GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 6, 2025) – 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.
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.
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.
Quote from Josh Hart, Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster:
“I’m really not used to this gig, so you have to bear with me. 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.”
Quote from Jack Beckman, PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“The PEAK SQUAD was a little too aggressive in Q1. Another way to put that is the track temperature was not a full indication of the track grip. We had great data from testing. It’s never the same prep in testing and, even if it’s the same prep, the number of cars, and the preponderance of Goodyear-only cars during the test kind of skews the results. We missed it. We were just a little more aggressive than the racetrack was ready for. So, we came out for Q2 for the hero session. We didn’t want to back it off too much. If you look at our data graph, that is one of those runs that you’re looking at. It’s like, ‘why didn’t it make it?’ There are some runs where you say, ‘where did we miss it?’ It was a coin toss run there. If it lands on heads, that car goes down the racetrack. It landed on tails and winds up knocking the tires loose. So, we got great data and I think we get to run a little bit later for Q4 so we still have another shot in potentially good conditions. But right now, we just need to back the car down the racetrack for Q3, get a run to the finish line, take that data, take that clutch wear info and plug it in for Q4.”
Quote from Alexis DeJoria, Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS:
“The first day of qualifying at the season-opening Gatornationals is in the books. The Bandero Premium Tequila made two runs but didn’t get down the track. The first run earlier in the day was pretty good but just barely whisped the tires and had to clickh er off. In the second run, we went a little further before losing traction but, I can honestly tell you, not a ton of cars made it down the track. Some did and ran good numbers, but the first round of qualifying, nobody really made it down. So, in the second round, we were trying to go after it but it just went out there and did a fast shake. But we have two more shots tomorrow. We tested a bunch so we’ll figure it out. I have a lot of faith in this Bandero team.”
Quote from Jordan Vandergriff, Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“Welcome to Funny Car, huh? 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 t’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.”
Track & TV Schedule
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.
Television coverage of the Top Fuel All-Star Callout is Saturday, March 7, from 4-6 p.m. ET on FS1. FS1 coverage Sunday, March 8, includes qualifying action from 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. ET and then eliminations from 12-3 p.m. ET.
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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.
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.
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.
Quote from Josh Hart, Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster:
“I’m really not used to this gig, so you have to bear with me. 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.”
Quote from Jack Beckman, PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“The PEAK SQUAD was a little too aggressive in Q1. Another way to put that is the track temperature was not a full indication of the track grip. We had great data from testing. It’s never the same prep in testing and, even if it’s the same prep, the number of cars, and the preponderance of Goodyear-only cars during the test kind of skews the results. We missed it. We were just a little more aggressive than the racetrack was ready for. So, we came out for Q2 for the hero session. We didn’t want to back it off too much. If you look at our data graph, that is one of those runs that you’re looking at. It’s like, ‘why didn’t it make it?’ There are some runs where you say, ‘where did we miss it?’ It was a coin toss run there. If it lands on heads, that car goes down the racetrack. It landed on tails and winds up knocking the tires loose. So, we got great data and I think we get to run a little bit later for Q4 so we still have another shot in potentially good conditions. But right now, we just need to back the car down the racetrack for Q3, get a run to the finish line, take that data, take that clutch wear info and plug it in for Q4.”
Quote from Alexis DeJoria, Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS:
“The first day of qualifying at the season-opening Gatornationals is in the books. The Bandero Premium Tequila made two runs but didn’t get down the track. The first run earlier in the day was pretty good but just barely whisped the tires and had to clickh er off. In the second run, we went a little further before losing traction but, I can honestly tell you, not a ton of cars made it down the track. Some did and ran good numbers, but the first round of qualifying, nobody really made it down. So, in the second round, we were trying to go after it but it just went out there and did a fast shake. But we have two more shots tomorrow. We tested a bunch so we’ll figure it out. I have a lot of faith in this Bandero team.”
Quote from Jordan Vandergriff, Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car:
“Welcome to Funny Car, huh? 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 t’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.”
Track & TV Schedule
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.
Television coverage of the Top Fuel All-Star Callout is Saturday, March 7, from 4-6 p.m. ET on FS1. FS1 coverage Sunday, March 8, includes qualifying action from 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. ET and then eliminations from 12-3 p.m. ET.
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