[1]
Tony Schumacher raced his way to the Top Fuel victory Sunday at the 48th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
John Force (Funny Car), Shane Gray (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also winners in their respective categories at the third of 24 events on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
Schumacher, an eight-time Top Fuel world champion, piloted his U.S. Army dragster to a 3.703-second pass at 329.26 mph for the 83rd victory of his career and first of the season. He defeated reigning world champion Antron Brown who ran a 3.764 at 322.65 in his Matco Tools dragster. With the win, Schumacher becomes the winningest Top Fuel driver at the facility with five after previously being in a four-way tie.
[2]
“We have great, great people working together. I’m loving driving the car,” Schumacher said. “We’re in the fight every day, every race. It’s going to be a fun year, man. I’m comfortable driving the car. It’s running right down the middle. Its running extremely fast. It doesn’t have any part on the race track where I feel that I’m in danger. Its doing everything that a driver dreams about sitting in a Top Fuel car.”
Schumacher defeated Smax Smith, Clay Millican and Steve Torrence en route to the victory. Brown was able to get past Chris Karamasines, rookie Troy Coughlin Jr. and Doug Kalitta before falling to Schumacher in the finals.
Force, a sixteen-time world champion and the winningest driver in NHRA history, ran a 3.928 at 328.14 in his PEAK Chevy Camaro Funny Car for the 148th victory of his career, eighth at Gainesville and first of the season. He defeated rookie Jonnie Lindberg’s 3.971 at 314.83 in his Head Racing Toyota Camry.
[3]
“I made a lot of changes coming here. Don’t know if I’m smart or just lucky. I surround myself with great people. They’re the ones who make it happen, then the sponsors and then the cheer of the crowd. They made one mistake out here. They let me find the music. I found myself. A lot of things area about heart, and about luck. You always feel somebody up there likes ya. I believe hard work, dedication and what we went though, it’s been a draining day. I’m not accepting that I’m done. I’ve been real lucky.”
The victory marks the 2,500 Funny Car round-win for John Force Racing. Force raced past Del Worsham, Jack Beckman and Tommy Johnson Jr. on his way to the finals. Lindberg defeated Dave Richards in the first round and upset Robert Hight and Matt Hagan to get to the final.
In Pro Stock, Gray picked up the sixth victory of his career and first at Gainesville Raceway when he ran a 6.535 at 212.96 in his Gray Motorsports Chevy Camaro to defeat four-time champion Greg Anderson and his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro’s 6.560 at 213.43 in the final.
[4]
“I wasn’t supposed to win,” Gray said. “When you’re testing parts you’re just not supposed to win which is basically what we’re doing with my car. We had a lucky day today. There were some round wins when the car pulled me out of the whole and there were a couple rounds where I pulled the car out of the whole. It was a complete team effort today.”
Gray turned on win lights against Allen Johnson, Erica Enders and Chris McGaha while Anderson won against Matt Hartford, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and teammate and reigning world champion Jason Line before reaching the finals.
Three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Eddie Krawiec defeated teammate Andrew Hines for his 37th career victory, second consecutive and fifth total at Gainesville Raceway. Krawiec rode his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a 6.763 pass at 199.76 bettering Hines’ 6.802 at 197.10 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.
[5]
“This helps set the pace for the year,” Krawiec said. “Get that first win off your back, keep that momentum rolling, get the points. You know once you win one or two races you kind of solidify your spot. With the extra competitive class we have this year it definitely helps. There’s a lot of great motorcycles. My Harley-Davidson this weekend really has been really fast, we just haven’t been able to harness that power and get it sorted out. I think as the year goes on we’re going to get better.”
Krawiec rode past Mike Berry, Matt Smith and Joey Gladstone before racing Hines in the finals. Hines defeated Angelle Sampey, Scotty Pollacheck and Steve Johnson before being defeated himself.
Steven Whitely raced to his first NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series event win at their portion of the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals Sunday at Gainesville Raceway. This weekend’s Pro Mod racing was presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars, Inc. and is the first of 12 races on the season.
Whitley in his ’14 Cadillac faced series veteran Mike Castellana in the final round. Whitely was able to post a winning time of 5.791 seconds at 253.52 mph to the trailing run of 10.192 at 87.94 of Castellana.
[6]
The Whiteley family was able to celebrate the victory in style as his mother Annie won the Top Alcohol Funny Car event on Sunday as well.
“It doesn’t get any better than this. It’s such a blessing being in the winner’s circle with my mom,” Whitely said. “I can’t express how thankful I am. Not only for J&A Service on a couple of accounts. They sponsor this series, but it’s more intimate than that, at least for me. You know, J&A Service, that’s Jim and Annie Whiteley, that’s Mom and Dad. These guys don’t understand how much more this hits me. I just let the clutch petal go. My guys make this happen. I cannot thank them enough.”
Also during the course of the racing action Eric Latino recorded a national elapsed time record with his pass of 5.727 seconds in his losing run of semifinals.
Sunday’s final results from the 48th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. The race is the third of 24 in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel — Tony Schumacher, 3.703 seconds, 329.26 mph def. Antron Brown, 3.764 seconds, 322.65 mph.
Funny Car — John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.928, 328.14 def. Jonnie Lindberg, Toyota Camry, 3.971, 314.83.
Pro Stock — Shane Gray, Chevy Camaro, 6.535, 212.96 def. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.560, 213.43.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.763, 199.76 def. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.802, 197.10.
Pro Modified — Steven Whiteley, Cadillac CTS-V, 5.791, 253.52 def. Mike Castellana, Chevy Camaro, 10.192, 87.94.
Top Alcohol Dragster — Justin Ashley, 5.232, 275.96 def. Rich McPhillips, 5.258, 277.20.
Top Alcohol Funny Car — Annie Whiteley, Chevy Camaro, 5.412, 273.22 def. Dan Pomponio, Chevy Monte Carlo, Broke – No Show.
Competition Eliminator — David Rampy, Bantam Roadster, 8.099, 118.68 def. Wes Leopold, Dodge, Foul – Red Light.
Top Sportsman — Jeffrey Barker, Chevy Cobalt, 6.554, 211.59 def. Casey Spradlin, Chevy, 6.789, 206.86.
Factory Stock Showdown — David Barton, Chevy Camaro, 8.131, 168.47 def. Chuck Watson, Ford Mustang, 8.227, 167.76.
Super Stock — Fred Allen, Chevy S-10, 9.295, 112.21 def. Michael Volkman, Plymouth Sebring, Foul – Red Light.
Stock Eliminator — Terry Nagel, Chevy Camaro, 11.067, 113.72 def. Richard Mace, Pontiac, 11.989, 110.40.
Super Comp — Jacob Elrod, Dragster, 8.917, 179.42 def. Troy Williams Jr., Dragster, 8.931, 174.23.
Super Gas — Sherman Adcock, Pontiac Trans Am, 9.908, 155.24 def. David Tatum, Chevy, 9.900, 166.42.
Words and photos courtesy NHRA/National Dragster