienna Wildgust also fall into the category of drivers seeking their first wins, which accounts for half of the 18 cars expected to enter.

ODDS

Erica Enders油油 油油油 油油油油油 JHG/Elite Camaro油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油 4-1
Greg Anderson油油 油油油 油HendrickCars.com Camaro油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 5-1
Dallas Glenn油油 油油油 油油油油 RAD Torque Systems Camaro油油 油油油 油油油 6-1
Jeg Coughlin Jr.油油 油油油 油SCAG Power Equipment Camaro油油 油 7-1
Aaron Stanfield油油 油油油 油Janac Bros/J3 Energy Camaro油油 油油油 油油油 8-1
Troy Coughlin Jr.油油 油油 JEGS.com Camaro油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油 9-1
Cristian Cuadra 油油 油油油 Corral Boots Mustang油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油 9-1
Brandon Foster油油 油油油 油Aquaprop Camaro油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油 12-1
Jerry Tucker油油 油油油 油油油油油油 Outlaw Mile-Hi Light Beer Camaro油油 14-1
Deric Kramer油油 油油油 油油油油 Get BioFuel Camaro油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油 15-1
Field油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 19-1


PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

The favorite: Stop us if youve heard this before, but Gaige Herrera is the favorite to win in Chicago, and its not even close. Well, actually, it might just be closer than it has been lately, but Herrera will occupy the top spot here until someone says otherwise, and it might just be a while until the reigning champ is dislodged. For a bit of perspective, Herrera has made 17 starts since joining the Vance & Hines team in 2023, and hes won 13 of them with a runner-up thrown in for good measure. In that span, hes 57-4 in elimination rounds, which is good for a 93% win rate. No racer in any other category is even close.

The contenders: Matt Smith is nothing if not persistent as he wont rest until hes able to catch up with Herrera or at least make it a fair fight. Honestly, Smith has already done that as he ran a 6.68 in Charlotte to qualify No. 2 on his Denso Buell. With the Pro Stock Motorcycle class racing in just two of the first five events this season, Smith has also committed to a steady diet of testing, which has netted positive results.

Beyond Smith, the next best bets to dethrone Herrera is his own Vance & Hines teammate, Richard Gadson, who went to the semifinals in Charlotte and seems to be adjusting to his new surroundings. We also have to take a look at Angie Smith, Hector Arana Jr., LE Tonglet, and John Hall, who are the likely candidates to step up should Herrera somehow fumble the ball.

The dark horse: As he approaches his milestone 500th start in the category, Steve Johnson remains a competitive rider. Yes, hes hit or miss, but when everything is working properly, Johnson is capable of winning races. In fact, he was one of just four riders to win a race last season along with Herrera, Matt Smith, and Hector Arana Jr.

ODDS

Gaige Herrera油油 油油油 油油 RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki油油 油油油 油油油 油Even
Matt Smith油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油 Denso Buell油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 4-1
LE Tonglet油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油 Maple Grove/Nitro Fish Suzuki油油 油油油 油油油 6-1
Hector Arana Jr.油油 油油油 GETTRX Buell油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 7-1
Angie Smith油油 油油油 油油油油油油 Denso Buell油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 8-1
Richard Gadson油油 油油油 RevZilla/Vance & Hines Suzuki油油 油油油 油油油 油9-1
Steve Johnson油油 油油油 油油油 MacRak Suzuki油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 11-1
John Hall油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油 BRAKES Buell油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 12-1油油 油
Kelly Clontz油油 油油油 油Steamfitters UA602 Suzuki油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油 13-1
Chase Van Sant油油 油Trick Tools Suzuki油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 14-1
Field油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油 油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油油 19-1