READING, Pa. — Funny Car rookie Spencer Hyde scored his first career No. 1 qualifier on Saturday, securing the top spot in front of a sellout crowd at Maple Grove Raceway during the 40th annual NHRA Reading Nationals presented by Nitro Fish.
Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 at the 15th of 20 races during the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It is also the first of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
Hyde added another impressive notch in his debut season in the nitro ranks, clinching his first career No. 1 qualifier thanks to Friday’s stout run of 3.868 seconds at 330.07 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Head Contractors & Engineers Ford Mustang.
The next item on the to-do list is his first career victory and Hyde will get another opportunity on Sunday, opening eliminations against Phil Burkart. He’s been to a pair of final rounds in 2025, but a victory to open the Countdown to the Championship would make for a massive moment for Hyde.
“We’ve been waiting 15 races to do this, so it’s good,” Hyde said. “It’s good for me, it’s good for my guys and it gives them some confidence and motivation to hopefully go out and win this thing tomorrow. This is definitely a good start (to the Countdown) and it’s a good time to get hot. We’re hungry and we’re here to race.”
Points leader and reigning world champion Austin Prock qualified second with a run of 3.882 at 333.74. Paul Lee posted the best run in the class in both sessions on Saturday, including a 3.893 at 328.22 that puts him third.
In Top Fuel, Clay Millican raced to his first No. 1 qualifier of the season, as Friday’s run of 3.704 at 336.32 in his 12,000-horsepower PowerEdge dragster for Rick Ware Racing held up during Saturday’s two sessions. It’s the 27th career top qualifier for Millican, who overcame a big explosion in the third run of qualifying to end Saturday with a solid run of 3.796 at 330.15 in front of a capacity crowd.
That, along with Friday’s performance, sets up Millican nicely for Sunday, as he looks to win at Maple Grove Raceway for the first time in his career. Millican is also after his second win this season, knowing it could jump-start a championship hunt.
“I certainly wasn’t pleased with Q3. That was a big boomer and I hadn’t had one that big in a long, long time,” Millican said. “But the boys and girls who make this thing go did a great job getting us right back up there for Q4, and we ended up second-quick. To come back and make that kind of run in the heat was pretty dang impressive.
“The Q3 run, we don’t know exactly what happened. We didn’t have time to diagnose it, but that engine will go on the stand tonight. We’ll find out, and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Justin Ashley, who won the most recent race in Indy, qualified second with a 3.738 at 331.69, while Doug Kalitta took third after going 3.756 at 335.40 on Friday. Kalitta will open eliminations with a marquee matchup against reigning world champion Antron Brown. Points leader Tony Stewart qualified 11th and starts race day against eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher.
Dallas Glenn (NHRA photo)
Dallas Glenn earned his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season in Pro Stock, as the points leader’s 6.502 at 210.50 from Friday in his RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro stayed on top. The good news for Glenn, who picked up his 11th career top spot, is that he also made a strong run in Saturday’s warmer conditions, putting Glenn in a good position to open the playoffs with a victory.
He’s never won in Pro Stock at Maple Grove Raceway, but Glenn will open eliminations on top, taking on Shane Tucker in the opening round.
“We have a really good car and were able to make a decent run this morning and get a bonus point, so heading into that final session, I felt like we had a shot at getting two or three more bonus points,” Glenn said. “Unfortunately, we had a little oops and were shut off and missed out on those points, but being the No. 1 qualifier does help.
“We’re going to look and see if we can try to get four win lights tomorrow. The car is fantastic, it looks nice and I’m ready for tomorrow. We have a lot of brain power in the KB Titan crew chief room right now and I’m pretty sure they’re confident they know what to do.”
Aaron Stanfield took second with a 6.505 at 211.59, while U.S. Nationals winner Erica Enders qualified third after Friday’s run of 6.506 at 211.36. Reigning world champion Greg Anderson moved up to fourth with a 6.515 at 208.97, making the quickest run in each of Saturday’s two sessions.
Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera wasn’t challenged for the No. 1 spot on Saturday, as the points leader picked up his fifth No. 1 qualifier this season thanks to Friday’s 6.745 at 200.20 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.
The good news is Herrera made two more strong runs in front of a capacity crowd on Sunday, putting the back-to-back world champion in an ideal spot to win for the first time at Maple Grove Raceway in his storied career.
“The track has been very consistent today in the heat and that gives us good data going into tomorrow,” Herrera said. “I’m happy to get the win for Vance & Hines and all the guys back at the shop. I feel like tomorrow we’re going to have a very strong field. Between me and Richard, I’m glad we’re on opposite sides. I definitely don’t want to race him early.
“This crowd really loves the bikes. I’ve got friends here who had never seen Nitro cars before today, and now they want to come to more NHRA races. It feels like home — like we brought our bike crowd into the NHRA world.”
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