Nitromater

For Immediate Release
DEJORIA DROPS NARROW DECISION TO CAPPS
ROKiT/ABK Toyota Driver Out in Quarterfinals at 51st NHRA Gatornationals

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Capitalizing on her best qualifying performance in seven starts at Gainesville Raceway, Alexis DeJoria drove the ROKiT Phones/ABK Beer/Lucas Oil Toyota Camry into the quarterfinals at the 51st annual Amalie Gatornationals Sunday before running afoul of former world champion and eventual race winner Ron Capps.

Driving for a new team she owns along with co-crew chief and former Top Fuel and Funny Car World Champion Del Worsham, DeJoria qualified fifth, equaling her best effort of the season, and easily raced past Jim Campbell in round one with a time quicker than her qualifying effort by .037 of a second.

Against Capps, she was even quicker but not quick enough to overcome the Dodge driver’s 3.968 at more than 325 miles per hour.

A five-time pro tour winner, DeJoria is back in competition this year after a two-year...

GAINESVILLE, FL (September 27, 2020) --- For just the second time this season the Strutmasters.com powered by MANSCAPED™ Top Fuel dragster and driver Justin Ashley did not advance to the quarterfinals. In what has become a common occurrence this season Ashley faced reigning U.S. Nationals champion Shawn Langdon in the first round for the fourth time. Coming into today’s Gatornationals Ashley held a 2-1 first round win advantage and the fans were looking for some seriously low reaction times from these two excellent “leavers.”

As soon as Ashley hit the throttle, which he did in .039 seconds, his dragster was wounded, missing...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORRENCE BEATS DAD FOR FIRST GATORS WIN
Two-Time Reigning Champ Puts Garlits’ ‘Swamp Rat 14’ in Winners Circle

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – With 88-year-old drag racing legend Don Garlits watching from the sidelines at Gainesville Raceway, two-time reigning World Champion Steve Torrence delivered a driving clinic Sunday that culminated in an Amalie Gatornationals Top Fuel victory 50 years in the making.

Driving a modern day version of “Swamp Rat 14,” the Garlits-designed rear-engine dragster that revolutionized the sport upon its debut in 1971, Torrence ended a career of racing disappointment in Florida with a heart-stopping victory in an all-Capco final round with his dad, Billy.

As has become the rule when father and son meet, this one was another classic. The younger Torrence won in 3.809 seconds, a tick quicker than his dad (3.810) who had outqualified him for the first time this year. Steve now has won two of the three final rounds between the two...

WITH MOMENTUM ROLLING JUSTIN ASHLEY HEADED TO GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE, FL (September 24, 2020) --- To say NHRA rookie of the year front-runner Justin Ashley is on a roll headed into the historic NHRA Gatornationals is a bit of an understatement. The young driver of the Strutmasters.com Top Fuel dragster powered by MANSCAPED™ picked up his first win over Labor Day weekend at the rescheduled Summernationals, defeating TJ Zizzo. On Sunday he raced to a semifinal finish at the U.S. Nationals in one of the wildest elimination rounds in recent history. This weekend Ashley returns to Gainesville Raceway looking for his second Top Fuel win at a facility he already has a win in Top Alcohol Dragster from 2017.
“We had an amazing weekend in Indianapolis with...

For Immediate Release
DEJORIA LOOKING FOR LATE BIRTHDAY PRESENT
Five-Time Tour Winner Drives ROKiT/ABK Toyota in 51st NHRA Gatornationals

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two days after celebrating her birthday aboard a 2,800 horsepower cigarette boat, Alexis DeJoria will slip into something far more powerful, but less seaworthy, when she sends the ROKiT Phones/ABK Beer Toyota Camry after the Funny Car championship in this week’s pandemic-delayed 51st annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

At the wheel of one of the world’s fastest racing vehicles, one capable of zero-to-100 mile per hour acceleration in less than one second, DeJoria is attempting to regain the form that from 2014 to 2017 carried her to five tour victories and established her as the woman most likely to break through the sport’s last major gender barrier.

That’s because after coming back from injuries suffered in a 2016 crash at Sonoma, Calif., to win the 2017 Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd, Minn., she...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
‘SWAMP RAT 14’ RACES AGAIN AT GATORNATIONALS
World Champ Torrence and His ‘Capco Boys’ Salute Florida Legend Don Garlits

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It’s been almost a half century since Florida native “Big Daddy” Don Garlits revolutionized drag racing by perfecting the rear engine design that today is employed universally by racers like two-time reigning NHRA Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence, one of the favorites in this week’s pandemic-delayed 51st annual Amalie Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

Now, more than 34 years after he beat the late Dick LaHaie to win for the fourth and final time on his home track, Garlits is in a position to hoist another of the NHRA’s iconic Wally trophies thanks to Torrence and his Capco Contractors race team.

With a nod to history and the man who in 1991 was voted the No. 1 racer in the NHRA’s first 50 years, Torrence will compete this week in a dragster that bears an uncanny resemblance to the car Garlits designated...

ENNIS, TEXAS (September 23, 2020) --- It has become a tradition during the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series for race tracks across the country to recognize and honor first responders and members of the armed forces. The Texas Motorplex has been a consistent supporter of both of these remarkable groups of people and their families over the years. This year during the 35th annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals, the Texas Motorplex will once again offer members of the active or retired military, government employees and first responders a variety of ticket discounts to the NHRA national event.

“We look at all the sacrifices first responders and members of the military make every day or have made...

Professional Racers Owners Organization explains efforts to provide best racing environment

GAINESVILLE, FL (September 21, 2020) --- The efforts to finish the 2020 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season began in earnest by the Professional Racers Owners Organization (PRO) leadership team weeks before the July 8-9 Indianapolis national event. Working in conjunction with the NHRA, members of PRO communicated with Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock team owners and drivers to talk about options for completing the season. The goal was to ensure the teams could commit to race, fields would be full for a national television audience on the FOX broadcast network and state mandated safety and health concerns were met. Originally, the plan was to host two...

NHRA® Team Report
NHRA U.S. Nationals - Gatornationals
Pre-Race Report

As a five-time number one qualifier and previous winner of the Gatornationals, Cruz Pedregon and team are headed to Florida with their sights set on a strong showing. The Snap-on Dodge® will be decked out in its Snap-on 100th scheme, that was recently featured on a magazine cover, while a new body and paint scheme are being prepped for October.

In the magazine's article, Cruz says, "I feel like we're on the brink of breaking out of the rebuilding mode that I've been in for several years now." He shares that he's got one of the most solid teams he's had in a decade and feels like the team "stacks up well" in facing the competition.

Working with Nick (Casertano) and Eric (Lane), Cruz says he, the team and the Snap-on Funny Car are ready to take on the rest of what's been a challenging year for drivers, teams and fans.

"When you've got good people on your side, you know those incremental improvements you...

ENNIS, TX (September 15, 2020) --- After months of local and regional events with limited fans thanks to the support from Governor Greg Abbott, Texas Motorplex is set to host one of the largest outdoor motorsports events in the state with the 35th annual AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals, October 14-18, 2020. Working within the approved State of Texas guidelines, Texas Motorplex will be able to welcome up to 50 percent capacity for fans throughout the race week which will mean thousands of drag racing enthusiasts can travel to the race track located in Ennis, Texas, just minutes south of Dallas/Ft Worth for 300 mph side by side racing action. The track will be instituting...

JUSTIN ASHLEY CAPS EVENTFUL WEEKEND WITH MEMORABLE U.S. NATIONALS

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 6, 2020) --- In his first NHRA DENSO Spark Plugs U.S. Nationals race as a professional, rookie of the year candidate Justin Ashley drove the Strutmasters.com powered by MANSCAPED™ Top Fuel dragster to a semifinal finish. While he was not victorious his final pass of the day was one that will stick with NHRA fans for many years.

Racing against 2013 NHRA Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon both drivers had their hands full as soon as their 11,000 horsepower dragsters jumped off the starting line. Ashley grabbed a starting line advantage with what is becoming a customary stellar reaction time. As he accelerated down track his Top Fuel dragster overpowered...