Hayabusa and Herrera win 2025 Pro Stock World Championship

Gaige Herrera raced his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki Hayabusa to his second consecutive NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship at the Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, CA, on Sunday.

Herrera qualified third with a 6.765-second/201.22mph pass, and his 123-point pre-race lead over Matt Smith - the only other competitor in championship contention - was reduced to 119 points after the qualifying bonus points were factored in, leaving him one point shy of clinching the championship after the qualifying sessions.

However, with a maximum of 120 points available in the elimination rounds, Herrera entered race day needing only a win in the first round to clinch the championship, which he achieved with an emphatic 6.779-second/200.00mph victory over Clayton Howey.

Herrera said afterwards, "Going into that first round was the most nervous I’ve been and felt like the most pressure I’ve had on my shoulders in these last two seasons. But it feels awesome to win this championship. Winning it last year felt surreal. To win it back-to-back proves to myself that last year wasn’t a fluke. It’s hard to explain, but I’m feeling relief and excitement and some disbelief in how much has been accomplished so quickly in my career. It’s amazing."