GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida resident and Top Fuel driver Josh Hart drove his R+L Carriers dragster to Pep Boys All Star Callout victory and an $80,000 payday on Saturday at Gainesville Raceway.
It was Hart’s first appearance in a big money specialty race and the 2021 Gatornationals winner took out Austin Prock, Brittany Force and Mike Salinas en route to the win to start the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
“It’s a huge, huge accomplishment for our team, we have prepared like no other through December, January and February,” said Hart, in the Norm Froscher media center. “To go right out and win a specialty race right off the trailer is awesome. This R+L Carriers crew are the ones that should be sitting in the seat talking about this win. I’m just the jockey that gets to hit the gas. All the credit goes to the team. This is obviously off the charts awesome. But you have to not take anything like this for granted because it can go away just like that. Savor the moment.”
The two-time Top Fuel national event winner added, “I’ll just say that nice guys don’t finish last. When you go up against Prock, you gotta be deadly on the tree and I was off my game a little bit in that first round. It was my first competitive pass with this R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster. I was kind of nervous about staging. (Crew chief) Ron Douglas and the team saved me on that one.
“In round two against Force when she called me out, I think everybody was expecting that. That becomes a kill them with kindness type of situation. I left on her with a 40 light. With Salinas you know, he’s run some crazy numbers in testing and you always have that in the back of your mind, but I’m just glad that left on him. Ron and team again get the credit.”
With the Gatornationals looming tomorrow, Hart, the No. 7 qualifier, will face eight-time Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher in the first round. The third-year professional has a 1-1 record against the five-time Gatornationals Top Fuel winner. Last year during the NHRA Countdown, Hart outran Schumacher at the Carolina Nationals in Charlotte, N.C., in the first round.
Heading into race day, Hart does not feel additional pressure to win his second Gatornationals.
“No pressure, but I am 100 percent more relaxed because again, once you have the confidence and you’ve taken your sled down the track a couple of times you’re like, ‘I got this,’” Hart said. “It’s when things are going sideways and crazy and you’re pedaling and then you start psyching yourself out. So those guys on my team, they’re awesome. Like I said, they were the ones that should be sitting right here, not me.”
Pep Boys Top Fuel All Star Callout Results
First Round
Josh Hart (.084) 3.765, 331.77 mph def. Austin Prock (.063) 4.564, 164.89 mph
Brittany Force (.049) 3.744, 335.48 mph def. Clay Millican (.067) 5.247, 128.69 mph
Mike Salinas (.074) 3.751, 333.41 mph def. Justin Ashley (.033) 3.870, 299.06 mph
Doug Kalitta (.073) 3.753, 330.88 mph def. Steve Torrence (.099) 3.774, 331.28 mph
Semifinals
Mike Salinas (.068) 3.763, 330.63 mph def. Doug Kalitta (.072) 7.924, 101.35 mph
Josh Hart (.041) 3.757, 330.88 mph def. Brittany Force (.075) 8.884, 74.07 mph
Final
Josh Hart (.052) 3.748, 331.53 mph def. Mike Salinas (.077) 10.235, 74.57 mph