When he outran “Flyin’ Ryan” Oehler Sunday in the Pro Stock Motorcycle final round, Matt Smith scored back-to-back victories at the NHRA’s Amalie Oil Gatornationals.

But in Smith’s mind, it was his first “legitimate” triumph in the Gainesville, Fla., spring classic.

Mike Salinas isn’t kidding around. Even when he was just getting his feet wet in the Top Fuel pool and few knew who he was, the San Jose, Calif., businessman would speak politely and respectfully if he had to talk at all. He’d concentrate on the conversation, but his surface-to-surface missile-like eye contact signaled that he was ready any second to get back to the comfort of and the demands of his dragster. From the beginning, he hired the right tuning consultant, made sure his team knew what to do, and acquired the best parts.

People know who Mike Salinas is now, all right. And he still is intense, still driven to be the best. And as he made his comeback to the sport after more than a year, at preseason testing last weekend at West Palm Beach, Fla., he was just 14-thousandths of a second from being the absolute best among the elite racers on the property at Jupiter, Fla. He surely had that burning desire to grab the No. 1 qualifying position this weekend. But Saturday, all that vanished for him. All that mattered was that his daughter Jasmine was safe.  

Top Alcohol Dragster racer Jasmine Salinas was taken to a Gainesville, Fla., hospital Saturday morning for further evaluation after she took a frightening flight over the left guard wall during her third and final qualifying pass.

Rookie Josh Hart won in his Top Fuel debut on Sunday, powering to the victory at the season-opening 52nd annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in his first career NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series start.

J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won in their respective categories at the first race of the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

Sunday's final results from the 52nd annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. The race is the first of 22 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

 Final round-by-round results from the 52nd annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the first of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:

Pro Modified drivers Brandon Pesz and Dustin Nesloney walked away from a crash Saturday evening during the third and final qualifying session at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

As both drivers reached the eighth-mile, Pesz, in the left lane, began to drift left and out of the groove. His Camaro immediately turned right and into the path of Nesloney, leaving him no other choice but to t-bone the supercharged entry and creating a huge fireball.

NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster racer Jasmine Salinas was taken to a Gainesville, Fla., hospital Saturday morning for further evaluation after she took a frightening flight over the left guard wall during her third and final qualifying pass at the Amalie Oil Gatornationals.

Amazingly, she sent word from the hospital that she had “a few bruises here and there but feel fine otherwise.”

Greg Anderson’s birthday may not be until Sunday, but he wasn’t waiting that long to give himself an early present.

On the eve of his 60th birthday, Anderson bested Erica Enders and Matt Hartford in a showdown of three quick Chevrolet Camaros to earn the first No. 1 qualifier of the season Saturday at the 52nd annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

When Angelle Sampey blasted through the top end beams at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the final time in November, the three-time champion didn’t know if that would be her final time aboard a motorcycle in professional competition.

It was a surreal moment for the NHRA’s winningest female racer as one of the most decorated racers in Pro Stock Motorcycle history reflected on a truly amazing career.