GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 7, 2024) – A huge field loaded with championship contenders ensures a must-see start for the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ this weekend as part of the 55th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
The star-studded field includes an impressive 26 Pro Mod entries to kick off the 2024 season. It’s the first of 10 races during the 2024 season and this weekend’s event is powered by FuelTech, a company well-represented in the NHRA Pro Mod world.
“We are thrilled to be the Pro Mod sponsor for Gatornationals, kicking off the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Series Presented by LearnEV+. Pro Mod exemplifies FuelTech’s continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive performance, it is where adrenaline meets precision engineering, and we are proud to support this exceptional racing community,” said Luis de Leon, Chief Operating Officer at FuelTech USA.
The kickoff event in Gainesville will also include the FTI Pro Mod Showdown, which was introduced last year at the historic event. The FTI Pro Mod Showdown will consist of the driver putting together the best E.T. average over the course of the four qualifying rounds. The winner will receive $7,500 from FTI Performance, adding another big incentive for the standout racers competing this weekend in Gainesville.
“FTI Performance and NHRA Pro Mod racing go hand-in-hand,” said Krista Baldwin, Director of Marketing of the Wharton Automotive Group. “What better way to celebrate that relationship than with the FTI Pro Mod Showdown. FTI Performance owner and Funny Car racer Paul Lee will present the winning check to the winner, and we are super excited to get to Gainesville and get the 2024 NHRA season underway.”
There should be plenty of racing highlight on the track as well, especially considering the diverse and talented field in the category. Mike Castellana is back to defend his championship and after a late-season surge last year to win the crown, which included a victory at the finale in Vegas, he’ll look to continue that momentum in Gainesville.
Justin Bond won the season-opener at the Gatornationals last year and stayed in the championship hunt throughout the year. To defend that victory, he’ll have to deal with a wealth of talented racers in the class, including 2022 world champion Kris Thorne, NHRA Pro Mod champs Jose Gonzalez and Khalid AlBalooshi and top drivers like Lyle Barnett, Sidnei Frigo, Doug Winters, Jason Scruggs and J.R. Gray.
Featuring the world’s fastest doorslammer race cars, the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ offers something unique and exciting for every drag racing fan. The class continues to grow in popularity and is highlighted by historic muscle cars and a variety of late-model American muscle cars, as well as a number of different power adders.
Two rounds of qualifying in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+ presented by Type A Motorsports take place on Friday at 12:45 and 6:30 p.m. ET at the legendary facility in Gainesville, while the final two qualifying rounds set for 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday. The first round of eliminations is slated for 12:15 p.m. ET on Sunday. The FTI Pro Mod Showdown will consist of the driver putting together the best reaction time and E.T. average during the three qualifying rounds, as well as the first round of eliminations on Friday and Saturday. The winner will receive $7,500 from FTI Performance.
To purchase tickets to the 2024 Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Children 12 and under are free in general admission areas with the purchase of an adult ticket. Get your tickets now for the Top Eliminator Club because these will sell out. For more info on NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.
About FuelTech
FuelTech offers four versions of its PowerFT engine management systems with its top-of-the-lineFT600, followed by FT550, FT550 LITE, and FT450. The systems are powerful and known for their extensive list of standard features including sequential injection and ignition, O2 Closed Loop, data logger, delay box, Boost Controller, Nitrous Controller, and so much more. Additionally, the company has developed FTSPARK, a very powerful CDI ignition system that is offered in two versions and can fit nearly any high-powered application. The stand-alone ignition setup can be utilized in mechanical fuel injection combinations, commonly found with Roots and Twin-screw supercharger packages, or can be combined with EFI applications regularly seen with supercharged, nitrous oxide, or twin turbocharged engines. From humble beginnings nearly 20 years ago to sponsoring the renowned Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, there is a reason you’re seeing #FuelTechEverywhere.
About NHRA
Headquartered in San Dimas, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 21 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by LearnEV+, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With 110 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
