GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Josh Hart made the quickest run in Gainesville Raceway historical past on Friday to open the NHRA season, taking the High Gas provisional No. 1 place on the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
Ron Capps (Humorous Automobile), Cody Coughlin (Professional Inventory) and Angie Smith (Professional Inventory Bike) are additionally the provisional No. 1 qualifiers on the first of 20 races throughout the 2026 NHRA Mission Meals Drag Racing Collection season.
Alternatives had been additionally made for the opening spherical of the big-money Proper Trailers High Gas All-Star Callout bonus race, which takes place on Saturday. High seed and reigning occasion winner Doug Kalitta chosen Clay Millican in a first-round rematch from final season. Shawn Langdon picked Shawn Reed, whereas Antron Brown selected Hart with the subsequent choose in a matchup of two former Callout winners. That left Tony Stewart and Justin Ashley because the remaining matchup for the eight-car subject.
Hart went 3.658 seconds at a track-record 340.30-mph in his 12,000-horsepower Burnyzz/Speedmaster dragster to shut out the primary two rounds of qualifying and mark a wildly-successful debut in his first race with John Power Racing.
It additionally places Hart in place to say his first profession No. 1 qualifier in what might be one other memorable weekend at his house observe. Hart received in his first profession begin to open the 2021 season in Gainesville after which received the Proper Trailers High Gas All-Star in 2023.
“I’m actually not used to this gig, so you need to bear with me,” Hart stated. “I’m tremendous blessed. John Power and the complete group have welcomed me like a member of the household. There is no such thing as a higher manner to do that than at your own home observe with everybody right here.
“I can’t actually put it into phrases. After I bought on this automobile and we went 340 in testing proper off the trailer, all I can say is it was so clean. You already know, my guys have it discovered. It’s a well-oiled machine. (Crew chief) David Grubnic is a former driver, so simply speaking to him is sort of a sounding board. I can ask him questions, and he’ll give me a straight reply, which I really like.”
Langdon is second with a run of three.681 at 338.09 and Leah Pruett, who’s making her first look since 2023, is third after going 3.690 at 329.10.
Three-time Humorous Automobile world champ Ron Capps was the one automobile to dip into the three.80s, delivering a stout 3.890 at 334.07 beneath the lights in his 12,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Elements Toyota GR Supra. Ought to that stand, Capps would get his thirty eighth profession No. 1 spot as he additionally seeks his fifth victory at Gainesville Raceway.
With a diamond Wally on the road to open NHRA’s seventy fifth anniversary season, Capps would love to select up the primary one of many season. This weekend additionally marks the primary race of Capps’ new teammate, High Gas rookie Maddi Gordon.
“It’s been a chaotic week. Properly, it’s been a chaotic couple of months,” Capps stated. “What we put collectively, mainly from scratch, bringing Maddi [Gordon] on and getting Rod Flynn onboard, then getting her licensed.
“I can’t think about successful this yr and getting a kind of (diamond Wally). It’s going to be cool. I can’t think about Maddi successful and getting one. Sometime we’re going to double up. That’s going to be off the hook. It’s a giant week. It’s a giant, massive kickoff to NHRA, and it means quite a bit. My complete grownup life has been on this sport, and I’m trying ahead to it.”
J.R. Todd bought bumped to the second spot with a 3.912 at 334.15 and Paul Lee took third after going 3.920 at 331.12.
In Professional Inventory, Cody Coughlin is off to a stellar begin after a stable rookie season in 2025, sitting atop a large 21-car subject on Friday because of a run of 6.523 at 210.01 in his Coughlin Building Chevrolet Camaro.
Coughlin went to at least one remaining spherical and earned a No. 1 qualifier throughout his debut season final yr in Professional Inventory for KB Titan Racing, and seems set on bettering in 2026.
“We put a chunk within the competitors this weekend to date,” Coughlin stated. “This automobile is nice, the KB Titan guys are the very best within the enterprise and simply proud to drive for them and that we had been capable of put a deal collectively to racewith one another. It’s simply nice.”
Matt Hartford took second on Friday in the identical pair as Coughlin with a run of 6.533 at 210.41, with Matt Latino proper behind because of a run of 6.533 at 210.37.
Smith took over the provisional spot in Professional Inventory Bike to shut out the day, going 6.740 at 199.58 on her Denso Auto Elements Buell, giving the veteran a robust exhibiting to open the 2026 season. Ought to that maintain, Smith would choose up her third profession No. 1 qualifier, which might be a welcome signal after ending fourth in factors a yr in the past.
However that season didn’t embrace a victory or a high qualifier, one thing Smith would love to alter this season and particularly early within the yr.
“This was an awesome day. Not the start of the day, however by the tip of the day,” Smith stated. “In Q1, we broke a transmission in half and also you by no means like to do this if you begin the season. Normally, elements breakage and issues like that occur in the course of the season, however for some cause, it simply snapped the shaft in half and I didn’t get a very good run.
“We simply knew that we needed to put our greatest foot ahead and we did. When that 6.74 got here up, I didn’t know if it was going to stay or not. There have been some fairly heavy hitters behind me. You already know, we labored actually, actually laborious on this low season, so hopefully our laborious work pays off this yr.”
Reigning world champion Richard Gadson is presently second with a 6.746 at 200.00 and Gaige Herrera is third after going 6.761 at 199.91.
