Champions Crowned at 57th Annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals

The 57th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals delivered thrilling racing action, culminating in victories for Josh Hart, Chad Green, Matt Hartford, and Richard Gadson across the professional categories. The event, held in front of a capacity crowd, marked the first of 20 races in the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season and initiated NHRA's 75th anniversary season.

Top Fuel: Hart Captures Third Career Win

Josh Hart, competing with John Force Racing, won the Top Fuel event at the 57th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Hart demonstrated his prowess by defeating reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta in the final round.

Hart achieved a run of 3.733 seconds at 337.83 mph in his Burnyzz/Speedmaster dragster, marking his third career win and his first in nearly five years.

This victory is particularly special for Hart, as it follows a previous Top Fuel debut win at Gainesville Raceway in 2021. He qualified No. 1 for the event and successfully advanced through elimination rounds against Dan Mercier, Tripp Tatum, and Antron Brown before reaching the final.

Funny Car: Green's Gainesville Dominance Continues

Chad Green secured his second consecutive Funny Car victory at Gainesville Raceway, making it back-to-back wins at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

Green’s Bond Coat, Inc. Ford Mustang recorded a winning run of 3.959 at 329.91 mph against Alexis DeJoria in the final round.

This impressive win marks Green's third career victory, with two of those triumphs now occurring at the Gainesville track. His path to the final round included crucial wins over Terry Haddock, Matt Hagan, and Jordan Vandergriff.

Pro Stock: Hartford Ends Winless Streak

In the Pro Stock category, Matt Hartford ended a winless streak dating back to 2023 with a significant victory at the Gatornationals.

Hartford drove his Total Seal Chevrolet Camaro to a 6.530 at 210.41 mph to defeat six-time world champion Greg Anderson in the final.

This win is Hartford's ninth career victory and his first ever at the prestigious Gatornationals. He navigated a tough field, overcoming Kenny Delco, Aaron Stanfield, and reigning world champion Dallas Glenn en route to the final round.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: Gadson Begins Title Defense with Win

Richard Gadson, the reigning Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, began his championship defense in emphatic fashion by winning his first Gatornationals event.

Gadson defeated John Hall in the final round with a 6.753 at 200.05 mph on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.

This fifth career victory for Gadson was made even more special as it occurred on his birthday. His successful journey to the final included wins against Geno Scali, Chase Van Sant, and Clayton Howey.

Up Next: Arizona Nationals

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will continue its exciting season with the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals, scheduled to take place from March 20-22 at Firebird Motorsports Park in Phoenix.