GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Robert Hight topped Saturday’s Funny Car qualifier at Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in an attempt to open the season with three straight wins.
Hight ran 3,831 seconds at 333.41 mph in a Chevrolet Camaro for the first qualifying round of the season and 72nd overall. He opened the season with wins in Pomona, California, and Chandler, Arizona.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to be number one,” Hight said. “We just need to run well to have a solid base for tomorrow. Tomorrow we will have to improve a little bit but when we do that it will run even better. This is amazing – 14 out of 15 runs, it’s gone for 3.80 years.”
Tripp Tatum leads the Top Fuel category, Aaron Stanfield leads the Pro Stock team and Matt Smith takes the top spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle based on points from last season.
Tatum raced to the first qualifying round of his career, the fastest lap in track history with a record of 3,674 at 331.53.
Score leader Stanfield made the fastest lap in electronic fuel injection history in Pro Stock with a lap time of 6,468 at 211.66 in a Camaro.
Unable to complete Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifier on Saturday.
Steve Torrence, Brittany Force, Mike Salinas and Justin Ashley won first-round races in the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout. The final two rounds of the special event will be completed at Dodge Power Brokers US Nationals in Indianapolis in September.
