Pro Stock Motorcycle is one of the more overlooked categories in Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series competition. The two-wheeled competitors, racing either Suzuki or Buell motorcycles, have 14 dates on their 2026 calendar, while Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock cars race 20 times this year. It’s somewhat easy to see that it would be cost prohibitive for motorcycles to race 20 times, especially since their annual payouts from NHRA are appreciably lower than those for other classes.
Yet eight of the sport’s top two-wheel competitors are headed for Sonoma and the 38th annual DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals presented by PowerEdge. They will take part in the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout, set for Saturday during the other class’ 3rd and 4th qualifying sessions. Give NHRA some credit on this particular exercise, as they’ve designated a late afternoon “time trials” session for the eight motorcycles and their riders, so that crew chiefs have a clue about the Sonoma track.
As with the other three Callout competitions, the top rider gets the opportunity to call out their opponent for the first round, with that decision being held earlier on Friday afternoon. Gaige Herrera is seeded first, so the Vance & Hines Motorsports two-time champion gets to pick first. He’s followed by his Suzuki Hayabusa3 teammate, reigning class titleholder and 2025 race winner Richard Gadson, 2025 Callout event winner Matt Smith, Angie Smith, John Hall, Jianna Evaristo – all riding Matt Smith Racing Buell motorcycles – Chase Van Sant and Steve Johnson on Suzuki bikes.
One wrinkle in this particular Call-Out is the long-anticipated return of six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith, fresh from gall bladder surgery that took him off the bike and back to performing only crew chief duties. While Smith was unable to hit the water box, his seat stayed warm with Joey Gladstone performing stellar substitute duties.
Matt Smith last won at Joliet in May during the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals. It was the most recent time he raced, as the illness got to him at Maryland. That was also the race where his wife, Angie Smith, earned the 200th victory by a female professional racer in NHRA history. It was the best and worst times for Matt Smith Racing, but Matt Smith decided that if he couldn’t be in the seat, Gladstone would be the right super sub.
And he was for two races, at Bristol and Norwalk, with quarter- and semi-final results. But now Matt Smith has been medically cleared to return to major competition and he’ll be racing for the money and glory in Sonoma. Although he couldn’t run his motorcycle from A to B, Matt Smith was still responsible for the four Matt Smith Racing Buell motorcycles. As he has while wearing leathers, Smith, in civilian clothing, prepped and staged his four motorcycles for three events. Now, with blessings from his physicians, he’s back! And anxious to win his third consecutive GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout.
That alone makes the 38th DENSO Sonoma NHRA Nationals worth a watch. There’s also Richard Gadson’s need for revenge after losing to Matt Smith during last year’s Callout. Gadson fouled by .001 red in the 2025 final round and it’s dogged him ever since. “I remember every pass and I remember every loss,” the reigning champ said. “Last year in Sonoma, I had the best bike. I went .001 red and [gave] the finals to Matt. I’m remembering that, so I’m going to go there and the lights are hopefully going to be green. Right now,” he warned, “I feel like I have a really good bike.”
There’s nothing like bragging rights for a full year, so these six men and two women are angling to put their names into the record books on Saturday. There’s $25,000 on the line and those bragging rights. There may not be points on order – Pro Stock Motorcycle next races in the last “regular” season contest of 2026, the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals outside Indianapolis – but the opportunity to race for honor and money is right up there.
NHRA cant even list PSM qualifying times today.