2024 Gatornationals: 'Call out' format among twists at season-opening drag race series event
The 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals marks the beginning of the NHRA season.
This year's event at Gainesville Raceway will feature a fun twist, a call-out format on Saturday in the Top Fuel Division, in which after two qualifying round drivers will get to choose who they want to race.
It was first tried at Gatornationals in 2022, but rain washed out the conclusion of the call-out round. A prize of $130,000 is up for grabs in this weekend's event, which is sponsored by PepBoys.
2023 GatorNationals winners: Gatornationals: Matt Hagan wins second straight in Funny Car, Mike Salinas a surprise winner in Top Fuel
"It's definitely going to be a twist, this whole callout thing," said Top Fuel standout Brittany Force, who set a Gainesville Raceway speed record of 337.75 mph in 2022. "It's a unique event, two races in one at the GatorNationals and it's just exciting to go on stage and get a chance to call somebody out. It makes it fun for the fans."
Force said as a driver, she prefers the routine of qualifying for a Sunday finals.
"I like to know who I'm going up against, but again it's a great show for the fans," Force said. "It's just something different for our sport."
As callout points champion last year, Steve Torrence will get the first pick to call out another driver, followed by Doug Kalitta and defending 2023 Top Fuel GatorNationals champion Mike Salinas.
Torrence said calling out drivers isn't personal and that, in most instances, it's the crew chiefs making the decisions.
"We're calling out somebody because the crew chief thinks that's the person you can beat at that time," Torrence said. "So, the strategy is picking out the car that you think you can beat at that time based on who is left or who is in the show to pick."
Katilla said he intends to keep a close eye on qualifying rounds on Friday going into Saturday's event.
"We will see who is qualifying well on Friday, at least have a couple of rounds to see how the cars are performing," Kalitta said. "That was kind of my approach."
Held annually 1970, GatorNationals has served as a ground-breaking event for the NHRA. The drag race featured the first 260-mph Top Fuel and Funny Car runs in 1984 by Joe Amato and Kenny Bernstein, respectively, and the first 270-mph and 300-mph Top Fuel passes by Don Garlits and Kenny Bernstein in 1986 and 1992. Its 675-foot concrete launchpad is one of the longest on the tour.
Here's more information about this year's event:
What to know about the AMALIE Motor Oil 2024 NHRA Gatornationals
What: 55th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, the first event of the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Who: Drivers in four categories - Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle - earn points leading to the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series world championships. Also, in competition will be the Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, Factory Stock Showdown and Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors.
Where: Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla. Track is located on 11211 North County Road 225.
When: March 7-10
2024 NHRA Gatornationals Schedule
Thursday, March 7
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series qualifying at 8 a.m.
Top Alcohol qualifying at 6 p.m.
Friday, March 8
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series eliminations at 8 a.m.
Top Alcohol qualifying at 11:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Factory Stock Showdown qualifying at 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Pro Mod Drag Racing Series qualifying at 12:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Pro Stock qualifying at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Nitro qualifying at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 9
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series eliminations at 8 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.
Top Alcohol eliminations at 10:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
Factory Stock Showdown eliminations at 11:30 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Pro Mod Drag Racing Series qualifying at 11:15 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Pro Stock qualifying at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Top Fuel All-Star Callout opening ceremonies at 12:45 p.m.
Top Fuel All-Star Callout eliminations at 1 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 4:25 p.m.
Nitro qualifying at 1:20 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Sunday, March 10
Mission Foods Drag Racing Series eliminations begin at 10:30 a.m.
Pro Mod Drag Racing Series eliminations
Factory Stock Showdown eliminations
Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series eliminations
2024 NHRA Gatornationals on Television
Saturday, March 9, FS1 will televise one and half hours of the Top Fuel All-Star Callout at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 10, FS1 will televise three hours of finals coverage starting at 9 p.m.
2023 Event Winners
Mike Salinas, Top Fuel; Matt Hagan, Funny Car; Troy Coughlin Jr., Pro Stock; Gaige Herrera, Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Most Victories
Tony Schumacher, 5; John Force, FC; 8; Warren Johnson, PS, 9; PS; Eddie Krawiec, 6, PSM.
Track Records
Top Fuel – 3.646 seconds by Doug Kalitta, March ’23; 337.75 mph by Brittany. Force, March ‘22; Funny Car – 3.828 seconds by Robert Hight, March ’17; 336.23 mph by Ron Capps, March ‘22; Pro Stock – 6.450 seconds by Erica Enders, March ’22; 214.69 mph by Erica Enders, March ‘14; Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.665 seconds by Karen Stoffer, March ’22; 203.49 mph by Gaige Herrera, March ‘23
National Records
Top Fuel – 3.623 sec. by Brittany Force, Sep. ’19, Reading, Pa.; 338.94 mph by B. Force, Nov. ’22, Pomona, Calif.; Funny Car - 3.793 sec. by Robert Hight, Aug. '17, Brainerd; 339.87 mph by Robert Hight, July ’17, Sonoma, Calif; Pro Stock - 6.450 sec. by Erica Enders, March ‘22, Gainesville, Fla.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ’14 ,Englishtown N.J.; Pro Stock Motorcycle - 6.627 sec. by Gaige Herrera, Oct. ‘23, Dallas; 205.04 mph by Matt Smith, July ‘21, Sonoma, Calif.
Tickets
For tickets visit www.nhra.com/tickets/
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: 2024 NHRA Gatornationals: Schedule, TV times, more on 'call-out' event
