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.

Continue reading →

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 →

Gainesville, FL – The AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, the high-octane season opener for the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and the exciting start to the organization’s 75th anniversary celebration, delivered more nitro-fueled drama in Funny Car qualifying at Gainesville Raceway on Friday, March 6, 2026.

Ron Capps powered to the provisional No. 1 position in Round 2 with a sharp 3.890-second ET at 334.07 mph in his No. 28 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota GR Supra. Capps’ strong pass vaulted him to the top of the ladder as teams adjusted to the challenging track conditions and chased consistent performance.

J.R. Todd remained firmly in contention, holding the No. 2 spot with a 3.912 ET at 334.15 mph in the No. 373 DHL Toyota GR Supra. Paul Lee secured third at 3.920/331.12 in the No. 6 entry, followed closely by Chad Green in fourth at 3.926/326.08 in the No. 7 machine—continuing his momentum as the defending Gatornationals Funny Car winner. Continue reading →

Gainesville, FL – The field is stacked with champions and contenders: Antron Brown (4th, 3.694/331.85), Tony Stewart (5th, 3.703/339.96 – huge speed!), Doug Kalitta (6th, 3.703/334.07), and Tony Schumacher (7th, 3.710/338.61). Tripp Tatum, Billy Torrence, Shawn Reed, and Justin Ashley round out the current top 10-11, all in the low-3.70s or better.

Lower qualifiers showed some challenges – tire smoke, shake, or shut-offs – but expect big moves Saturday as the track preps for Q3 (around 12:35 PM ET) and Q4 (3:00 PM ET). The Right Trailers NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout also looms, with top qualifiers calling shots for bonus action.

Full provisional Top Fuel qualifying order after Q2:

Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL – Last season at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals was the kickoff to Pro Stock driver Dallas Glenn’s first world championship season. This season, he’s looking for another win at Gainesville Raceway at the 2026 NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series season opener, which starts NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.

Glenn wheels the RAD Torque Systems Chevrolet Camaro for Pro Stock powerhouse KB Titan Racing. Last year’s Gainesville win was his first of eight wins en route to his championship, enjoying another banner season in the Pro Stock ranks. As he and the rest of the stars of the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series return to the legendary facility, Glenn is thrilled to be back at Gainesville.

“It feels really good to get back to the track just because of how busy we’ve been at the shop during the off-season,” said Glenn. “I’m really excited to be back out competing and seeing all the people in this traveling circus and all of our friends. I’ve had success at Gainesville before, and I would really like to continue that success there.”

Glenn’s 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals marked his first win over his KB Titan Racing teammate and six-time Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson. The two battled all season for the points lead and the championship, but Glenn’s performance in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs gave him the edge, as he won four of the five races in the postseason. Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL – There’s a new car and a new team, but the end goal remains the same for Funny Car standout Austin Prock, who enters the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season as the back-to-back world champion.

But there’s been plenty of change for Prock heading into this weekend’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway to kick off NHRA’s 75th anniversary. After winning consecutive championships, Prock and his team are now with Bob Tasca’s Funny Car team and Ford Racing, serving as one of the off-season’s biggest bombshells.

The team has been hard at work to get ready for Gainesville in their 12,000-horsepower PPG Mustang Dark Horse, but the objective hasn’t changed. After winning 17 times the past two years, Prock and his team have no other plans but to keep their hot streak going.

“It’s been a lot of work and a lot of long hours, seven days a week, for most of the off-season and still right now,” Prock said. “We bit off a huge chunk and we’re just sorting through it. We’ve had a little bit of success in testing, but we’ll keep working and we’ll be ready. All we have to do is qualify and be ready by Sunday. We’ve got a few more days to sort through this and I’ve got the best people in the business working with me. Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL – For the second time in three years, Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta will start the season as the reigning world champion heading into this weekend’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, an impressive feat considering Kalitta’s longtime quest to win a world title in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.

Kalitta will open NHRA’s special 75th anniversary season as the driver everyone is chasing after a brilliant run in the second half of the 2025 campaign. He remained poised and consistent in the Countdown to the Championship, winning twice in the playoffs to capture a second world championship in his 12,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster.

It’s a moment Kalitta continues to treasure as he heads to Gainesville to open NHRA’s milestone year. He’ll have a chance to defend his title in the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout specialty race as well. The bonus race takes place on Saturday and Kalitta enters as the No. 1 seed with the opportunity to have a magical weekend in Gainesville. Continue reading →

GAINESVILLE, FL – In addition to their appearance at the upcoming Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, legendary NHRA drivers Kenny Bernstein, Joe Amato, Warren Johnson and Bruce Larson will take to the track on Friday and Saturday for a special legends match race at Gainesville Raceway.

It’s another added item for NHRA’s kickoff to the 75th anniversary season in Gainesville, as fans will see four of NHRA’s biggest names take to the track in 550-horsepower 2026 Dodge Charger Sixpacks.

The first round is slated for 2:20 p.m. on Friday, March 6, leading into the opening round of qualifying in the 12,000-horsepower, 340-mph Funny Car and Top Fuel ranks.

The two winners will meet up in the final round at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, right before the opening round of the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout. The winner of the four-car legends race will also receive the special Golden Gator trophy given to all Gainesville winners.

It’s an incredible four-car lineup with some of the biggest names in NHRA history. Johnson racked up six world championships in Pro Stock and a remarkable 97 wins, while Larson raced in both Funny Car and Pro Stock, winning a Funny Car championship in 1989. Bernstein earned six world titles across Top Fuel and Funny Car, and Amato was a standout force in Top Fuel, winning 52 races and five world titles. Continue reading →