The Pacific Division got NHRA’s 75th anniversary season started last month, and then the power shifted to the Southeast with a pair of division races sandwiching the famed Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
A week ago, the first of NHRA’s Southeast Division Lucas Oil races took place at Orlando Speed World, and early leaders emerged. Incoming Division 2 champion Monty Bogan’s win in Comp over Matt Alvey was impressive, and the Alvey family played a strong hand at the opener as they nearly waltzed out with a trio of trophies. While Matt Alvey came one win light shy of victory, Austin Alvey nearly doubled with a win in Super Stock and a final-round finish in Stock. Terry Hembree claimed the Stock trophy there at the first race for the region, with John Labbous Jr. winning Super Comp, Mike Griggs racing to victory in Super Gas, Larry Pulver scoring in Super Street, Dale Thaxton in Top Sportsman, and Tisha Wilson in Top Dragster.
With diamond Wally trophies in hand, many of the Orlando victors trekked straight to Gainesville for the Gatornationals followed by the Baby Gators, the first national and second Lucas Oil Division 2 race of the season.
Notes from the Field
The fields for the Gatornationals were set with Matthew Alvey going -.611 under in his H/AA Chevy for the No. 1 spot in Comp, Doug Duell driving his C/SA ’69 Cuda to a -1.060 under in Stock, and GT/IA ’04 Cavalier pilot Chelsea Tindle going -1.099 under for the top spot in Super Stock. By midday Saturday, Alvey’s run in Comp continued with a win by an incredibly slim .0004 margin over defending event champ Glen Treadwell.
After round two, Top Sportsman No. 1 qualifier Glenn Butcher had tucked away a pair of win lights, including a second-round victory over defending event champ Doug Crumlich. Top Dragster top qualifier Steve Furr advanced with a win over Donna Patterson, and last year’s winner Wayne Brooks got the nod ahead with a defeat of Bryan Sandlin. In a close match, Robert Houston, who won Super Comp here last year, ran dead-on with a 6.587 to defeat Anthony Bertozzi by five-thousandths.
Although she was out early in Stock, Brenda Grubbs was still in the Super Stock fight after Saturday morning eliminations in her effort to defend the title she scored here last year. Jason DeWitt was still in title-defense mode in Super Gas as well, as was defending world champion JJ Brock.
Trouble for Stock Eliminator world champion Bubba Linke in round two spelled victory for Tim Barrett, who took out 2006 Stock world champ Randy Wilkes in round one. Linke had been part of a monster matchup in the first round when he came up against Jimmy Hidalgo Jr. It was Bubba vs. Cooter, two champs, two great racers, and it showed in the results. Bubba was .018 at the tree and dead-on 10.508 to Cooter’s .021 and dead-on 10.777 to in it by just two-thousandths of a second.
If that round is an indication of what NHRA’s 75th anniversary season is going to look like, we’re in for a fun ride. Buckle up!
Eliminations continue Saturday evening and into Sunday as the 57th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals come to a conclusion. Follow along on DragRaceCentral.com.
2025 Gatornationals winners
Top Alcohol Dragster … Matt Cummings
Top Alcohol Funny Car … Sean Bellemeur
Comp Eliminator … Glen Treadwell
Super Stock … Brenda Grubbs
Stock Eliminator … John Gray
Super Comp … Robert Houston
Super Gas … Jason DeWitt
Top Dragster … Wayne Brooks
Top Sportsman … Doug Crumlich
Factory Stock Showdown … Jason Dietsch
2025 National Champions
Competition Eliminator – Jeff Taylor (Division 4)
Super Stock – Justin Lamb (Division 7)
Stock Eliminator – Bubba Linke (Division 1)
Super Comp – Chad Webber (Division 7)
Super Gas – JJ Brock (Division 2)
Top Dragster – Casey Plaizier (Division 6)
Top Sportsman – Darian Boesch (Division 3)
2025 Division 2 Champions
Competition Eliminator – Monty Bogan Jr.
Super Stock – Kevin Helms
Stock Eliminator – Jeff Strickland
Super Comp – Chris Childress
Super Gas – JJ Brock
Super Street – Chip Johnson
Top Dragster – Jeff Strickland
Top Sportsman – Tom Schmidt
If you find an error in this story or have anything to add, please contact WinLight News editor Kelly Wade: kelly@winlightnews.com. Thanks for reading!
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