GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Four-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Greg Anderson is hoping a trip to a track where he and his team have had great success in the past will provide a nice jumpstart to his 2013 season, and put his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro back at the top of the points order.
After a first round loss to Greg Stanfield at the season-opening O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals at Pomona and a semifinal exit at the NHRA Arizona Nationals in Phoenix, Anderson says his team is getting closer to returning to the top form that led the Ken Black owned unit to claim six of the last 10 world championship titles in the 200-mph factory hot rod category.
Anderson says he’s more determined than ever to win the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, March 14-17 at historic Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville. Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are the defending event winners at the NHRA Mello Yello Series event, which will be televised on ESPN2HD.
Anderson, who was the runner-up to Edwards at last year’s event in the Swamp is a two-time winner at the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals with his last victory there coming in 2007. He says the overall competition level in the category has become very stout in recent seasons. The uptick in performance by other teams has put a high premium on the driver, he says.
“There are just so many good cars out here that you are going to have to find a way to be very, very good on the tree, or it will be really tough to win out here this year,” Anderson said. “Pro Stock is tougher than ever, and we’re continuing to work on finding the consistency and performance that we know we will soon have with our Team Summit Camaros. It’s very important that I do my job as a driver.”
Anderson enters the event in a tie for seventh in the points standings. He says his effort in Phoenix was a step in the right direction, but final rounds are his ultimate destination.
“We aren’t happy with getting to the semifinals,” Anderson said. “We want our Summit Racing Chevy Camaros in the final round. We have to become more consistent so that we can make that happen. The bottom line is that we need to find some more performance.”
His Summit Racing teammate Jason Line is a four-time winner at the Gatornationals, and until last year Line had a stronghold on the title, winning there three straight seasons from 2009-2011. So Anderson knows his team has what it takes to win at the popular and tradition-rich NHRA East Coast opener.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to find a way to make these Summit Racing Camaros better for Gainesville,” Anderson said. “I have a lot of faith in this KB Racing team, we have a great group here, and I know we’re on the way to where we should be.”
Others to watch in Pro Stock include Phoenix winner Erica Enders-Stevens, Winternationals winner Vincent Nobile, two-time Gatornationals champ Jeg Coughlin and defending world champ Allen Johnson, who drives the Team Mopar Dodge Avenger.
In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher has led the way this season with one victory in two final round appearances. The U.S. Army dragster driver is a four-time winner of the Gatornationals. He will be challenged by defending world champ Antron Brown, defending event winner Lucas, Shawn Langdon, Spencer Massey and Doug Kalitta, among others. Rookie driver Brittany Force will make her first pro start at Gainesville in her Castrol Edge dragster.
In Funny Car, Ron Capps leads the points standings and will certainly be one of the pre-race favorites in his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger. Defending event winner Hight, along with defending world champ Jack Beckman will try to grab their first victories of the season. Others to watch in the 8,000-horsepower category include track record holder Cruz Pedregon, Winternationals winner Courtney Force, 15-time world champ John Force who has seven Gatornationals victories on his resume, Matt Hagan, Del Worsham and 2009 Gators winner Bob Tasca III.
In addition to the exciting racing action in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock categories, the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals also will feature the season-debut of the Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Riders will be looking to knock defending series champion Krawiec off his title perch. Last year, Krawiec and his Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle teammate, Andrew Hines, dominated the two-wheel category by winning 15 of the 16 events contested during the season. The NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, which will compete in 10 events during 2013, also will take to the track for the first time this year as Troy Coughlin looks to defend his world championship title in the 250-mph doorslammer division.
As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful motorsports attraction on the planet. While visiting the pits, interactive NHRA Nitro Alley and the NHRA Manufacturers Midway, fans will also want to check out NHRA’s popular Hot Rod Junction presented by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.
The Hot Rod Junction presented by the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum will offer a spectacular display of many nostalgic dragsters, race cars and hot rods on display, including vintage machines that were driven by ‘Big Daddy’ Don Garlits, Don Carlton, K.S. Pittman, Big John Mazmanian, Bruce Larson and Jerry Baltes, among others. There will also be several NHRA Legends of Drag Racing autograph sessions, allowing fans the rare opportunity to meet many drag racing stars from the past.
Fans also will want to take advantage of the popular Championship Sunday Track Walk with Top Fuel legend and Florida resident Darrell Gwynn, which is free to all Sunday ticket holders. This popular event gives fans the opportunity to walk down the legendary drag strip alongside some of the NHRA’s biggest stars.
Also, on Friday at the track, fans will have the rare opportunity to attend a special Nitro Pit Party and Press Conference in the pro pits prior to the first qualifying session. Many of the top stars in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series will be featured during the Press Conference, which starts at 10:45 a.m.
As NHRA continues its Nitro Generation celebration, NHRA is offering free general admission for children 12 and under with a paying adult. Tickets are available online at www.NHRATIX.com or by calling the NHRA Ticket Sales Center at 800-884-NHRA (6472).
Pro qualifying begins on Friday, March 15, with sessions at noon and 2:15 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, March 16, also at noon and 2:15 p.m. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 17.
AMALIE OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 44th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, the third of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, Gainesville, Fla. The track is located on 11211 North County Road 225 in Gainesville.
WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, March 14-17
SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, March 14 - LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying
FRIDAY, March 15 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES qualifying at 1:45 and 4 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at noon and 2:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, March 16 - LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
NHRA PRO MOD DRAG RACING SERIES qualifying at 11:30 a.m. and eliminations at 1:45 p.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at noon and 2:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, March 17 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Sunday, March 17, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise 90 minutes of qualifying highlights at 1:30 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, March 17, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage starting at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Friday, March 15, 5-5:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 18C
Saturday, March 16, 6:30 - 7 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 18C
Sunday, March 17, 6:30 - 7 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 18C
(4060 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 40.461470554 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
2012 EVENT WINNERS: Morgan Lucas, Top Fuel; Robert Hight, Funny Car; Mike Edwards, Pro Stock, Eddie Krawiec, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
MOST VICTORIES: Warren Johnson, 9, PS; John Force, 7, FC; Don Prudhomme, 5, FC; Joe Amato, 4, TF; Kenny Bernstein, 4, FC/TF; Larry Dixon, 4, TF; Don Garlits, 4, TF; Jason Line, 4, PS; Ed McCulloch, 4, FC; Tony Schumacher, 4, TF; Dave Schultz, 4, PSM; Terry Vance, 4, PSM.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.749 seconds by Morgan Lucas, March ’12; 326.87 mph by Lucas, March ’12.
Funny Car - 4.026 seconds by Cruz Pedregon, March ’12; 317.12 mph by Robert Hight, March ’12.
Pro Stock - 6.486 seconds by Allen Johnson, March ’12; 213.57 mph by Erica Enders, March ’11.
PS Motorcycle - 6.750 seconds by Eddie Krawiec, March ’12; 199.26 mph by Krawiec, March ’11.
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel - 3.701 sec. by Antron Brown, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April ’12, Charlotte, N.C.
Funny Car - 3.986 sec. by Jack Beckman, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 320.58 mph by Beckman, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.
Pro Stock - 6.477 sec. by Jason Line, Oct. ’11, Reading, Pa.; 214.35 mph by Line, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.
PS Motorcycle - 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.26 mph by Eddie Krawiec, March ’11, Gainesville, Fla.
TICKETS: For tickets call (800) 884-NHRA (6472). Tickets also available online at www.NHRATIX.com.
GLENDORA, Calif. -- Point standings (top 10) following the second of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel: 1. Tony Schumacher, 228; 2. Shawn Langdon, 149; 3. Antron Brown, 148; 4. Khalid alBalooshi, 131; 5. Morgan Lucas, 124; 6. David Grubnic, 112; 7. Doug Kalitta, 103; 8. Spencer Massey, 100; 9. Brandon Bernstein, 93; 10. Larry Dixon, 86.
Funny Car: 1. Ron Capps, 210; 2. Courtney Force, 165; 3. Matt Hagan, 151; 4. Bob Tasca III, 124; 5. Johnny Gray, 122; 6. Cruz Pedregon, 117; 7. (tie) John Force, 106; Tim Wilkerson, 106; 9. Todd Lesenko, 102; 10. Robert Hight, 83.
Pro Stock: 1. Vincent Nobile, 171; 2. Erica Enders-Stevens, 155; 3. Mike Edwards, 153; 4. Jeg Coughlin, 149; 5. V. Gaines, 142; 6. Jason Line, 119; 7. (tie) Greg Anderson, 109; Allen Johnson, 109; 9. Greg Stanfield, 104; 10. (tie) Shane Gray, 83. Chris McGaha, 83.
