Every race provides an opportunity to learn new things, and the 19th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk was no exception. Here are five takeaways from an epic weekend in Ohio.

THE CORNWELL TOOLS TEAM DOESN’T MIND WARM WEATHER

When conditions are cool and dry, Austin Prock’s Cornwell Tools team is not only a threat to win but also turns in record-setting performances. When the weather turns warm and humid, things become a bit more challenging. 

Prock’s team, led by his father, Jimmy, and brother, Thomas, bounced back from a pair of first-round losses in Epping and Bristol to win back-to-back races in Richmond and Norwalk, two events that featured some of the hottest track temperatures of the year.

“These are tough conditions. Yesterday, we all got a little surprised, and every crew chief had to do homework and figure out how they were going to tackle this track today. I’m just glad it was us that figured out how to get it done,” said Thomas Prock after the team’s final-round win over Matt Hagan. Prock also set top speed of the event at 331.28 and now has 12 wins in just 30 starts in a Funny Car.

CORY REED’S PRO STOCK WIN IS THE FEEL-GOOD STORY OF THE YEAR

Cory Reed has come a long way since the Pro Stock Motorcycle accident that nearly claimed his life at zMax Dragway in 2021. Left with a badly broken leg, Reed underwent at least a dozen surgeries just to be able to walk again. He made a return to the Pro Stock Motorcycle class two years ago but then made a surprise move last season when he joined the KB Titan Pro Stock team in Seattle. Since then, he has been a win waiting to happen.

Reed admitted leaving the bike class was tough, but ultimately, it has proved to be a wise decision. In Norwalk, he became the 73rd driver to win a Pro Stock Wally when he beat KB Titan teammate Dallas Glenn in the final. Before that, he took out Troy Coughlin Jr., Greg Stanfield, and 110-time winner Greg Anderson. Reed is now ranked fourth in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Pro Stock standings, and while he’s not going to catch leaders Anderson and Glenn, he should begin the Countdown to the Championship with an excellent shot to win the title.

JOHN HALL PROVES THAT PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

The last time John Hall clutched a Pro Stock Motorcycle Wally was 2013 when he defeated teammate Matt Smith in the final round of the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indy. The long wait for another victory came to an end in Norwalk when Hall scored a huge win against Vance & Hines rider Richard Gadson. The final did not exactly go as scripted as Hall gave Gadson a six-hundredths advantage off the starting line and then came dangerously close to the top end timing blocks, but Hall somehow managed to turn on the win light for his third career win in five final rounds.

“It doesn’t feel like it’s been 12 years since my last win, but to get this [ice cream scoop trophy] and another win, I can’t ask for anything more. This feels really good,” said Hall, who became the fourth different winner in the class this season.

GAIGE HERRERA IS HUMAN AFTER ALL

Sometime in the very near future, Gaige Herrera is likely to set a record as the fastest racer to reach 25 NHRA national event wins, but he didn’t achieve that milestone in Norwalk. Herrera, who has redefined excellence in NHRA’s two-wheel class since joining the Vance & Hines team two seasons ago, made a rare misstep when he fouled in the semifinals against eventual winner John Hall. The race might have been close otherwise, as Herrera was slightly quicker than his opponent, 6.94 to 6.96, but the loss was just his third this season and marked the first time since last year’s fall Charlotte event that he did not appear in the final.

Herrera was not exactly a lock to win in Norwalk because the Matt Smith Racing team showed tremendous resilience with five bikes qualified in the top half of the field, but it’s still a bit unusual to see someone other than Herrera in a final round. Herrera’s absence also reinforces the notion that there is indeed parity within the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.

THE NORWALK EXPERIENCE IS SECOND TO NONE

One by one, low qualifiers, event winners, and pretty much anyone else who visited the Summit Motorsports Park media center over the weekend made it a point to thank Bill Bader Jr. and his staff for the efforts they put into making the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals a success. From the nearly manicured grounds to the famed ice cream that is still a bargain at $3 a pint, everything about the "Norwalk Experience" screams fan-friendly.  

Summertime races are a challenge for drivers and crew chiefs, but the track surface held steady and produced competitive elapsed times and great side-by-side racing on Sunday.  And yes, all 17 winners on Sunday were rewarded with the treasured custom billet ice cream scoop that has become a tradition.