Bob Tasca III had a vision fifteen months ago and he wanted Chris Cunningham to buy into the concept.
 
Tasca, then a Top Alcohol Funny Car standout, wanted Chris Cunningham,
an up-and-coming tuner then employed with Del Worsham, to see his
vision and join Tasca's quest to go NHRA nitro Funny Car racing.
 
Tasca carried on the phone conversation while standing in the bathroom of his Cranston, Rhode Island home.
 
He had no parts.
 
He had no employees.

Nothing leaves a good first impression on the boss like the new employee landing atop the qualifying list at his first race.

Just ask Matt Smith who maintained the No. 1 spot he earned in Friday's
Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying rounds through two Saturday sessions to
claim his first No. 1 qualifier for Don Schumacher Racing, his first at
the Gatornationals, and the 15th of his career.

Smith posted his quickest pass, a 6.945, 189.44, right out of the box
on Friday, then followed that up with a 7.051,183.92 and the only
six-second run on Saturday under warmer conditions, a 6.999/186.61 in
the third session.

"This thing is a rocket ship," he said at the top end. "I'm excited to be on it.

Tim Wilkerson might be on the verge of gaining the momentum he’s needed
to replicate 2008’s success. A No. 8 effort at this weekend's NHRA Gatornationals, though in the middle of a
stout Funny Car, might just be the break he’s needed.

The road to a third consecutive NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
national event title has been a bumpy road for Funny Car points leader
Ron Capps, literally.

With chamber-of-commerce Spring-break weather at the ACDelco NHRA
Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., drivers in the Get Screened America
Pro Mod Challenge presented by ProCare Rx mostly adapted to the
conditions and delivered thrilling performances, while others struggled
to keep their cars from riding the guard rails.
 
Qualifying was greatly abbreviated due to the extensive track cleanup
required after George Landis banged the wall in his '05 Stratus.
According to the local Florida racer, he blew a piston through his
engine and punctured the diaper, spreading oil and engine fluids down
the full length of the track. Landis was unharmed in the incident, but
his Stratus will need serious repair..

Larry Dixon earned his second consecutive pole position, taking the top stop in Top Fuel for the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals with a 3.886 second, 308.28 mile per hour run, a strong .076 seconds faster than Spencer Massey.
 
Dixon started the season in Pomona with a DNQ (Did Not Qualify) but has
ruled the qualifying roost since. It has been, according the humble
driver to be, “feast or famine.”
 
Unsure if his Friday time would hold up, Dixon revealed the team got
exactly what they wanted out of the race car in the final run.
 
“The car ran good, obviously the last two or three runs they've been
looking to try and run an 80 and it hadn't. I'm glad they found it. I
thought it was take an 80-something to stay on the pole and I'm just
glad it came from us.”

Larry
Dixon raced to his second consecutive No. 1 qualifying performance of
the season in Top Fuel Saturday at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals.

Bob Tasca, Mike Edwards and Matt Smith also will lead their categories
into Sunday’s 11 a.m. eliminations at the third of 24 events in the
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. ESPN will provide three hours of
television coverage of the race starting at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday.

Dixon covered the race distance in 3.886 seconds at 308.28 mph in his
Al-Anabi Racing dragster to earn the 33rd top qualifying effort of his
career and second at Gainesville Raceway. Dixon, also No. 1 at Phoenix
three weeks ago, will face Winternationals winner Doug Kalitta in the
opening round.

A limited number of $20 Race Fan Relief tickets are available for this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. A small portion of the $20 Race Fan Relief tickets remain for Friday and Sunday’s racing at Atlanta Dragway.

First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday at the
40th annual ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the
third of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs
listed below pairings.

George Landis, from Boynton Beach, Fla., was checked and
released by NHRA emergency services officials after his Judge Racing
Team Stratus went out of control, crossed the centerline and impacted
both guardwalls before coming to rest just past the finish line during
the final qualifying session of Pro Modified.

Roger Richards captured the photo sequence.