Richard Gadson Clinches 2025 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship

RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines rider secures first career title after weather cancels Pomona Finals, ending season with a narrow points lead over teammate Gaige Herrera.

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In an unusual and unprecedented finish to the NHRA season, Richard Gadson of RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines was crowned the 2025 Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion after relentless rain showers forced the cancellation of all racing activity at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona Dragstrip in California.

Gadson’s breakthrough season began after joining the Vance & Hines team in 2024, producing four wins in six final-round appearances. He claimed the points lead following a victory at the Four Wide Nationals in Charlotte in September and never looked back. Heading into the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals, Gadson held a 21-point advantage over teammate and two-time champion Gaige Herrera, and the rain-shortened Pomona event ultimately secured his championship.

“This is a big, big, big emotional roller coaster; the journey last year, really a lot of blows, a really, really, really hard season to get through, to start this year, and still trying to find that groove,” Gadson said. “Once we found it, I would say after Bristol, I was kind of starting to feel like I belonged. Starting to feeling like, you know, I can run at the top of this class. There’s a lot of tough competitors out here. My teammate, Gaige, I want to take a minute to give him his due. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”

Gadson becomes the 13th rider to win an NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle title since the class was recognized as a pro division in 1987, joining legends such as Dave Schultz, John Myers, Matt Smith, and Angelle Sampey. He also joins Herrera, Eddie Krawiec, Andrew Hines, Matt Hines, and team founder Terry Vance as the latest rider to earn the No. 1 plate for the storied Vance & Hines team.

At the conclusion of the 2025 season, Gadson and Herrera finished first and second in the standings, with 2,584 and 2,563 points, respectively, a narrow margin highlighting the competitive nature of the season.

The RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki team will return to action for the NHRA 75th Anniversary season, kicking off March 5-6, 2026, at the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida.