TICKETS ON SALE FOR 2023 NHRA SEASON OPENER AT HISTORIC AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 22, 2022) – With excitement high for the upcoming 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, tickets are now on sale for the season-opening race, the historic 54th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals on March 9-12 at Gainesville Raceway.
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season will begin in Gainesville with incredible action in all four professional classes (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle), along with the action-packed Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout specialty race. The eight-car shootout features a unique callout format, with the No. 1 seed getting their pick of opponents in the field.
For more than five decades, Gainesville Raceway has been hallowed grounds for drivers in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, as each NHRA star has been eager to leave their mark at the storied facility in front of what has always been a huge crowd. The first event of the year will also celebrate the 2022 world champions with a ring ceremony, along with a pre-race kickoff party in Gainesville to help set the tone for a must-see season opener.
“The Gatornationals have such a rich history, and we are thrilled to begin our 2023 NHRA season in front of what will be another great crowd in Gainesville,” said NHRA Vice President of Track Management and Operations, Kasey Coler. “With the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout and a host of other special events to kick off the season, we look forward to starting the year in memorable fashion and I know our race teams will be eager to put on an incredible show.”
In 2022, Tripp Tatum (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all picked up victories during a record-breaking weekend in Gainesville. Hagan earned the first-ever victory for Tony Stewart Racing, while Karen Stoffer made the quickest pass in Pro Stock Motorcycle history at 6.665-seconds en route to the win. Erica Enders also set the record in Pro Stock for the quickest pass in class history, going 6.450. Tatum earned his first career victory in March, as a first-time winner picked up the victory for a second straight year in Top Fuel.
Along with racing in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, the Gatornationals will also feature the first race of the season in the FuelTech NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by D-Wagon and Constant Aviation Factory Stock Showdown, as well as action in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
The Gatornationals have seen incredible racing throughout its history. Funny Car legend John Force leads active NHRA drivers with eight Gainesville victories, while Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran Eddie Krawiec has six wins to his credit. Top Fuel’s Tony Schumacher and Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson each own five wins, while 2021 Funny Car world champ Ron Capps and current points leader Robert Hight both have four Gatornationals victories.
Action will start next year with qualifying on Friday and Saturday, leading into eliminations on Sunday as all the NHRA stars will look to open their 2023 season in standout fashion. The race will also count toward the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout, which takes place in Indy later in the year.
To purchase tickets to the 2023 AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. For more information about the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.
David Kniss from Fort Worth, Texas USA (Comp Number: 468) 1985 - Category: ALKYDRAG, Type: DN, Class: TA/D, Div: 4 "Larry Linthieum" Owned by Larry Linthieum from Fort Worth, Texas USA '84 Dragster by Tony Casarez | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Arias Chevrolet with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.480 at […]
Donn Griffin from Fort Wayne, Indiana USA (Comp Number: 321) 1985 - Category: ALKYDRAG, Type: DN, Class: TA/D, Div: 3 "Donn Griffin" Owned by Donn Griffin from Fort Wayne, Indiana USA '78 Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile […]
Wayne Day from California USA 1985 - Category: ALKYDRAG, Type: DN, Class: TA/D, Div: 7 "Advanced Automotive" Owned by Wayne Day from California USA '85 Dragster by Al Swindahl | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 6.550 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile MPH: 209.30 […]
John Agnew from Rotorua, New Zealand 1985 - Category: ALKYDRAG, Type: DA, Class: AA/D, Div: 8 "Texas Fireball" Owned by John Agnew from Rotorua, New Zealand Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 442 cubic inch Donovan Hemi with direct drive 1/4 Mile ET: 6.840 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile MPH: 185.18 […]
Rob Vandergriff from Knoxville, Tennessee USA (Comp Number: 3557) 1985 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: Top Sportsman, Div: 2 "Thunder Craft Boats" Owned by Jim Bryant from Knoxville, Tennessee USA '57 Chevrolet Bel Air by Ken Hoger | Powered by a 600 cubic inch Chevrolet with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.330 […]
Mark Robinson from North Carolina USA (Comp Number: 302) 1985 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: Top Sportsman, Div: 2 "Mark Petrie" Owned by Mark Petrie from North Carolina USA '84 Pontiac Firebird by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.900 at Unknown […]
Warren Pierce from Illinois USA 1985 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: A/SR, Div: 3 "Warren Pierce" Owned by Warren Pierce from Illinois USA 27 Ford Model T Roadster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 368 cubic inch Oldsmobile with 5 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 8.490 at Unknown | 1/4 […]
Gerald Jones from Milford, Michigan USA (Comp Number: 3980) 1985 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: Top Sportsman, Div: 3 "Jones & Whaley" Owned by Gerald Jones & Whaley from Milford, Michigan USA Pontiac Trans Am by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 615 cubic inch Pontiac with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 […]
Lonnie Cheney from Springtown, Texas USA (Comp Number: 4085) 1985 - Category: SPORTSMAN, Type: HN, Class: Super Pro, Div: 4 "Springtown" Owned by Lonnie Cheney from Springtown, Texas USA '73 Chevrolet Vega by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 468 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 8.350 at Unknown | […]
Robert Smith from Hurst, Texas USA (Comp Number: 482) 1985 - Category: PS-MOUNTAIN, Type: UN, Class: Pro Stock, Div: 4 "Smith Bros." Owned by Smith Bros. from Hurst, Texas USA '83 Pontiac Trans Am by Willie Rells | Powered by a 615 cubic inch Chevrolet with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.870 at […]