NHRA Postpones Las Vegas Motorcycle Final to Pomona
Wind conditions led riders Richard Gadson and Gaige Herrera to refuse racing the Pro Stock Motorcycle final in Las Vegas.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Motorcycles
The NHRA postponed the Pro Stock Motorcycle final from the Las Vegas Nationals until the season-ending NHRA Finals at Pomona, Calif. Riders Richard Gadson and Gaige Herrera declined to race after determining that wind conditions were unsafe.
Why it matters
The postponed final will decide a race that could have considerable influence on the world championship, with Gadson holding a 55-point lead over Herrera entering Pomona. Gadson said a crash could have prevented the teammates from fighting for the title at Pomona.
Herrera qualified first with a best elapsed time of 6.752 seconds at 200.05 mph before his semifinal win over Joey Gladstone. Gadson enters Pomona holding a 55-point lead in the championship standings.
The players
Richard Gadson
Gadson is a Vance & Hines rider competing for the Pro Stock Motorcycle championship who holds a 55-point lead over teammate Gaige Herrera.
Gaige Herrera
Herrera is a Vance & Hines rider who qualified first in Las Vegas and is contending for the Pro Stock Motorcycle world championship against teammate Richard Gadson.
NHRA
The National Hot Rod Association is the sanctioning body for professional drag racing in the United States, including the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.
The details
Gadson qualified second and eliminated John Hall, Angie Smith and Ryan Oehler, while Herrera defeated Chris Bostick, Clayton Howey and Joey Gladstone. Herrera nearly hit the wall and crossed into Gladstone's lane past the finish line during their semifinal, and the postponed final will be contested during Saturday's third qualifying session at Pomona on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. Pacific.
Timeline
Sunday night: Final round of the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals was scheduled.
Nov. 14, 1 p.m. Pacific: Postponed Las Vegas final to be contested at Pomona.
Season Trajectory
The postponement follows an earlier NHRA event in Chicago where similarly dangerous conditions affected competition. The rescheduled final gives Gadson and Herrera a second meeting at Pomona that could shape the Pro Stock Motorcycle championship.
If Gadson and Herrera meet in Sunday's eliminations at Pomona, fans will see the two Vance & Hines teammates race each other twice in the same weekend. Standings math makes the championship fight at Pomona especially consequential given Gadson's 55-point lead.
The takeaway
Wind conditions can override a racing schedule, and the Pomona finale will settle a Pro Stock Motorcycle title race that started in Las Vegas.
What happens next
The postponed Pro Stock Motorcycle final will be contested during Saturday's third qualifying session at Pomona on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. Pacific.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Motorcycles for context on the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.
