NHRA: Mac Tools GatorNationals to resume April 20-21
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
April 17, 2001GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The 32nd annual Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals are scheduled to resume Friday, April 20, with a test and tune session for all five professional classes and seven sportsman categories. Final eliminations will be contested on Saturday, April 21, beginning at 11 a.m.
The $2 million dollar race, the third of 24 events on the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series, was postponed Sunday, March 18 due to persistent rains that blanketed the Gainesville area.
Record-setting performances highlighted the first three days of competition, such as the quickest Funny Car field in NHRA history. Chuck Etchells anchored the field with his blast of 4.960 seconds at more than 307 mph in his Kendall Camaro. The Pro Stock field featured the first all 200-mph field. Mike Dunn and his Yankees dragster set a track speed record as he blistered the quarter-mile at 326.79 mph. Track records also were set in Pro Stock, Pro Stock Bike and Pro Stock Truck.
Tony Schumacher, driver of the U.S. Army Top Fuel dragster and number 11 qualifier for the event feels the rain is a blessing for his team.
"The delay should defintely help the U.S. Army team," said Schumacher who will face Andrew Cowin in the first round. "We were struggling all weekend long. So, hopefully when we come back to Gainesville, we'll have all of our problems straightened out and get back on track."
The top qualifiers in the professional categories for the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals include, Gary Scelzi in Top Fuel (4.576 seconds, 322.58 mph); John Force in Funny Car (4.812, 317.19); Mark Pawuk in Pro Stock (6.842, 200.68); Antron Brown in Pro Stock Bike (7.208, 188.94); and Randy Daniels in Pro Stock Truck (7.431, 181.30).
Text provided by Anthony Vestal
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