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Jasmine Salinas Pre-Race Report: Gainesville

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AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals
Event 1 of 20
Gainesville Raceway
Gainesville, Fla.
March 6-8, 2026

By: Scrappers Racing (Photo Courtesy Scrappers Racing)

JASMINE SALINAS
Driver of the Valley Services/Scrappers Racing Top Fuel Dragster

2025 NHRA Gatornationals Recap:
Qualified 10th; Semifinal finish (defeated Shawn Reed in E1, Dan Mercier in E2; defeated by Shawn Langdon in E3)

Career Statistics:
25 races; four semifinal finishes

Noteworthy:

  • Salinas returns to the seat of the Valley Services/Scrappers Racing Top Fuel dragster for the first time this weekend after a nearly five-month hiatus. She most recently took her 12,000-horsepower machine down the track at the Texas FallNationals last October
    • The last time Salinas sat out for more than 100 days (sidelined after Las Vegas 1 2025), she returned strong with a semifinal showing at the U.S. Nationals
  • The Gatornationals marks the first event with new Scrappers Racing crew chief Todd Okuhara at the helm
  • Salinas earned her first national event Wally trophy at the Gatornationals in 2022 when she defeated Julie Nataas in the final round of Top Alcohol Dragster eliminations
  • Just one year prior to her win, Salinas experienced a dramatic blowover crash at the same event

Fan Events:

  • Wednesday, 7 p.m., Fanfest at Burnyzz Speed Shop (1 Aspen Rd., Ocala) driver autograph session
  • Saturday, 10:30 am, Q&A with Hannah Rickards, Nitro Alley Stage

Quotable:
I’m really excited to be back racing at Gainesville! There’s been a lot of history for me at this track, so I’d love to add my first Top Fuel win to the list. Adem (Cave), Cole (Fergen), and Todd (Okuhara) have been putting in a lot of hours all off-season and working hard to make this season happen.

“We weren’t able to participate in any pre-season testing like a lot of the other teams, but we’re confident in our car and I’m getting more comfortable just jumping back in after being out for long periods of time. For Scrappers Racing, this year is about staying humble but letting everyone know that we’re here to win.”