HISTORIC NHRA GATORNATIONALS SET TO OPEN 2025 NHRA SEASON ON MARCH 6-9
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (June 18, 2024) – The NHRA announced today the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will open March 6-9 with the 56th annual NHRA Gatornationals at legendary Gainesville Raceway.
It marks the third straight year the Gatornationals will kick off the NHRA season, as the historic facility will open the 74th year of incredible NHRA racing. Tickets for the famed season-opening Gatornationals will go on sale on Aug. 19, and the full 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule will be announced soon.
The NHRA Gatornationals has been a historic weekend for more than five decades and that will continue to open the 2025 campaign, as all the top NHRA stars in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will look to start their season with a Wally and put on a spectacular show in the process.
“We are excited to announce the date of our 2025 season-opener in Gainesville and starting a terrific year of racing at the Gatornationals,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “We’ve had great success starting our season at Gainesville Raceway the last two years and it’s something our race teams and partners have enjoyed as well. Starting in Gainesville gives us a lot of momentum to open the year and we’re looking forward to announcing the full 2025 schedule in the coming weeks.”
This year, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won to open the 2024 season. It marked the first double-up victory for Kalitta Motorsports, while six-time world champ Enders won the historic race for the first time.
The Gatornationals have been synonymous with record runs and magical moments for 55 years, including eight victories from Funny Car legend John Force. Top Fuel legend Tony Schumacher and five-time Pro Stock world champ Greg Anderson both have five wins at the historic race.
Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champ Ron Capps and Robert Hight both have four Gatornationals victories, while other stars expected to be in action in Gainesville include Antron Brown, Brittany Force, reigning world champs Erica Enders, Matt Hagan, Doug Kalitta and Herrera, and many more.
For more information about the NHRA, visit www.nhra.com.
Wyman Barnett from Norcross, Georgia USA (Comp Number: 207) 1985 - Category: PS-500, Type: LN, Class: Pro Stock, Div: 2 "Barnett Automotive" Owned by Wyman Barnett from Norcross, Georgia USA '83 Pontiac Trans Am by Barnett Race Cars | Powered by a 500 cubic inch Pontiac by Barnett Automotive with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 […]
Sal Gonzales from California USA 1985 - Category: PROSTREET, Type: QN, Class: Pro Street, Div: 7 "Sal Gonzales" Owned by Sal Gonzales from California USA '70 Plymouth Cuda by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 484 cubic inch Keith Black Hemi with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 9.180 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile […]
Fred Cavasinni from Sydney, New South Wales Australia 1985 - Category: PM-OUTLAW, Type: ZA, Class: Quick 8, Div: 8 "Fred Cavasinni" Owned by Fred Cavasinni from Sydney, New South Wales Australia '34 Ford by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Unknown cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.820 at Unknown […]
Sammy Hale from Sacramento, California USA (Comp Number: 703) 1985 - Category: NOSTAAFD, Type: EN, Class: AA/FD, Div: 7 "Champion Speed Shop" Owned by Jim McLennan from San Francisco, California USA '60 Dragster by Scotty Fenn | Powered by a 327 cubic inch Chevrolet (twins) by Champion Speed Shop with direct drive 1/4 Mile ET: […]
Mike Withrow from Corsicana, Texas USA (Comp Number: 472) 1985 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: B/D, Div: 4 "Mike Withrow" Owned by Mike Withrow from Corsicana, Texas USA Dragster by Gene Gaddy | Powered by a 393 cubic inch Chevrolet with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.490 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile […]
Lori Johns from Corpus Christi, Texas USA (Comp Number: 440) 1985 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: B/ED, Div: 4 "Lori Johns" Owned by Lori Johns from Corpus Christi, Texas USA '85 Dragster by Don Ness | Powered by a 338 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.600 at Unknown | 1/4 […]
Jack Gibson from Odessa, Texas USA (Comp Number: 474) 1985 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: A/D, Div: 4 "Jack Gibson" Owned by Jack Gibson from Odessa, Texas USA '85 Dragster by Gene Gaddy | Powered by a 396 cubic inch Chevrolet with 3 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.650 at Unknown | 1/4 […]
Gary Chomiski from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada (Comp Number: 5233) 1985 - Category: COMPDRAG, Type: PN, Class: B/ED, Div: 5 "Drag City USA" Owned by Gary Chomiski from Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada '85 Dragster by Mike Bos | Powered by a 340 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.380 at Unknown | 1/4 Mile […]
Danny Townsend from Muncie, Indiana USA (Comp Number: 312) 1985 - Category: GASALT, Type: GN, Class: A/A, Div: 7 "Asian Flew" Owned by Dennis King from California USA 32 Austin/Bantam Altered by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 526 cubic inch Arias Chevrolet with 4 speed manual transmission 1/4 Mile ET: 7.240 at […]
Phil Szupka from Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania USA (Comp Number: 198) 1986 - Category: GASALT, Type: GN, Class: A/EA, Div: 1 "Jules Schonberger Racing" Owned by Jules Schonberger from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA '32 Austin Bantam by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a 316 cubic inch Chevrolet with automatic transmission 1/4 Mile ET: Unknown at […]