Only a single win light could have made the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season-opener at Gainesville Raceway better for six-time world champion Greg Anderson. Driving the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, Anderson smashed the Pro Stock world record for elapsed time with a brilliantly played 6.443-second pass during qualifying, and starting from the No. 1 spot on Sunday, he powered his way to the final round at the 56th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
“It was quite a weekend with this HendrickCars.com hot rod,” said reigning Pro Stock world champion Anderson, shaking his head and patting the roof of the KB Titan Racing-prepared Chevrolet that issued threat for the rest of the season. “We worked so hard over the winter, and you just never know if what you see on the dyno is going to translate to the racetrack. I’d say it translated pretty darn well. The only thing that would have made it better would have been winning that final round, but it was a great, great weekend for me and for this KB Titan Racing team.”
In ideal conditions during Friday evening qualifying, Anderson reset the national record for elapsed time that had been in place since 2022. It was only the second time the record had been reset since the class moved from carbureted engines to electronic fuel injection.
“The conditions were just right; Pro Stock people live for conditions like that, and it was beyond cool. It feels so good to run fast like that and get back to setting records,” said Anderson, whose first national record for elapsed time was claimed in 2003 at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park (6.670 at 207.18). In his career, Anderson has reset the record for elapsed time on seven occasions, including Friday night in Gainesville. He also has five world records for speed.
The stunning 6.443 eclipsed the previous class-best of 6.450 and landed the most winning driver in the history of the sport the 133rd No. 1 qualifier award of his career. As the polesitter, Anderson also picked up the first GESi Pro Stock No. 1 Qualifier Award of the year and the $2,000 bonus.
Weather predictions for Sunday at Gainesville Raceway were not promising, but the rounds dodged the raindrops, and Anderson was steady-handed through eliminations with a trio of 6.54-second passes to defeat Chris McGaha, Derrick Reese, and Jeg Coughlin Jr. The powerful performance gave him entry to the 182nd final round of his career.
Aiming at a sixth Gainesville win, Anderson came up against Dallas Glenn, his KB Titan Racing teammate and the young man who he had to knock down in the final round at the NHRA Finals to claim the championship last season. The tables were turned this time as Glenn raced to a 6.54 while Anderson’s HendrickCars.com entry overpowered the racetrack. Anderson is No. 2 in the Pro Stock standings leaving the event, but he and his team’s efforts certainly made an impression.
“I’m excited to get to Phoenix and Pomona and keep the momentum going,” said Anderson. “We love to work hard in the race shop, it’s a big reason why we’ve had the success that we’ve had. But it’s a whole lot more satisfying to bring it to the racetrack and prove to yourself that you’ve got an outstanding product. We know that now, it’s been proven, and we’re going to make the most of it.”
The next event in the 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series will be the NHRA Arizona Nationals, March 21-23, at Firebird Motorsports Park, followed swiftly by the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., March 27-30.
This story was originally published on March 10, 2025. 
