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Hot Times In Gainesville For NHRA

 
1,639 views Mar 14, 2011


Del Worsham became the 15th driver to score wins in both Funny Car and Top Fuel at Gainesville Raceway
Photo: Anne Proffit

Eddie Krawiec won the final race at Pomona in 2010 and the season starter for Pro Stock Motorcycle at Gainesville
Photo: Anne Proffit

On a bright, sunny and warm day in Gainesville, FL, the National Hot Rod Association crowned victors in four classes during the 42nd annual Tire Kingdom Gatornationals.  

This second race of the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series calendar had the Pro Stock Motorcycle contingent joining Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock drivers for their first outing of the year.  With excellent conditions throughout the weekend, records fell in qualifying and new rivalries formed.  There was also some solid star power with the appearance of 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch, making his debut in Pro Stock and driving a Roy- and Allen Johnson-prepared Dodge Intrepid.

Busch's day was short; he exited in a close first-round contest against the fastest Pro Stock driver in the country, Erica Enders.  Still, the circle track racer recovered from some rookie errors on Friday that left him outside the final elimination field of 16 to make the grid in his first race, in 12th place.  Lacking lane choice, Busch still gave Enders a good run through the quarter-mile, Busch's ET of 6.541 falling just shy of Enders' 6.538.  Yes, it was that close.

The Top Fuel class win went to Del Worsham, who became the 15th driver to win in both the dragster and Funny Car category.  Worsham, who had been driving Al Anabi Racing's Funny Car the past two years, used teammate Larry Dixon's championship-winning car to earn his victory.  The machine now has 13 wins to its credit, 12 last year with Dixon and now Worsham's first in 2011.  Worsham defeated Brandon Bernstein, Antron Brown (in a smokefest), Spencer Massey and, finally, 7-time champion Tony Schumacher to earn this title.

John Force Racing kept its win streak alive with Mike Neff, the driver/tuner who helped Force win his 15th title last year and is back, after a year's absence driving Force's title-winning car.  In taking his second Wally as a driver (the first came at the Finals in 2009), Neff noted, "We needed this to keep the Force string going.  That's four straight (going back to last season) for Team Force."  To get to the finals, Neff defeated Jim Head, Bob Tasca and Jack Beckman, taking the title from Cruz Pedregon in a Mustang vs Camry battle.

Pro Stock belonged to the Summit Racing team again this weekend.  Jason Line earned his second straight victory by outracing rookie Vincent Nobile, Enders, top qualifier Rodger Brogdon and teammate (and 2010 champion) Greg Anderson.  While both drivers were a bit late leaving the start line in their quarter-mile battle, "I was less tardy and that's why your'e taking to me!"

The first race for Pro Stock Motorcycle saw 2008 titleholder and second-qualifier Eddie Krawiec taking the Wally back to Vance & Hines' Brownsburg, IN headquarters after challenger Karen Stoffer red-lighted, leaving too soon.  Krawiec had his hands full with rounds against Katie Sullivan, rookie contender Gerald Savoie, 2010 champion LE Tonglet and Stoffer, whose Suzuki uses V&H parts.  He brought home a second straight Wally for the Harley-Davidson V-Rod.

The NHRA troops have a couple of weeks to gather themselves for the next round at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

© 2011 Anne Proffit



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