NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming 53rd annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, which takes place March 10-13, 2022 at historic Gainesville Raceway.

After serving as the season opener during the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, the race returns to its traditional spot as the East Coast opener for the series and the third race of the year. The NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Shootout, pitting eight top drivers in the 11,000-hp class against each other in a one-day shootout, will also take place in Gainesville, marking a huge addition to what is annually one of the biggest races of the season.

Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence earned an automatic seed in the field in the No. 1 spot, and positions two through nine will earn points based on the final qualifying order at the first two races of the season to set the final seven positions. 

“Having this All-Star Top Fuel Shootout makes a huge event like the Gatornationals even bigger, and we know our fans can’t wait to enjoy this special shootout in March,” said NHRA Vice President -Track Management & Operations Kasey Coler. “So much incredible history has been made at Gainesville Raceway over the past five decades, and we look forward to adding to it in 2022.”
 
Josh Hart (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were winners of the 2021 event. Anderson and Smith ended the season as world champions, and Hart’s memorable victory came in his first Top Fuel start, making him just the sixth racer in NHRA history to win in their debut race. The race also serves as the traditional season opener in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

For decades, Gainesville Raceway has been hallowed grounds for the top stars in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, as each has looked to leave their mark at the storied facility in front of what has been a huge fan turnout year after year.
 
Tony Schumacher, who will return to full-time racing in Top Fuel in 2022, has won the Gatornationals five times, and John Force’s incredible legacy includes eight Funny Car wins. Ron Capps, the 2021 Funny Car world champ, has four wins at the facility, and 2021 champion and Pro Stock all-time wins leader Greg Anderson has enjoyed five victories in Gainesville. Eddie Krawiec’s six victories at the fan-favorite facility paces the Pro Stock Motorcycle category.

Action at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals will start with one qualifying run on Friday, a pair of qualifying sessions on Saturday, and eliminations on Sunday, as drivers will look to start the year with an early-season win. The race will also count toward the All-Star Shootout in Funny Car, which takes place in Indy later in the year, and feature the first race of the season in the NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and action in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general-admission area with a paid adult.