by Susan Wade; photos by Roger Richards Mon, 2022-03-14 18:45
Karen Stoffer had been on the verge of stepping back from NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle competition at the end of last season. Her mind was gravitating to “other life things that are going on,” as she put it after winning Sunday’s Amalie Oil Gatornationals for the third time.
But back in November, her sponsors certainly hated to waste all the momentum she and crew chief Tim Kulungian and Jerry Savoie’s White Alligator Racing Suzuki team had built heading into the winter break. Same for her husband, Gary Stoffer, who years ago when they were first dating saw a spark of greatness in her and orchestrated her pathway through 10 Pro Stock Motorcycle victories and more importantly a lifestyle of togetherness, purpose, and an even bigger family of friends in what’s now the Camping World Drag Racing Series.
by Bobby Bennett Mon, 2022-03-14 18:00
Never in the Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown racing history has there been so many nitro crew chiefs standing on the starting line. Thus was the case on Saturday, at the NHRA Gatornationals, following two days of continuous torrential rainstorms.
The tuners wanted to see not how well the factory-built race cars would perform as much as they were eager to see how well the Safety Safari pulled off what many had deemed an impossible task.
When the top eight qualifiers in the Factory Stock Showdown opening session ran under the national record, they went scurrying back to their pits with a clear idea where to turn the wrenches.
photos by Roger Richards Sun, 2022-03-13 19:00
By Susan Wade, photo by Roger Richards Sun, 2022-03-13 18:30
Between the Pep Boys All-Star Call-Out and the falling temperatures Saturday at cold, damp, windy Gainesville Raceway, Top Fuel qualifying for the Amalie Oil Gatornationals gave the Camping World Drag Racing Series some stunningly thrilling and stunning shocking results.
In a weekend that was geared to salute the class’ Elite Eight racers in an $80,000-to-win shootout, three of them didn’t make the field because of the one-and-done nature of qualifying. And the No. 1 starting spot went to an independent owner-driver who entered ranked 16th in the standings and was making just his 12th appearance in Top Fuel competition.
by Susan Wade, photo by Roger Richards Sun, 2022-03-13 18:15
Funny Car champion Jack Beckman always has said that “from burnout to turnout, you have no friends on the racetrack.”
And Robert Hight said Saturday evening after securing the Funny Car class’ No. 1 qualifying position for the Amalie Oil Gatornationals that track temperature is the real foe.
Sun, 2022-03-13 16:00
Kris Thorne picked up his first career victory in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series on Sunday, knocking off Sidnei Frigo in the final round of the season-opening race as part of this weekend’s Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
The event, which was presented by FTI Performance in Gainesville, was the first of 10 races during the 2022 NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season
Sun, 2022-03-13 14:00
Point standings (top 10) following the 53rd annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the third of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series -
Sun, 2022-03-13 14:00
Final round-by-round results from the 53rd annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the third of 22 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series:
by Susan Wade; Photo by Roger Richards Sun, 2022-03-13 14:00
"We knew we were going to face some weather this weekend,” Pro Stock racer Bo Butner said of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ first trip to the East Coast this season. “But we did not anticipate that it would be quite this dramatic."
Aaron Stanfield made it even more dramatic Saturday on the Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway quarter-mile.
by Susan Wade Sun, 2022-03-13 13:00
The NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class had waited since last November to get back on the Camping World Drag Racing Series tour.
And once they got to Gainesville, Fla., amped up for the class’ season opener – the Amalie Oil Gatornationals – they had to wait more than day and a half extra. Rains swept away Friday qualifying, and early Saturday showers cost the morning hours before the Safety Safari crew gave every pro racer a relatively narrow window in which to complete just one pass that would set the fields for Sunday’s eliminations.
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