Staff Reports
The 54th Amalie Motor Oil National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Gatornationals four-day drag racing event starts Thursday at the Gainesville Raceway.
The Sportsman Qualifying event starts at 8 a.m. and the Top Alcohol Qualifying Session at 4 p.m. and marks the two races scheduled for Thursday.
The Gatornationals started in 1970 and feature one of the longest concrete launchpads on the NHRA tour at 675 feet, along with notable occasions such as the first 260-mile-per-hour Top Fuel and Funny Car runs in 1984 and the first 270-mph and 300-mph Top Fuel passes in 1986 and 1992, respectively, according to the Gainesville Raceway website.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 1:30 and 4:00 p.m. on Friday and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday at noon and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. on Sunday.
The first round of the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout will take place at 1:20 p.m. on Saturday with the semifinals set to follow at 2:45 p.m. The final round is slated for 4:25 p.m.
To purchase tickets to the 2023 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket.
Here’s a full rundown of the schedule:
THURSDAY, MARCH 9
8:00 a.m. Sportsman Qualifying
4:00 p.m. Top Alcohol Qualifying Session
FRIDAY, MARCH 10
8:00 a.m. Sportsman Eliminations
10:15 a.m. Midway Open/Suggested Time of Arrival
11:00 a.m. Total Seal Tech Talk at Matt Hartford’s Pro Stock Car Pit
11:45 a.m. Top Alcohol Qualifying Session
12:00 p.m. Pep Boys NHRA All-star Top Fuel Callout Inside the Top Eliminator Club
12:30 p.m. Cacklefest at the Hot Rod Junction
12:45 p.m. Factory Stock Showdown Qualifying Session
1:00 p.m. Pro Mod Qualifying Session
1:15 p.m. Dodge Autograph Session at the Dodge Midway Display
1:30 p.m. Pro Stock Qualifying Session – Motorcycle & Car
2:30 p.m. Nitro Qualifying Session – Funny Car & Top Fuel
3:30 p.m. Factory Stock Showdown Qualifying Session
4:00 p.m. Pro Stock Qualifying Session – Motorcycle & Car
5:00 p.m. Nitro Qualifying Session – Funny Car & Top Fuel
6:00 p.m. Pro Mod Qualifying Session
6:30 p.m. Top Alcohol Qualifying Session
SATURDAY, MARCH 11
8:00 a.m. Sportsman Eliminations
9:00 a.m. Midway Opens/Suggested Time of Arrival
9:30 a.m. Total Seal Tech Talk at Matt Hartford’s Pro Stock Pit
10:00 a.m. Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Top Fuel Callout Autograph Session at the “Nitro Alley Stage” in the Midway
10:15 a.m. Top Alcohol Eliminations – Round 1
10:30 a.m. Toyota Autograph Session at Toyota Display
10:30 a.m. Pro Stock Motorcycle Autograph Session at the Suzuki Display
10:45 a.m. Nitro School with Jim Oberhofer at the “Nitro Alley Stage” in the Midway
11:15 a.m. Factory Stock Showdown Qualifying Session
11:30 a.m. Pro Mod Qualifying Session
11:30 a.m. Dodge Autograph Session at the Dodge Midway Display
11:30 a.m. Cacklefest at the Hot Rod Junction
12:00 p.m. Pro Stock Qualifying Session
1:00 p.m. Top Fuel Qualifying
1:15 p.m. Pep Boys NHRA All-star Top Fuel Callout Opening Ceremonies
1:20 p.m. Pep Boys NHRA All-star Top Fuel Callout Eliminations – Round 1
1:30 p.m. Funny Car Qualifying Session
2:00 p.m. Top Alcohol Eliminations – Round 2
2:45 p.m. Pep Boys NHRA All-star Top Fuel Callout Eliminations – Semi-Finals
2:55 p.m. Factory Stock Showdown Eliminations – Round 1
3:00 p.m. Pro Stock Qualifying Session – Car & Motorcycle
4:00 p.m. Top Fuel Qualifying
4:25 p.m. Pep Boys NHRA All-star Top Fuel Callout Eliminations – Finals
4:30 p.m. Funny Car Qualifying Session
5:00 p.m. Pro Mod Eliminations – Round 1
5:30 p.m. Sportsman Eliminations
SUNDAY, MARCH 12
8:00 a.m. Midway Open/Suggested Time of Arrival
9:00 a.m. SealMaster Track Walk and Pre-Race Ceremonies
10:00 a.m. Nitro Eliminations- Round 1
11:00 a.m. Pro Stock Eliminations – Round 1
11:40 a.m. Pro Mod Eliminations – Round 2
11:50 a.m. Factory Stock Showdown Eliminations – Round 2
12:05 p.m. Nitro Eliminations – Round 2
12:35 p.m. Pro Stock Eliminations – Round 2
12:55 p.m. Top Alcohol Eliminations – Semi-Finals
1:10 p.m. Pro Mod Eliminations – Semifinals
1:15 p.m. Factory Stock Showdown Eliminations – Semifinals
1:20 p.m. Sportsman Eliminations – Semifinals
1:40 p.m. Nitro Eliminations – Semifinals
1:55 p.m. Pro Stock Eliminations – Semifinals
2:05 p.m. Sportsman Eliminations – Finals
2:15 p.m. Top Alcohol Eliminations – Finals
2:20 p.m. Factory Stock Showdown Eliminations – Finals
2:25 p.m. Pro Mod Eliminations – Finals
2:30 p.m. Jr Dragster Exhibition
2:45 p.m. Pro Stock Eliminations – Finals
2:55 p.m. Nitro Eliminations – Finals
Winners Circle at the Starting Line – After Top Fuel Final