The fact they were at the NHRA Gatornationals spoke volumes about the heart of the Jim Head Racing team. 

Then to reach the final round, said it in a tone as deafening as the team's Mustang Funny Car driven by Blake Alexander. 

Gainesville was the first race back since the team suffered the tragic hauler accident that cost crewman Dylan Cromwell's life, killed in an accident en route to the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. 

Reaching the final round was an essential measure of healing for the team.

"We just needed to rebound in a multitude of fashions after the way the season ended," Alexander said. "Our season ended in such horrific fashion that I'll never forget the tone of voice, when I talked to Jim [Head] right afterward and how broken we were, not even to understand how we could rebuild. 

"It just was a long process. And up until the moment that we were still kind of laying it [the foundation] as we went along. We were still getting the parts shipped in we needed seven days ahead of the race."

Logistics aside, the emotional aspect was so challenging Alexander believes one couldn't imagine the inner strength it took for Jim Head Racing to return to the track. 

"I think just our wives and our families will," Alexander admitted. "We were pretty sad when we went up to Montana for his funeral. I'd never been to a 21-year old's funeral before, and it was awesome how the community rallied and just lifted each other up. All of us were lifted up, and [our spirits] were lifted up by being there. And it was just a very emotional day where I think there were like a couple of thousand people back into the high school gym to pay their respects for Dylan.

"And you just realize that every race team needs a young man who just brings it every day and gets the job done no matter what, and has the energy to do that. He was that guy for us. But then, after we left the funeral, you move on; you're sad because you're moving on. When you're thinking about him, you're sad because he was a meaningful person that I spoke to every day, and I was hopeful to see him succeed in more ways than he did early in his life. It was a very emotional offseason."

Of course, weather conditions tested the resolve of those in Gainesville waiting to race amid the 15-inches of rain that fell in three days making for a miserable experience. 

"I was like, why did we even come here at first? Alexander recalled.

By 3 PM on Saturday, Alexander and the Funny Car category hit the track. Head tuned Alexander to a top half of the field run with a 3.918, 319.98.

There were no easy draws for Alexander and the Head team, as they faced three world champions in succession. 

Moments before the car fired for the first round on Sunday -  delayed an hour because of track conditions; Alexander felt something click. He will always believe it was Dylan's spirit kicking in, just like he had done every time he guided him back from the burnout and lifted the Funny Car's body.

"That's exactly what I think happened," Alexander said. "I don't think we really said it out loud."

One couldn't have imagined at the same time; the team had new faces on the crew.

"Everyone kind of had to pick up the slack and just grow together as a team so that we could make the 60-minute turnarounds and do everything we had to do to roll up there with a safe race car," Alexander said.

There was no kind of pep talk, just a common understanding of what needed to be done.

"I think we all just kind of knew that we were trying to deliver the goods," Alexander said. "I think Jim's committed to going about his process a little bit differently. And all of us were affected by what went on at the end of the year, last year. But at the same time, we recognized that Dylan would want us to push forward. And that's exactly what we did."

The Head team went on to beat Cruz Pedregon and Ron Capps before losing a tough battle to Matt Hagan.

Regardless, just making it to the race was a significant victory. Anything after qualifying was like playing with house money. 

Alexander knows moving forward, life or drag racing will never be the same as it was before October 24, 2021. 

"There's times where when the wind blows or just like when you wake up in the morning, you realize how thankful you are just to be involved," Alexander said. "And I think some of us, myself included; I've been doing this for ten-plus years now professionally, and you kind of take it for granted, and you just realize that people would give anything to have the opportunity to do this. I get to drive the car and be involved in a race team, and we lose sight of that sometimes, kind of why you started because it turns into a job over time, but there was definitely some passion flowing through all of us."