NHRA: GatorNationals Post Race Notes
24 March 1999
TOP FUEL* Mike Dunn, from Wrightsville, Pa., scored his second win of the season and eighth of his Top Fuel career, outrunning Doug Herbert in the final. It was Dunns first Gatornationals victory.
* Top Fuel finalist Herbert, from Cherryville, N.C., came up short on his bid to become the first Winston No Bull Challenge winner. He was selected through a special pre-race drawing as the driver eligible to win the $100,000 bonus.
* Dunn and Herberts final round battle was the quickest side-by-side Top Fuel race in NHRA history. Dunn ran 4.550 seconds at 319.98 mph to Herberts 4.563 at 318.62.
* Larry Dixon paced the quickest Top Fuel field in NHRA history with his Miller Lite dragsters 4.532 second elapsed time. The field was anchored by Paul Romine, who ran 4.697 seconds in his CARQUEST dragster. The previous quickest field featured a 4.728 second bump spot (1998 Revell Nationals, Dallas).
* Top Fuels oldest active competitors -- Eddie Hill, 63, and Connie Kalitta, 61 -- showcased their driving talents in a classic first round battle during eliminations. Hill won the round, using an ageless strategy -- dont ever give up. Hill had traction problems at the start and what seemed to be a sure win for Kalitta turned into a loss as Hills Pennzoil dragster streaked by Kalittas machine at the finish line, winning by mere inches.
FUNNY CAR
* Eight-time NHRA Winston champion John Force, from Yorba Linda, Calif., claimed his second victory of the season and 72nd of his career defeating upstart Cory Lee in the final. It was Forces sixth career victory at Gainesville Raceway.
* Force dominated the weekend in his Castrol GTX Ford Mustang, taking the win and setting national elapsed time and speed records in the process. Force lowered the elapsed time record to 4.799 seconds and upped the national speed record to 324.05 mph.
* Whit Bazemore paced the quickest Funny Car field in NHRA history with his Chuck Etchells-owned Kendall Chevrolet Camaros 4.856 second run. The field was anchored by Del Worsham, who ran 5.095 seconds in his Checker Schucks Kragen Pontiac Firebird. The previous quickest field featured a 5.126 second bump spot (1998 Pontiac Excitement Nationals, Columbus, Ohio).
PRO STOCK
* Warren Johnson, from Buford, Ga., earned his second victory of the season and 73rd of his career , driving his GM Goodwrench Pontiac Firebird to the win over son Kurt. It was Johnsons eighth victory at Gainesville Raceway.
* Johnson set national elapsed time and speed records during the weekend (6.866 seconds, 201.37 mph).
* Allen Johnson, from Greeneville, Tenn., received only minor bumps and bruises when his Amoco Dodge Avenger went out of control and crashed during first round eliminations.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE
* Angelle Seeling, from New Orleans, earned her first victory of the season and sixth of her career , riding her Team Winston Suzuki to the win over John Smith. It was Seelings first victory at Gainesville Raceway.
* Seeling set a national elapsed time record during the weekend (7.212 seconds), while Smith set the national speed mark for bikes at 192.22 mph.
PRO STOCK TRUCK
* Mark Osborne, from Abingdon, Va., earned his first victory of the season and first-ever in Pro Stock Truck , driving his RCL Components Chevrolet S-10 to the win over Team Mopars Todd Patterson. It was Osbornes first victory at Gainesville Raceway.
* Osborne set a national elapsed time record during the weekend (7.529 seconds), while Brad Jeter, from Greenville, S.C., set the national speed mark for trucks at 179.09 mph.