Goodyear Racing Gainesville summary

GOODYEAR-EQUIPPED TEAMS DOMINATE GATORNATIONALS

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 22, 2005) -- Teams using Goodyear tires won seven times and set a world speed record during the Mac Tools Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. Goodyear's victory total was better than all other tiremakers combined.

Three of Goodyear's victories came in the Sportsman categories, while four came in the professional ranks. The Sportsman winners on Goodyear tires included Aaron Olivarez in Top Alcohol Dragster, Bob Newberry in Top Alcohol Funny Car, and Jeremy Preston in Super Gas. The professional drivers winning on Goodyear Eagles in the NHRA Powerade Series included Doug Kalitta in Top Fuel, Whit Bazemore in Funny Car and Jason Line in Pro Stock. Jay Payne won in Pro Mod.

Goodyear is the exclusive tire provider for the NHRA's Top Fuel and Funny Car classes. All other Goodyear wins at Gainesville came in classes open to competition among tiremakers.

Olivarez' victory in Top Alcohol Dragster came over Ashley Force in a very close all-Goodyear final. Olivarez was racing for just the fourth time in the class, including divisional races. His first round win marked the first time he'd ever won a round. Driving a car leased from Morgan Lucas, Olivarez beat Force by about seven inches.

Newberry's win in the Top Alcohol class was his 40th win in a national event and the fourth time he has won at Gainesville. He beat Mark Billington in the final.

Jeremy Preston won the final in Super Gas with a terrific reaction time of .021 of a second.

Payne set a world speed record for Pro Mods when he was timed at 236.03 miles per hour in the final round. He beat Mike Ashley. It was Payne's first win in the AMS Pro Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge. Payne is a veteran of the Top Alcohol classes.

Bazemore earned his first Gatornationals victory when he knocked off Bob Gilbertson in the final round. The victory put Bazemore in the Funny Car points lead.

Kalitta beat Larry Dixon to win the Top Fuel final and Jason Line beat Dave Connolly in the Pro Stock final.

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