Maryland International Raceway, United States, 7th November 2025: Qualification continues at the Maryland International Raceway during day 3 out of 5 of the 29th edition of the World Cup Finals. The tension is rising as the E.T.s drop the closer we get to the elimination rounds. The weather gods blessed us with some cold but still dry weather for the last few days, but the forecast on Sunday is not looking promising. With the grandstand and the weekend race program both full, spectators had no chance to move from their seats, as they didn’t want to miss anything. Only the Categories Outlaw vs Extreme, X295 vs HOT ROD, Renegade vs Modified, and Warriors vs Tres Cuarto made it to the 3rd qualification rounds. The rest will continue on Saturday morning before the elimination rounds start. Top qualifiers after the second day of qualifications are Eric Laferrierie (OVE), Brett Lasala (XVHR), Derick Santiago (RVM), Giomar Colon-Rodriguez (WVTS), Nick Coleman (SS), Victor Alvarez (XFWD), Nick Digiulio (DCT), Kenny Martinez (AM), David Duffield (LS), David Consentino (WS), Martin Connelley (SF), and Jason Duningan in Pro Street Bike.
Text: Benjamin Wefer
Pictures: Francis Hermina
A lot is going on both on and off the track; several records have already been broken, and the weekend has just started. Let us break down the fastest categories for you this weekend. To begin with, the fastest one this weekend: Outlaw vs Extreme. Eric Laferrierie (Sake Bomb) dominates the field after three qualification rounds (Q3). Laferrierie claimed the number one spot already in Q1 with a 5.683 at 258 mph and maintained his position in Q2 by improving his previous time by 0.036 seconds (5.647 seconds at 261 mph). No improvement in Q3 for Laferrierie, but his 5.647 was still enough to maintain the lead. Jomar Gomez (Zoian) is in the number two spot, with a 5.707 seconds at 257 mph, after he was unable to improve his time set in Q1 already, but the 5.7 was enough to keep the second place. Chris Rankin (Wife’s Money) is in third place after a considerable improvement in Q2 from a 6-second flat to 5.730 seconds at 241 mph.
Brett Lasala is the top qualifier in X295 vs Hot Rod (XVHR) after three rounds of qualification with a 5.979-second run at 241 mph. The 5.9 set in Q1 with his Ford Mustang was fast enough for Lasala to maintain his position as the top Qualifier. Karl Pritz is currently second with a 6.157 seconds at 227 mph. Pritz claimed the number two spot in Q2, climbing the ladder from the 9th position during Q1 (8.652 seconds after lifting off the half track), and was still quick enough to maintain his spot. In third place sits Craig Wall, who is only 0.045 seconds behind Pritz. Wal clocked a 6.202-second run in Q2. While our local driver, Nicson Martina (Curacao), had some technical difficulties this weekend and didn’t meet the bump spot, Vermina Angela from our sister Island, Aruba,
Giomar Colon-Rodriguez (The Judge) stormed into a 6.149 second at 225 mph in his 1983 Mazda RX-7 to claim the number one spot in Warriors vs Tres Cuarto (WVTS) after three qualification rounds. Colon-Rodriguez was sitting in 5th place after the first round with a 6.532, but improved his time in Q2 to claim the first position. Unfortunately, he couldn’t improve in Q3, but the 6.1 was fast enough to keep him in the number one spot. Eric Gash is in second place with a 6.194 seconds at 230 mph, and Najri Treno is third with a 6.249 seconds at 218 mph. Vick Werleman from our sister island, Aruba, claimed the 13th spot after three qualification rounds. Werleman drove his 1981 Toyota Corolla ‘Ms Luella’ to 6.584 seconds at 206 mph. Werleman started the weekend in the 19th position and managed to improve in Q2 and maintain his position in Q3.
In Pro Street Bike, it is Jason Dunigan who stormed in 6.336 seconds at 235 mph to claim the number one spot after two qualification rounds. After starting the weekend in fifth position with 6.736 seconds at 170 mph, Dunigan managed to get the combination right to take the lead. Mark Rendeluk, who was the top qualifier in Q1 with a 6.457 seconds, managed to improve his time in Q2 to 3.389 seconds at 233 mph, but wasn’t fast enough and is now in second place. Rodney Williford is third, just 0.004 seconds behind Rendeluk, with a 6.393 seconds at 230 mph.
The last qualifications will continue on Saturday, starting at 10. AM for Q3 – LS, Q3 – STK, finishing the qualifier), Q3 – XFWD, Q3 – DCT, Q4 – OE, Q4 – RM, Q4 – PS, Q4 – XH, Q3 – SF, Q3 – WS, before going into the first elimination runs (32-car field classes followed by the next round with classes down to 16 cars). Stay tuned for more!
