34th Mac Tools Gatornationals
Gainesville, FL (Mar. 13-16th, 2003)
Notes |
Results | Photos #1 | Photos #2
NATIONALS NOTEBOOK:
Rookie Top Fuel driver Brandon Bernstein proves that his win at Phoenix was anything but a fluke as he again storms past the field. Bernstein qualifies 2nd and wins a telltale and marquee semi final round head-to-head match against Larry Dixon at 4.537 secs 323.04 mph to 4.577 secs at 322.00 mph. Bernstein out guns first time Top Fuel finalist John Smith for the Gatornationals title.
Top Fuel racing includes a number of impressive performances. Besides John Smith’s unexpected trip to the final round, the event also includes a strong showing by 2nd generation rookie driver David Baca who wins two rounds before falling to Smith.
Top Fuel racing includes legends Shirley Muldowney and Don Garlits. Muldowney qualifies her pink flamed Mac Tools dragster on the bump at 4.694 secs but then spits a blower belt while racing Doug Kalitta in round one. Garlits does not qualify -- but does thrill the partisan home fans with a career best run of 4.761 secs at 323.04 mph.
Doug Kalitta qualifies on the pole for the third straight NHRA POWERade event this season. His 4.535 secs is low ET of the meet. The Mac Tools Gatornationals Top Fuel program proves to be histories quickest with a bump spot of 4.694 secs surpassing the 4.697 secs mark set here in 1999.
Funny Car racing features a real dandy looking Dodge Stratus driven by Gary Scelzi. Sponsored by Dodge the red rocket not only wins best appearing of the event, but also places in the semi final round.
As it seems to happen so often whenever John Force or Tony Pedregon stumble, it is the 3rd Force team car driven by Gary Densham that prevails. That is true again as Densham wins for the 5th time in his career using the tuning mastery of Jimmy Prock. Densham out powers Del Worsham in the final round -- 4.876 secs 320.85 mph to 4.906 secs 315.67 mph. The win puts Densham #1 in NHRA POWERade FC points after three races this season.
Ron Capps provides the event’s wildest moment when he has a fiery explosion during a round one victory over Tim Wilkerson. Capps clips the guardwall and is rocked by the incident. He and his crew do recover however and make repairs and get back in time for round two however Capps falls to eventual winner Densham.
Sportsman action at Gainesville is affected by severe rain that has plagued Florida in recent weeks. Saturated pit parking forces NHRA officials into an unprecedented decision to divert scheduled racing in Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp and Super Gas to Orlando Speedworld which is about 2.5 hours away. The original plan was to bring back the final 16 in each class back to Gainesville for Sunday however racers don’t agree with that. Ultimately action in those classes is totally completed at Orlando.
NHRA’s AMS Pro Mod series makes it’s 2003 season debut. No less then 23 cars attempt to make the 8-car field which is a swift one as it takes a run quicker then 6.259 secs to qualify. Tim McAmis, one of Pro Modified’s original drivers, wins the event on a single when his opponent Mitch Stott cannot fire his car. Fred Hahn paced the Pro Mod field with a 6.139 secs effort driving for Jim Oddy and Summit Racing. Hahn’s ET is the quickest yet in NHRA Pro Mod competition.
Kurt Johnson wins in Pro Stock with an impressive performance driving his all-new AC Delco 2003 Chevy Cavalier. Johnson wins from the #3 qualifying slot and beats defending NHRA World Champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. in a terrific final round. Johnson sets top speed of the meet at a track record 203.71 mph during qualifying.
Big news in Pro Stock is a great performance by Scott Geoffrion in the debut race for Hurley Blakeney’s 2003 Ford Escort ZX2. Geoffrion speeds to a shocking 6.798 secs at 202.70 mph to qualify 5th which is the quickest any Ford product has run in NHRA PS class history. Geoffrion beat Mark Pawuk in round one but is then gunned down by Jeg Coughlin in the second frame.
Angelle Savoie wins in dramatic fashion in Pro Stock Bike riding for her new team; “Team 23”. Savoie qualifies on the pole at 7.160 secs and defeats a red-lighting Geno Scali in the final round. Scali had set top speed of the meet at 186.83 mph.
2nd year rider Andrew Hines makes NHRA Pro Stock Bike class history when he qualifies a Harley Davidson for the first time in competition. Andrew hits a stunning 7.278 secs and 185.22 mph during qualifying which truly excites the capacity crowd. Hines then wins two rounds in before the bike breaks in the semi finals while racing Scali.
Pro Stock Bike racing at Gainesville attracts the biggest field in NHRA racing history with no fewer then 35 motorcycle riders attempting qualifying runs.
TAD racing is dominated by injected nitro cars with the final four all being of that variety. The final round features the #1 and #2 qualifiers with Bill Reichert and Tony Bartone facing one another. Reichert had set low ET and top speed in earlier action at 5.255 secs and 274.05 mph but it is Bartone that emerged the event winner running 5.351 secs and 268.41 mph to win his second straight NHRA title.
