Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals kick off 2025 NHRA season
The long wait is over. This weekend the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins its 20-race dash around the United States to crown eventual champions in its Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes. along with the Congruity Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and Factory Stock Showdown. These competitors are joined by nine classes of Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series racers.
At this year’s Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals, held on the Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway dragstrip, there will be new wraps on familiar race cars, new drivers, crew chiefs and crewmembers in unfamiliar places, and new reasons to look at classes, cars, drivers and crews that could look out of place at the start of this campaign. That means early starts to the three-day Mission Foods extravaganza for fans who want to be knowledgeable about the changes in the pits from last year. And with a special event on tap – Right Trailers’ All-Star Top Fuel Callout on Saturday for eight stand-out dragster drivers – the action should be hot and heavy all three days.
The Top Fuel entry list – as published – boasts 17 cars on the grounds, led by reigning four-time champion Antron Brown in his self-owned closed cockpit dragster. While most drivers and teams are familiar, there are a few missing: eight-time champion Tony Schumacher and the first driver to hit 300mph in the eighth-mile, Mike Salinas. Schumacher is AWOL due to financing issues; Salinas had said he intended to perform an entire season in 2025. Billy Torrence, who raced all contests in 2024, is not on the entry list, too.
Taking up the “slack” are 2023 champion Doug Kalitta of Kalitta Motorsports, SCAG Racing’s Justin Ashley, Kalitta’s teammate Shawn Langdon, John Force Racing’s Brittany Force, four-time champ Steve Torrence, PRO Superstar Shootout winner Shawn Reed, 2024 Rookie of the Year Tony Stewart, 2023 European Top Fuel titleholder Ida Zetterstrom, fan-faves Clay Millican and local racer Josh Hart, 2022 Gatornationals Top Fuel winner Tripp Tatum III, Canada’s Dan Mercier, Jasmine Salinas, third-generation racer Krista Baldwin, along with Doug Foley and Scott Farley.
Already there’s been a change to the playing fields in Top Fuel, as Tony Schumacher was announced, on March 5 as partial-season teammate to Clay Millican at Rick Ware Racing (RWR). Millican, a seven-time NHRA Top Fuel National event winner has secured all four of RWT’s dragster wins (2023 Chicago, 2023 Bandimere, 2023 in St. Louis and 2024 U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The announcement did not clarify Schumacher’s race dates, except to note that this weekend’s Gatornationals will go on without him.
Last year Brown went to the Gators’ semifinals after winning the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout, only to be defeated by eventual race winner and fellow Toyota racer Langdon, who solidified Kalitta Motorsports’ first-ever double-up, after J.R. Todd secured the Funny Car trophy for that team in his Toyota GR Supra. Brown is seeking his fifth title, which would tie him for second all-time in Top Fuel. He’s part of the All-Star Callout, together with Ashley, Langdon, Kalitta, Steve Torrence from the Toyota camp, joined by Chevrolet’s Brittany Force, Clay Millican and Tony Stewart, flying the Dodge colors and entered due to Schumacher’s absence.
Eighteen racers comprise the Funny Car entry list for this weekend’s Amalie Motor Oil Gatornationals, which has become the traditional start of the season, rather than the Winternationals (that now take place in springtime). Of the four champions from the 2024 campaign, only John Force Racing’s Austin Prock is the sole racer with a single title to his name. That’s excusable, considering 2024 was his first season racing the Flopper category in a Chevrolet SS after being in Top Fuel for his first seasons with John Force Racing (JFR). He won the title over Jack Beckman, his partial-season teammate after team leader John Force’s June accident at Richmond, Virginia sidelined the 16-time champion for the balance of the season.
That the duo ended up first and second says a lot about the brain trust at JFR and about the driving talent on this team. Beckman hadn’t raced since the 2020 season (and won the season finale at Las Vegas that year). His return at Brainerd showed a bit of dust, but by the time the season was completed, the 2012 titleholder had Force’s Chevy to the same place in points it occupied when he was hurt. Thankfully, the legendary racer is able to come to the tracks, albeit not in a proper suit and helmet – yet.
Behind this duo are Ford Mustang racer Bob Tasca III, fellow Mustang driver Daniel Wilkerson, J.R. Todd, Chad Green (Mustang), four-time champ Matt Hagan, driving Tony Stewart Racing’s Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat with a new wrap for the season. Three-time champ Ron Capps returns in his Toyota GR Supra with a new wrap for this race and two-time titleholder Cruz Pedregon is in his Charger SRT Hellcat again, as is Paul Lee.
Terry Haddock has welcomed P&C Cable Construction as Gainesville primary sponsor on his Mustang, while Dave Richards returns for a second full season with Bluebird Turf on his Toyota. John Smith is on-site with his Dodge from Paul Smith Racing, while Blake Alexander is going it solo in a Dodge Charger, allowing Spencer Hyde to take over Jim Head’s Mustang. For his second season with Jim Dunn Racing, Buddy Hull has a new wrap for his Dodge, while Alexis DeJoria is driving a Dodge Charger now in her debut with JCM Racing. Finally, Bobby Bode III is racing a Toyota GR Supra with former Top Fuel/Funny Car titleholder Del Worsham; the duo debuted at the PRO Superstar Shootout last month.
How about 21 Pro Stock cars? Thank goodness there’s enough pit space in Gainesville for everyone to secure their working areas! Fresh off his sixth title, earned in the last lap of the season against his own teammate, Greg Anderson has top spot in Gainesville with his KB Titan Chevy, joined by Dallas Glenn, whom he defeated in that final round to take a sixth championship in this class. Elite Motorsports’ Aaron Stanfield, Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr. will try to wrest the title back to their Oklahoma-based team, holding off KB Titan’s Matt Hartford. Elite’s Troy Coughlin Jr. earned the nod at February’s PRO Superstar Shootout, giving the third generation racer some momentum as the season begins.
The always-exciting Eric Latino is back with KB Titan, while Brandon Miller s racing a Dodge in this season-starter. Look to Shane Tucker from Elite, and while Camrie Caruso, the 2022 NHRA Rookie of the Year is on the entry list, she’s sitting this one out rather than racing (as intended) with F6 Motorsports. “My goal” Caruso said, “is to talk with some people at the Gatornationals and take some time over the next few weeks to get a long-term plan together. I have serious marketing relationships,” she added, that want to be part of the NHRA.”
Brandon Foster is returning this year, as is Deric Kramer, while Cody Coughlin is joining the class in 2025 with Elite. Val Smeland is back in his Chevy and Kenny Delco’s Chevy has an affiliation with JCM Racing in 2025. Both Mason and Chris McGaha are on the entry list, as is returnee Greg Stanfield. Can he keep up with son Aaron? We’ll find out this weekend, won’t we? Cory Reed, who went to the PRO Superstar Shootout finals with his KB Titan Chevy is starting his second year on four wheels, while Derrick Reese is racing the sole Ford Mustang body in this class. Not a Cuadra in sight for this year’s Gatornationals!
NHRA announced that GESi (Global Emissions Systems Inc.), which has been supporting Eric Latino, among others, in Pro Stock has signed on as sponsor of the No 1 qualifier award in the door slammer class. The top qualifier will earn $2,000 at each event, adding a special bonus to qualifying in Pro Stock.
Last year’s Pro Stock Motorcycle championship fight was between six-time titleholder Matt Smith and Vance and Hines Motorsport’s Gaige Herrera. Herrera earned his second straight title on a Suzuki Hayabusa3 over Smith’s Buell, and that rivalry will certainly continue this season. There are 19 entries for the two-wheeled set, and it’s a strong group of both Suzuki and Buell motorcycles. With the latter brand, the bigger question is who’s riding a Series 1 or Series 2 Buell? The engine differences are pretty strong and the best Series 1 racer from last year, Hector Arana Jr. isn’t going to be on-site.
Matt Smith Racing continues to field Buells for Matt, Angie Smith, John Hall and Jianna Evaristo, while 2024 race winner Chase Van Sant returns with WAR/TK Motorsports for another Suzuki season-long ride, joined by 2024 teammate Chris Bostick. The ageless Steve Johnson, racing a Suzuki with Monster heads is back to try again for a championship, while Richard Gadson starts his second season with Vance and Hines Motorsports, riding the companion Suzuki Hayabusa3 to teammate Herrera. Brandon Litten and Brayden Davis are new to the class on their Suzuki motorcycles.
Geno Scali’s need for speed has the 2003 titleholder back in the game on a Suzuki, while Marc Ingwersen returns with his Buell. Ingwersen had been talking about upgrading his engine spec; it’s not known at this time whether that effort was completed. Wesley Wells’ Suzuki, Malcolm Phillips Jr.’s Suzuki, Ron Tornow’s Buell, Kelly Clontz’s V&H Suzuki, Ryan Oehler’s and Lance Bonham’s Buells complete the listing of two-wheel competitors.
In addition to the Mission Foods competitors, look for these Lucas Oil classes: Top Alcohol Dragster, where three-time Pro Stock Motocycle champ Angelle Sampey is debuting a closed cockpit machine, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster on the grounds.
There are two qualifying sessions for the four pro classes on Friday and Saturday, the draw for the Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place Friday with action during Saturday’s pair of qualifying opportunities. Four rounds of eliminations for the pro classes are set for Sunday. Maybe. While moderate and sunny conditions are forecast for Friday and into Saturday, the weather situation looks iffy for race day. Whether this gets to play out is anyone’s guess, and the racers that had not planned to stay on and test after the race will have to rearrange their plans (as will everyone at the track). The race is scheduled to play on FS1 Sunday from 7-10PM ET. Daylight Saving Time kicks in this weekend at 2AM Sunday.