Competition Plus’ Water-Cooler Topics From The NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

Point standings (top 10) following the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the first of 21 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series 

The Kalitta Motorsports team is a key fabric in NHRA’s history.

Despite the team’s world championships and memorable victories, it had never doubled up at a national event by winning Top Fuel and Funny at a national event.

That is not the case anymore.

After 18 previous attempts to accomplish the double-up feat, the storied team sealed the deal Sunday at the season-opening the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

This was quite the season-opening weekend for Shawn Langdon.

Langdon qualified No. 1 and then raced his way to the title at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals on Sunday in Gainesville, Fla.

Langdon capped the memorable weekend by defeating Billy Torrence in the final round. Langdon clocked a 3.711-second elapsed time at 335.40 mph to defeat Torrence’s 4.050-second lap at 228.50 mph.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again, even if it takes you 18 times. Since Kalitta Motorsports debuted a Top Fuel and Funny Car combination four decades ago, the Michigan-based team has never been able to reel in a double-win. 

Let the record reflect that a pair of nitro racing friends who used to share a podcast got the job done before a large Sunday crowd at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

And it couldn’t have come at a more emotionally charged time as days earlier, Scott Kalitta was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, and team owner Connie Kalitta was honored with the Lifetime Achievement award. 

Final round-by-round results from the 55th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the first of 21 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:

It was quite the way for Erica Enders to begin defense of her sixth NHRA Pro Stock world Championship.

Enders rocketed to the No. 1 spot at the Gatornationals thanks to her 6.550-second run at 207.88 mph in Q2 Friday at the 2024 season-opening Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway.

Enders maintained her No. 1 position with a 6.549-second lap in Q4 on Saturday.

It didn’t take Antron Brown long to find the winner’s circle in the 2024 NHRA season.

Brown, the NHRA Top Fuel champion in 2012 and 2015-16, won the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday. He defeated Brittany Force in the final round of the special event, which is held during qualifying for the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

For his performance, Brown earned an $80,000 payday.

“It is very, very special. And I tell you what, we didn't start out with the best car, but thing about it is, we just never quit,” Brown said. “And we've been working through some things, like a brand-new chassis we got, and the car's running great.”

When Kalitta Motorsports shuffled things in the offseason and Brian Husen was named crew chief of the Kalitta Air Careers team, it was to get driver Shawn Langdon’s team headed in the right direction.

Well, mission accomplished through qualifying at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals.

Langdon, in Q4 Saturday, clocked a 3.682-second time at 334.15 mph to leapfrog Steve Torrence for the No. 1 qualifying position.

Funny Car racer and Professional Racers Organization [PRO] board member Bob Tasca III was emphatic to those who might try to read between the lines of an announcement by the group on Saturday. 

The Professional Racers Owners Organization, Inc. (PRO), a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) business, confirmed the decision to form PRO Promotions, LLC, a for-profit business entity. It has named Tasca as its spokesperson.

“It’s not a new race series at all,” Tasca responded when asked if this was the start of a new race series. “Just looking for ways to bring more excitement to the sport.”