MATT SMITH EAGER TO REPEAT AT DENSO NHRA SONOMA NATS

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHAMP MATT SMITH EAGER TO REPEAT AT DENSO NHRA SONOMA NATIONALS

SONOMA, Calif. (July 25, 2025) – At last year’s Denso NHRA Sonoma presented by PowerEdge, six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith left Sonoma Raceway with three titles in hand: the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout winner, the No. 1 qualifier and the race winner. This year, his goal is to repeat his stellar weekend a year ago.

Smith has 42 wins to his credit as well as six Pro Stock Motorcycle championships on his Denso Buell. Last season at Sonoma Raceway, he tallied a perfect weekend after winning both the specialty GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout race as well as the No. 1 qualifier position on Saturday, before winning for the time in Sonoma on Sunday. Smith currently sits third in the 2025 Pro Stock Motorcycle standings after winning at his home track in Charlotte, as well as earning two runner-up finishes in Gainesville and Chicago.

“I feel pretty good about going back to Sonoma,” said Smith. “I think that we’re running really good right now. All four bikes that we have (at Matt Smith Racing) are running pretty close. We had a lot of luck last year and we found the tune up right away on my bike and it parlayed through the whole weekend. It wasn’t just my bike. I beat Jianna (Evaristo) in the finals of the Callout and I beat John Hall in the race final on Sunday. All our bikes were running well last year and I think we should be able to do the same thing this year.”

Last season, Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won in Sonoma, while Shawn Langdon, Austin Prock and Troy Coughlin Jr. won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge. This year’s event will again be broadcast on FS1 on Friday and Sunday, with coverage of the popular Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on FOX on Saturday.

It is the 12th of 20 races during the 2025 season, meaning only three races remain before the start of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. The weekend in Sonoma is loaded, too, with qualifying under the lights on Friday, the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout and the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, and eliminations on Sunday.

“Sonoma is a lot of pressure. This is Denso’s coporate home for the U.S. and this is the Denso race,” Smith said. “It’s very important for our team, no matter which bike it is, to win this race. If we can somehow do that again this year, it’s just an ace in our pocket.”

“Your mindset definitely changes now,” said Smith. “Testing is over and it’s time to go do the work and putting wins on the board and get as many rounds as you can get. No mistakes from this point forward and you have to keep all the points you can get.”

Smith and the rest of the Pro Stock Motorcycle field have their sights set to reigning world champion Gaige Herrera. Herrera once again leads the points after winning four events throughout the year. Herrera will also again have his pick of opponents from the eight-bike field.

The Top Fuel class has seen seven different winners throughout the season. Currently leading the way is Langdon. Langdon reclaimed the points lead after earning his third race win of the season in Seattle. 2024 Rookie of the Year and motorsports legend Tony Stewart is second in points with a pair of wins this season. Justin Ashley sits third after winning in Richmond and Norwalk.

Funny Car’s Tasca earned his second Sonoma win last season over Ron Capps. This season has been dominated by John Force Racing teammates Prock and former champion Jack Beckman. Prock has four wins this season, while Matt Hagan won on Sunday in Seattle.

Pro Stock standout Stanfield defeated Cory Reed to earn his second Sonoma race win last season. Reed, of KB Titan Racing, is the most recent Pro Stock after his first career win in Norwalk. KB Titan Racing has dominated in 2025, winning all nine races. Leading the charge is points leader Dallas Glenn and reigning world champ Greg Anderson.

The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, featuring some of the top drivers in the sport, as well as the Top the Cops exhibition and autograph sessions at the Mission Foods Midway Display and for Pro Stock Motorcycle riders at the Suzuki Display. A kids-only autograph session takes place under the Main Grandstand at 3 p.m. on Friday as well.

Fans are invited to the Nitro Alley Stage, which hosts Nitro School, meet and greets, music and more. Sonoma race fans can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate event winners.

As always, fans get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. Fans get a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers, and more. They can also visit Manufacturers Midway, an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family.

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:30 and 6:45 p.m. PT on Friday, July 25 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 26 at 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 27. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, and eliminations at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday. A broadcast of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge takes place on FOX at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Selections for the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout take place on Friday, with the first round of the bonus race set for 11:15 a.m. PT on Saturday. The semifinals follow at 1:45 and the final round takes place at 4:15 p.m. as part of a huge weekend in Sonoma. A special Callout broadcast also takes place at 9:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

To purchase tickets to the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, fans can visit www.sonomaraceway.com or call 800-870-7223. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.