- SELLOUT CROWD TO OPEN NHRA'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON IN GAINESVILLE
- JONATHAN ALLEGRUCCI RUNS TO GATORNATIONALS NO. 1 QUALIFIER
- NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES POWERED BY FUELTECH TO OPEN 2026 SEASON IN GAINESVILLE
- Ron Capps Leads Funny Car Field with Provisional Pole at Season-Opening NHRA Gatornationals
- HART GRABS GATORS PROVISIONAL NO. 1 QUALIFIER
- Josh Hart Blasts to Provisional No. 1 in Top Fuel as 2026 NHRA Season Roars to Life at Gatornationals
- Angie Smith Grabs Provisional No. 1 in Pro Stock Motorcycle at 2026 NHRA Gatornationals Season Opener
SELLOUT CROWD TO OPEN NHRA’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON IN GAINESVILLE
Gainesville, FL – NHRA officials announced a sellout crowd on Saturday at Gainesville Raceway to open its 75th anniversary season at the 
57th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
The race kicks off the celebratory 2026 season and fans packed the legendary fanbase packed the legendary facility in Gainesville.
The massive crowd enjoyed two rounds of qualifying and the Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-
Star Callout to open the milestone campaign, which will celebrate 75 years of incredible NHRA action.
“It’s incredibly exciting to open NHRA’s 75th anniversary season with a sellout crowd at the first race of the season in Gainesville,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “The Gatornationals has always been one of the most special events in our sport and a day like today to open such a memorable year is a tribute to the awesome NHRA fans.” Continue reading
JONATHAN ALLEGRUCCI RUNS TO GATORNATIONALS NO. 1 QUALIFIER
GAINESVILLE, FL – Through three rounds of qualifying at the season opening Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Jonathan Allegrucci 
powered his Ford Mustang Cobra Jet to the No. 1 qualifier position heading into race day with a category quickest elapsed time of 7.714 seconds at 178.26 mph. Allegrucci and his Ford lead two Camaros driven by Richard Hord and Alex Anderson in the top three spots in the 16-car qualified field of the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series. The driver from Scott Township, Pa. will be looking for his second career win when he takes on reigning world champion Mark Pawuk in the first round.
“I hate being number one for obvious reasons,” said Allegrucci, with a smile. “You either win it, which is expected, or you get upset. The tune up we have coming off the starting line is good, so we feel confident. The track out there is tricky and it is going to change, but we’re working on it. We have good notes and we’re going to do our best.”
The Gatornationals is the first of nine national events for the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series. The NHRA is celebrating its 75th anniversary season in 2026 and the Flexjet Factory Stock program is a featured class that Allegrucci, who races a beautiful Ford Mustang Cobra Jet, is proud to represent. Continue reading
NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES POWERED BY FUELTECH TO OPEN 2026 SEASON IN GAINESVILLE
GAINESVILLE, FL – Celebrating 25 years of incredible action in 2026, the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series opens its season this weekend 
at Gainesville Raceway as part of the prestigious Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
It is the first race of 11 races in the category during the 2026 campaign and this weekend’s must-see race is powered by FuelTech.
J.R. Gray enters the season as the reigning world champion, getting the victory in a winner-take-all final round last season in Las Vegas, finishing off a spectacular season that included four wins, five final-round appearances and his first championship.
Through two rounds of qualifying on Friday, Mike Stavrinos, who won the first two races of 2025, is in the top spot with a run of 5.688-seconds at 252.14 mph. Travis Harvey is right behind with a 5.708 at 245.99 and two-time world champion Stevie “Fast” Jackson is third after a 5.711 at 249.72. Gray is fourth as the standout competitors in the category look to start the season with a victory at one of the biggest events of the year during NHRA’s 75th anniversary season. Continue reading
Ron Capps Leads Funny Car Field with Provisional Pole at Season-Opening NHRA Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, FL – The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season opened in memorable fashion for three-time Funny Car 
world champion Ron Capps and his Ron Capps Motorsports organization Friday at the NHRA Gatornationals. Just hours after announcing a new partnership with Monster Energy and debuting as a two-car team with Maddi Gordon and Carlyle Tools, Capps powered his NAPA Auto Care Funny Car to the provisional pole, putting him on track to pick up the 38th No. 1 qualifier of his career Saturday at Gainesville Raceway.
As the only Funny Car driver to dip into the 3.8-second range, Capps’ Q2 run of 3.890 seconds at 334.07 mph launched him to the top of the Funny Car pack. The performance marked an early-season statement from Capps and his Dean “Guido” Antonelli-led NAPA Auto Care team as they begin their pursuit of a fourth world championship.
“Today has been unbelievable,” Capps said. “Big week for our Ron Capps Motorsports team. First race of the year, Maddi is doing such a tremendous job. We announced the addition of Monster Energy earlier today and to now finish the night here, it’s just incredible. This is crazy to be No. 1; I didn’t expect it being the second pair out. Guido looked at the numbers, and we probably would’ve run in the low 80s had we been later in the session. That first run, we had some issues. We have a brand-new body, and it was on a great run and the left parachute kind of wiggled out. Being up so early in that second session, we thought for sure cars behind us would outrun us, but to run in the 80s like we did when the conditions were still warmer was awesome.” Continue reading
HART GRABS GATORS PROVISIONAL NO. 1 QUALIFIER
Vandergriff has Funny Car baptism, Beckman and DeJoria look forward to better performance Saturday
GAINESVILLE, FL – Josh Hart and John Force Racing’s Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster Top Fuel team continued their strong 
performance in testing two weeks ago at Gainesville Raceway by taking the provisional top spot for the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals with a run of 3.658 seconds at a track record 340.30 mph Friday night under the lights.
The record-setting run was the Florida transplant’s first official 340-mph pass after multiple similar runs in testing two weeks ago and two days earlier this week. It also backed up their day’s first run of 3.751 seconds at 335.40 mph.
Jordan Vandergriff made his first official passes in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS, smoking the tires early in the first session but rebounding in the second session with a lap of 3.990 seconds at 318.47. That run was good enough for the eighth qualifying spot but his Funny Car baptism has just begun. Smoke began billowing from the car as it left a streak of oil on the racing surface but the third-generation driver kept his cool, quickly brought the car to a halt and climbed out without incident. Continue reading
Josh Hart Blasts to Provisional No. 1 in Top Fuel as 2026 NHRA Season Roars to Life at Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, FL – The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series launched its landmark 75th anniversary season in explosive fashion on Friday at Gainesville Raceway, with provisional No. 1 qualifiers emerging across all four pro categories during opening-day action at the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
Top Fuel standout Josh Hart delivered the highlight of the day, powering his Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster dragster to a blistering 3.658-second pass at a track-record 340.30 mph. The run vaults Hart to the provisional pole and positions him for his first career No. 1 qualifier if it holds through Saturday’s final sessions.
Angie Smith Grabs Provisional No. 1 in Pro Stock Motorcycle at 2026 NHRA Gatornationals Season Opener
GAINESVILLE, FL – Veteran rider Angie Smith stormed to the provisional pole position in Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying on the opening 
day of the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, posting a blistering 6.740-second elapsed time at 199.58 mph aboard her Denso Auto Parts Buell. The run vaults Smith to the top of the provisional ladder after Friday’s sessions, marking a strong start to the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ historic 75th anniversary season.
Smith, a multi-time winner and former championship contender, overcame early setbacks—including a transmission issue in the first session—to deliver the field’s quickest pass in the final run of the day. The performance positions her for a potential third career No. 1 qualifier if it holds through Saturday’s remaining sessions.
Hot on her heels is defending world champion Richard Gadson, who clocked a 6.746 at an even 200.00 mph on his RevZilla/Mission/Vance & Hines Suzuki, just six-thousandths behind. Gaige Herrera, a former champion and consistent threat, rounded out the top three with a 6.761 at 199.91 mph on his RevZilla/Mission/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Continue reading
Mike Stavrinos Blasts to Provisional No. 1 in Pro Mod with Stunning 5.688 at Gainesville
GAINESVILLE, FL – The Pro Mod class turned up the heat in the latest qualifying action at the 57th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA 
Gatornationals, as Mike Stavrinos stormed to the provisional pole position with a career-highlight 5.688-second ET at a blistering 252.14 mph in his #3 entry.
Stavrinos’ explosive run – the quickest and fastest of the weekend so far – catapults him to the top of the ladder, edging out the field in what has been a wildly competitive Pro Mod session at Gainesville Raceway. This marks a strong rebound and statement for the Fort Lauderdale-based driver as the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series kicks off, with Pro Mod’s raw horsepower and doorslammer drama on full display.
The top spots shuffled dramatically:
HART, CAPPS, C. COUGHLIN & A. SMITH START 75TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH PROVISIONAL NO. 1 SPOTS AT GAINESVILLE
GAINESVILLE, FL – Ocala’s Josh Hart made the fastest run in Gainesville Dragway history on Friday to open the 2026 NHRA season, 
taking the Top Fuel provisional No. 1 position at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
Ron Capps (Funny Car), Cody Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Angie Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the first of 20 races during the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Selections were also made for the opening round of the big-money Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout bonus race, which takes place on Saturday. Top seed and reigning event winner Doug Kalitta selected Clay Millican in a first-round rematch from last season. Shawn Langdon picked Shawn Reed, while Antron Brown chose Hart with the next pick in a matchup of two former Callout winners. That left Tony Stewart and Justin Ashley as the remaining matchup for the eight-car field.
Hart went 3.658-seconds at a track-record 340.30-mph in his 12,000-horsepower Burnyzz/Speedmaster dragster to close out the first two rounds of qualifying and mark a wildly-successful debut in his first race with John Force Racing.
Cody Coughlin Edges out Hartford for the Pprovisional No. 1 spot During Round 2 of Pro Stock
Gainesville, FL – The AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, the powerhouse season opener for the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing 
Series and the thrilling launch of the organization’s 75th anniversary season, wrapped up Friday night qualifying action with a tight battle in Pro Stock at Gainesville Raceway on March 6, 2026.
Cody Coughlin grabbed the provisional No. 1 spot in Round 2 with a sharp 6.523-second ET at 210.01 mph in his No. 9 entry, edging out the field on a night where consistency and low reaction times were key on the Gainesville surface. The Coughlin family name continues to shine, with multiple drivers in the mix.
Matt Hartford slotted into second at 6.533/210.41 in the No. 3 machine, while Matt Latino took third at 6.533/210.37 in the No. 166 car—highlighting the razor-thin margins in Pro Stock. Deric Kramer (No. 52) held fourth at 6.535/209.82, and Greg Stanfield (No. 445) rounded out the top five at 6.538/208.49. Continue reading
