NHRA Press Release: Gatornationals, March 14-17

02/22/96

FROM NHRA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TOP DRIVERS ALWAYS EMERGE AT MAC TOOLS GATORNATIONALS

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- When top drivers in the NHRA Winston Drag Racing
Series say they always pinpoint the Mac Tools Gatornationals as one of
the elite races of the season, believe them.

It's not just lip service. Not a clever public-relations ploy. Just
take a quick look at the history books, and you'll see why all of the
best drivers want to win on the fabled quarter-mile strip of asphalt
located northeast of town off Route 225.

Twenty of the 24 champions in the professional categories this decade
at Gainesville Raceway also have finished in the top five in the NHRA
Winston point standings the same season as their victory in the Mac
Tools Gatornationals. Few, if any, NHRA events can offer that story of
success during the 1990s.

Quite simply, the cream of the sport has dominated the Mac Tools
Gatornationals in the 1990s.  It's an event where only the strong
survive.

Expect that trend to continue at the 27th annual, $1,734,200 Mac Tools
Gatornationals, March 14-17 at Gainesville Raceway. The race is the
third of 19 events this season in the $27-million NHRA Winston Drag
Racing Series in 1996.

Three of the four pro champions of the Mac Tools Gatornationals in
1995 finished in the top five in points in their respective
categories. Larry Dixon finished third in Top Fuel, John Force won his
fifth championship in Funny Car and John Myers his third championship
in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Dixon proved he was no ordinary rookie by winning his second race of
the season in the Miller Genuine Draft Dragster owned by NHRA legend
Don "The Snake" Prudhomme.

Force nearly was a bystander in the final round. His team was forced
to change the engine and the clutch in his Castrol GTX Pontiac
Firebird between the semifinals and the final, and the car was towed
through the pits and to the starting line in tardy but dramatic
fashion as final-round opponent Dean Skuza waited. But Force cruised
past Skuza for his fourth consecutive victory at this event.

Myers also had problems in qualifying, ending up in the No. 7
spot. But he made it to the winner's circle at Gainesville Raceway for
the second consecutive year.

Dixon and Force will be strong contenders to win this season at
Gainesville. Force has appeared in the final each of the last five
years.  It's uncertain whether Pro Stock champion Darrell Alderman
will defend his title as the Wayne County Speed Shop team continues to
have problems with development of new engines for its Team Mopar Dodge
Avengers. Alderman and teammate Scott Geoffrion have not raced since
vandals entered the team's shop last May and destroyed all of the
team's engines.

Myers must be considered the favorite in Pro Stock Motorcycle, which
makes its season debut.  Myers made a stunning test pass of 7.35
seconds and another of 7.37, 186.10 mph on the Snap-on Tools Suzuki
during preseason testing in February at Gainesville. All three marks
-- unofficial because they were recorded in testing -- were better
than the NHRA national records.

Schedule: Pro qualifying starts with sessions at 11 a.m. and 3
p.m. March 15. Qualifying ends with sessions at 11 a.m. and 3
p.m. March 16. Final eliminations start at 11 a.m. March 17.
Sportsman competition starts at 8 a.m. March 14.

Tickets: Tickets are available for the Mac Tools Gatornationals. Call
Gainesville Raceway at (352) 377-0046 for ticket information. Tickets
can be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets throughout Florida.

On TV: The Nashville Network (TNN) will televise 60 minutes of
final-round competition from the Mac Tools Gatornationals on a
same-day, tape-delay basis at 6 p.m. (EST) March 17.