Josh Hart and John Force Racing’s Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster Top Fuel team continued their strong performance in testing two weeks ago at Gainesville Raceway by taking the provisional top spot for the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals with a run of 3.658 seconds at a track record 340.30 mph Friday night under the lights.
The record-setting run was the Florida transplant’s first official 340-mph pass after multiple similar runs in testing two weeks ago and two days earlier this week. It also backed up their day’s first run of 3.751 seconds at 335.40 mph.
“I’m really not used to this gig, so you have to bear with me,” said Hart. “I’m super blessed. John Force and the entire team have welcomed me like a member of the family. There is no better way to do this than at your home track with everyone here. I can’t really put it into words. When I got in this Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster car and we went 340 in testing right off the trailer, all I can say is it was so smooth. You know, my guys have it figured out. It’s a well-oiled machine. (Crew chief) David Grubnic is a former driver, so just talking to him is like a sounding board. I can ask him questions, and he’ll give me a straight answer, which I love.”
Jordan Vandergriff made his first official passes in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS, smoking the tires early in the first session but rebounding in the second session with a lap of 3.990 seconds at 318.47. That run was good enough for the eighth qualifying spot but his Funny Car baptism has just begun. Smoke began billowing from the car as it left a streak of oil on the racing surface but the third-generation driver kept his cool, quickly brought the car to a halt and climbed out without incident.
“Welcome to Funny Car, huh?” Vandergriff said. “That’s what everybody’s been saying. It’s definitely an experience but I’ll tell you what, driving that Cornwell Tools Funny Car is fun. They keep you on your toes, you know. Things like that are going to happen but it’s fun to experience it. It’s not exactly what we wanted but still a quick run that will get us into the field pretty solid. We obviously want to improve but I’m happy to have that first experience of getting smoke in my face. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Jack Beckman and Alexis DeJoria lost traction early in each of their runs and were unable to make full qualifying attempts. Beckman and the PEAK Chevrolet SS team used their first session run of 5.644 seconds at 130.49 mph for the 14th spot. DeJoria and the Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS team sit 15th from their first-session run of 6.045 seconds at 112.65 mph.The final rounds of qualifying are Saturday, March. 7 at 12:35 and 3 p.m. ET. The Right Trailers All-Star Top Fuel Callout rounds are at 12:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled on Sunday, March 8, at 10 a.m. ET.
