Gainesville Friday Recap

Records Mark First Day Qualifying At NHRA Mac Tools Gatornationals

by Ed Dykes

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - SUMMIT FastNews - John Force set track records for elapsed time and speed to lead Funny Car qualifying Friday at the 30th annual NHRA Mac Tools Gatornationals.

Force, from Yorba Linda, Calif., covered the Gainesville Raceway quarter-mile in 4.872 seconds at 316.52 mph in his Ford Mustang.

Larry Dixon, Warren Johnson, Angelle Seeling and Mark Osborne were also qualifying leaders in their respective professional categories at the $2.1 million race, the third of 22 events in the $40 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.

Dixon, from San Diego, led the 16-car Top Fuel order with a 4.541 at 318.24 in his Miller Lite dragster. Kenny Bernstein is currently second, while reigning champion Gary Scelzi failed to make a representative run and is mired in the fifteenth qualifying spot.

Buford, Ga.'s Johnson paced the Pro Stock order, running 6.921 at 199.52 in a Pontiac Trans Am. Allen Johnson's Dodge Avenger led qualifying after the day's first session; the Greenville, Tenn. driver is currently qualified second.

Seeling, from New Orleans, led Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying on a Suzuki with a 7.294 at 179.92. Reigning Winston Champion Matt Hines holds down the third slot after the day's two qualifying sessions.

Osborne, from Abingdon, Va., set a national elapsed time record to lead Pro Stock Truck, running 7.569 at 177.74 in a Chevrolet S-10. Reigning champion Larry Kopp is qualified second; there were thirty trucks vying for the sixteen available slots. The category will run their first two rounds of eliminations Saturday.

Qualifying in the remaining professional categories continues Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Results provided by the FastNews Network, courtesy of Summit Racing Equipment ** http://www.summitracing.com/ **