Tricky Tipster Dominates Gerber Collision at Route 66 NHRA Nationals

After two fast-paced four-wide events in Las Vegas and Charlotte, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to the familiar two-wide format with the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway. This marks the 25th year of NHRA racing in Chicago, a city with drag racing roots dating back to the sport’s early days. For a deeper dive into the history of drag racing, check out the NHRA’s official history page.

Fans can expect Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock Motorcycle competition during this stop, although Pro Stock teams are taking the week off before the tour moves to Epping.

The Illinois market has extra buzz this year due to NHRA’s partnership with leading sports and fantasy gaming companies. Fans in the area can sign up for free and place legal wagers on national series events, including this one at Route 66 Raceway. For more information on sports betting regulations in Illinois, visit the Illinois Gaming Board’s official site.

Betting covers the Professional divisions—Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Odds are available on event winners, fastest elapsed times, head-to-head matchups, and season titles.

Opening lines for the week were set by Alt Sports Data, favoring reigning world champions Antron Brown, Austin Prock, and Gaige Herrera as front-runners.

In Top Fuel, Antron Brown leads with +550 odds alongside strong contenders Shawn Langdon and Brittany Force at +700, Justin Ashley and Doug Kalitta at +750, and Tony Stewart at +800. TJ Zizzo and Steve Torrence open at +900, while Clay Millican and Shawn Reed are both listed at +1,000.

Zizzo is one to watch in Chicago, especially after qualifying No. 1 here last year. Canadian Dan Mercier stands out as a long shot at +6,500, following a memorable semifinal performance at this event last season.

For Funny Car, Austin Prock of John Force Racing leads the field at +300, with his teammate Jack Beckman at +500. Paul Lee and Bob Tasca III are contenders at +900 and +1,000, respectively. Austin Prock is showing strong potential this season.

Matt Hagan is listed at +1,100, while Chad Green, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd, and Daniel Wilkerson fall in the +1,200 to +1,500 range. Local favorite Daniel Wilkerson could draw plenty of interest with his +1,500 odds.

Rookie Spencer Hyde, who already has a Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win, enters at +1,700. Dark horse picks like Cruz Pedregon at +2,500 offer big returns for risk-takers.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith is fresh off a win at Charlotte, but all eyes are on reigning champ Gaige Herrera, who holds the shortest odds at -155. Smith follows at +270, with Richard Gadson, Charlotte’s runner-up, next at +700. For more details on Pro Stock Motorcycle racing, explore the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s resources.

Other hopefuls include Chase Van Sant at +1,600 and Angie Smith and John Hall at +3,000. Jianna Evaristo and several others post longer odds at +5,000 or more.

Herrera’s dominance is hard to ignore, having captured 22 wins out of 32 recent events, so many expect more of the same.

Each ticket holder this weekend can participate in gaming and fantasy contests, adding excitement around the event. Illinois racing fans now have a range of legal wagering options thanks to the league’s partnerships and new regulations.

Bets on single matchups, round winners, and outright event champions are all available, giving fans many ways to engage as the field narrows and pressure builds.

With Route 66 Raceway celebrating a milestone year and star racers set to compete, the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals promises thrills both on the track and in the stands. Fans and bettors alike look forward to seeing if the favorites hold strong, if a local driver causes an upset, or if an underdog can make headlines in Chicago, such as seen with Chris King in recent events. For more on Route 66 Raceway’s history, visit the Joliet Area Historical Museum’s page.

The outcome may shake up not just this event, but the entire 2025 NHRA season as the tour continues.

Nicholas Rivera

Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.