Brittany Force set the Gainesville Raceway track record during the fourth qualifying session of Top Fuel to become the first woman to qualify No. 1 at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals since Shirley Muldowney 40 years ago.
Robert Hight (Funny Car), Rodger Brogdon (Pro Stock) and Andrew Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also No. 1 qualifiers in their respective categories at the third of 24 events on the 2019 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.
B. Force locked-in the top spot with her pass of 3.680-seconds at 326.32 mph in her Advance Auto Parts dragster to set claim the track record. The 2017 world champion is seeking her first win of the season at the facility where she secured her first career win in 2016.
“I’m very proud to put a number on the board like that,” B. Force stated. “We want to go out and win this race tomorrow. On that last run, (David) Grubnic pulled me aside and told me it was going to be a fast one and to hang on. This place is a special place to me, and I love racing here. I can’t wait to come back and win here again.”
B. Force will line up against Chris Karamesines in round one of eliminations on Sunday. Mike Salinas secured the No. 2 spot with his run of 3.694 at 326.32 and will face rookie Jordan Vandergriff. Defending world champion Steve Torrence rounds out the top three.
Hight sits atop of the Funny Car class with his run of 3.868 at 331.12 in his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro. He has swept the No. 1 qualifying position for the 2019 season and third career No. 1 at the facility.
“It’s pretty amazing and a lot of hard work,” Hight said. “We had a chance to win a championship last year and didn’t get it done. It didn’t sit well with my team and they worked hard at getting this thing prepared and figuring out what our weaknesses were. Qualifying is over and now we’ve got a race to win.”
He will face-off against Terry Haddock Sunday morning in the first round. Tim Wilkerson sits in the No. 2 position with a pass of 3.875 at 327.27 and Tommy Johnson Jr. is third.
Brogdon took the category lead during the fourth round of qualifying with his run of 6.490 at 212.43 in his RBR Machine Chevrolet Camaro. He secured his second No. 1 qualifier of the season, second at the facility and is chasing his first win since 2015.
“I’ve always been able to drive a race car,” Brogdon stated. “The hardest part is having a lot of power and a good car. The Elite (Motorsports) team and (team owner) Richard Freeman are incredible. He puts me in a fast car every weekend. To win this race and with the toughest class, I’d probably cross everything else off my bucket list.”
Brogdon will race Wally Stroupe in the first round of eliminations. Veteran Greg Anderson powered his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to the No. 2 spot with his pass 6.494 at 213.40 and Matt Hartford is third overall.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Hines raced to the top of the category during the fourth qualifying session securing a national time record of 6.720 at 199.94 on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson. His last victory at Gainesville was in 2004 and is on the hunt for his first win since Pomona 2 2017.
“The guys on our team are doing a great job making sure that we get motorcycles that are flawless and making sure that we go to the start line with no problems,” Hines said. “I was really hoping to go 200. That was really the point to strive for and it would’ve been nice to get that one out of the way. Tomorrow is a new day and we will try again then.”
The Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals first round of eliminations begins at 11 a.m. on Sunday at Gainesville Raceway.
Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the third of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel — 1. Brittany Force, 3.680 seconds, 326.32 mph vs. 16. Chris Karamesines, 4.048, 251.63; 2. Mike Salinas, 3.694, 326.32 vs. 15. Jordan Vandergriff, 3.846, 293.09; 3. Steve Torrence, 3.709, 329.75 vs. 14. Dom Lagana, 3.822, 298.40; 4. Leah Pritchett, 3.724, 325.22 vs. 13. Pat Dakin, 3.803, 326.24; 5. Antron Brown, 3.726, 330.23 vs. 12. Richie Crampton, 3.777, 322.65; 6.
Terry McMillen, 3.743, 327.74 vs. 11. Doug Kalitta, 3.760, 321.35; 7. Clay Millican, 3.744, 325.85 vs. 10. Austin Prock, 3.758, 330.15; 8. Scott Palmer, 3.750, 326.56 vs. 9. T.J. Zizzo, 3.753, 328.62.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Cameron Ferre, 4.084, 279.79; 18. Lex Joon, 5.001, 149.78.
Funny Car — 1. Robert Hight, Chevy Camaro, 3.868, 331.12 vs. 16. Terry Haddock, Ford Mustang, 4.410, 232.67; 2. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.875, 327.27 vs. 15. Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.294, 243.94; 3. Tommy Johnson Jr., Dodge Charger, 3.896, 324.75 vs. 14. John Smith, Charger, 4.116, 275.28; 4. John Force, Camaro, 3.897, 331.94 vs. 13. Jim Campbell, Charger, 4.017, 308.92; 5. Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.900, 325.85 vs. 12. Jonnie Lindberg, Mustang, 4.016, 319.14; 6. Jack Beckman, Charger, 3.900, 323.74 vs. 11. J.R. Todd, Toyota Camry, 4.012, 316.82; 7. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.910, 325.30 vs. 10. Shawn Langdon, Camry, 3.959, 325.06; 8. Ron Capps, Charger, 3.933, 318.77 vs. 9. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.953, 316.67.
Pro Stock — 1. Rodger Brogdon, Chevy Camaro, 6.490, 212.43 vs. 16. Wally Stroupe, Camaro, 6.675, 206.67; 2. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.494, 213.40 vs. 15. Alan Prusiensky, Dodge Dart, 6.644, 208.36; 3. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.508, 211.06 vs. 14. Shane Tucker, Camaro, 6.620, 206.04; 4. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.509, 212.36 vs. 13. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.571, 211.03; 5. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.511, 212.09 vs. 12. Fernando Cuadra, Camaro, 6.542, 212.13; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.514, 211.89 vs. 11. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.538, 211.89; 7. Alex Laughlin, Camaro, 6.515, 211.99 vs. 10. Jason Line, Camaro, 6.534, 211.79; 8. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.516, 211.96 vs. 9. Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.518, 211.13.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Jeff Isbell, 6.683, 207.37.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.720, 199.67 vs. 16. Cory Reed, EBR, 6.918, 195.03; 2. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.747, 200.59 vs. 15. Scotty Pollacheck, EBR, 6.893, 193.35; 3. Matt Smith, EBR, 6.753, 200.95 vs. 14. Angie Smith, EBR, 6.888, 197.28; 4. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.784, 199.02 vs. 13. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 6.874, 193.07; 5. Ryan Oehler, Buell, 6.803, 199.91 vs. 12. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.869, 195.08; 6. Angelle Sampey, Harley-Davidson, 6.814, 195.90 vs. 11. Joey Gladstone, EBR, 6.855, 193.07; 7. Jim Underdahl, Suzuki, 6.821, 197.16 vs. 10. Melissa Surber, Buell, 6.850, 193.46; 8. Jerry Savoie, Suzuki, 6.844, 193.85 vs. 9. Hector Arana, EBR, 6.847, 198.20.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Steve Johnson, 6.938, 194.24; 18. John Hall, 6.949, 193.49; 19. Katie Sullivan, 6.959, 193.10; 20. Marc Ingwersen, 6.960, 192.47; 21. Jianna Salinas, 7.092, 191.46; 22. Lance Bonham, 7.101, 187.16; 23. Andie Rawlings, 7.256, 179.54.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2019. 
