NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

With the exception of Top Alcohol Funny Car, which was won by reigning world champion Sean Bellemeur, rain claimed the final rounds of Lucas Oil Sportsman racing and the SAMTech.edu Factory Stock Showdown at Gainesville Raceway during the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.

While the four Mello Yello classes, E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mods, and Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley classes all finished eliminations before the second rain shower of the day, the final rounds of the other 10 classes will now be completed at future dates and sites to be decided.

The Factory Stock Showdown final, between Aaron Stanfield and his car owner, Dave Janac, will be contested during the second qualifying session at next weekend’s Mopar Express Lane NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Pennzoil at World Wide Technology Raceway outside of St. Louis.

Bellemeur took the victory in Top Alcohol Funny Car over perennial title contender Doug Gordon, 5.46 to 5.45, to score his first national event victory of the year in the Bartone Bros. Camaro and the 19th of his career. Gordon, at the wheel of his Beta Motorcycles Camaro, was the recent winner of the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals and is the current points leader.

The Gatornationals Top Alcohol Dragster final round will pit Julie Nataas, looking for her second career victory, against two-time U.S. Nationals champ and Florida favorite Josh Hart. that final round will take place during qualifying at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex on the weekend of Oct. 16-18.

The remaining Sportsman competition, which is a carryover from the pandemic-canceled NHRA Southern Nationals (Gatornationals Sportsman champions were crowned in mid-March before racing was shut down), will be completed on the following dates:

Super Stock will pit Robbie Draughon against Kevin Riner, to be completed at the Division 2 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Rockingham Dragway the weekend of Oct. 16-17, while the Stock finale will feature Keith Bennett taking on Brenda Grubbs during the Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals Presented By Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park the weekend of Oct. 23-25.

In the Super classes, it will be Joseph Moeckel versus Allan Ackles in Super Comp, Christopher Lewis versus Larry Forbes in Super Gas, and Jimmy Daniel versus Jonathan Anderson in Super Street. Super Comp and Super Street will be completed at the South Georgia Motorsports Park National Open next weekend, Super Gas at the aforementioned Rockingham LODRS.

Wayne Landry will square off against George Ebel in the Top Dragster presented by Vortech Superchargers final while reigning world champ Sandy Wilkins will battle Darian Boesch in Top Sportsman presented by Vortech. Dates and venues have not yet been decided.