By: NHRA (Photos Courtesy NHRA)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2025) – As part of the 2025 NHRA Foods Drag Racing Series season kick-off at the 56th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, NHRA fans will once again be treated to the third annual Gatornationals Kickoff Party and Fanfest at Burnyzz Speed Shop in Ocala on Wednesday March 5 from 6-9 p.m.
The free event offers an epic fanfest to head into one of the biggest events of the year in Gainesville. Featuring a massive car show, live music, food trucks and a driver autograph session from 7-8:30 p.m. that will include NHRA legends and current standouts, the fanfest at the state-of-the-art facility owned by Brittanie Hart and her husband, Top Fuel driver Josh Hart, promises something special to help kick off the 2025 season.
Fans will also get an up-close look at the “Golden Gator” trophy that will be awarded to the winners of Gatornationals.
“This year we have well over 40 drivers signed up to be here, autographing hero cards and items that fans may bring,” said Brittanie Hart co-owner of Burnyzz Speed Shop. “We’re super excited. This is our first year that we’ve had a sponsor for the event. Citizens First Bank reached out, and they just thought that it was such a great event, so they wanted to be a part of it. We have a different charity this year.
“We try to choose a different one each year that we put on this event. So, all funds we raise will be donated to EARS, a local endangered animal sanctuary. We’ll have the live band, about eight food trucks, balloon animals, face painting and tons of cool cars. There will be handmade trophies for the car show. It should be a lot of fun.”
The autograph session will feature more than 30 NHRA drivers, as fans will have the opportunity to meet their favorite drivers before the 2025 season kicks off. Drivers include past Gainesville winners Josh Hart, Brittany Force and Jack Beckman, as well as reigning Funny Car champion Austin Prock. Also on the roster is NHRA legend and Florida native Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, as well as NHRA drivers Justin Ashley, Jasmine Salinas, Shawn Reed, Cruz Pedregon, Paul Lee, Daniel Wilkerson, Jeg Coughlin Jr., Camrie Caruso, Aaron Stanfield and many more.
In 2024, Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the Gatornationals to open the year. This year’s race will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 9. Fans will also get to see the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout on Saturday, as eight star drivers take part in the bonus race that promises big money and bragging rights. Antron Brown is the defending winner of the specialty race.
The Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals will see the season debut in the highly competitive Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series and the Flexjet NHRA Factory Stock Showdown class, as well as a full slate of sportsman classes in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which features some of the sport’s top drivers.
Race fans at Gainesville Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation in Gainesville. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the event winners of the season-opener.
The Nitro Alley Stage is a huge attraction all weekend and is the main entertainment hub in the pits when the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series competitors are not on the track, hosting Nitro School, NHRA Insider Live, meet and greets and much more. Before the first round of eliminations on Sunday, fans can enjoy a C-17 flyover from the Mississippi Air National Guard’s 172nd Airlift Wing.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 7, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 8 at 12:30 and 3:10 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 9.
The first round of the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET and the semifinals are at 2:20 p.m. The finals are slated for 3:30 p.m. A special Callout broadcast will air at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.
To purchase tickets to the 2025 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. General parking is free and limited preferred parking is available for purchase. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info on NHRA, including the full weekend schedule in Gainesville, please visit www.NHRA.com.
