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Signed in as:
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Josh Hart, who set the track speed record on Friday, went 3.733-seconds at 337.83 mph in his 12,000-horsepower Burnyzz/Speedmaster dragster to knock off Kalitta, who slowed to a 3.877 at 319.60. It marks the third career win for Hart and first in nearly five years. Since then, it had been a grind for Hart, who won in his Top Fuel debut in 2021 at Gainesville Raceway. Now with John Force Racing, Hart is off and running. He qualified No. 1 for the first time in his career on Saturday and then dispatched of Dan Mercier, Tripp Tatum and four-time champ Antron Brown to reach the final round. Hart quickly tracked down Kalitta and made a strong impression that he will be a championship threat in the loaded category in 2026.
In Funny Car, Chad Green continued his dominant performance at Gainesville Raceway, making it back-to-back victories at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals thanks to a run of 3.959 at 329.91 in his 12,000-horsepower Bond-Coat, Inc. Ford Mustang against Alexis DeJoria in the final round. Green has three career victories and remarkably two of them have come at Gainesville Raceway, as he’s now posted eight straight round wins at one of the biggest races on the NHRA tour.
Pro Stock’s Matt Hartford had his own winless streak snapped on Sunday as well, picking up his first victory since 2023 by going 6.530 at 210.41 in his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro to hold off six-time world champion Greg Anderson. It’s the first win for Hartford in 40 races and after coming close multiple times in 2025, Hartford was more than ready to break through in Gainesville to open the 75th anniversary season. The victory is his first at the Gatornationals and the ninth in his career, getting past Kenny Delco, Aaron Stanfield and reigning world champion Dallas Glenn earlier in the day.
Reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ Richard Gadson had a resounding start to his championship defense season, getting his first Gatornationals victory after taking down John Hall in the championship round with a 6.753 at 200.05 on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki. That the win came on his birthday made it that much sweeter, as Gadson claimed his fifth career victory, displaying the kind of consistency that led to his breakout season a year ago. He was presented with his championship jacket and ring during pre-race introductions and it seemed to spur him along, taking down Geno Scali, Chase Van Sant and Clayton Howey.
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