Courtesy of the NHRA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Chris McGaha enjoyed his finest season in Pro Stock in 2015, winning three races, advancing to five final rounds and becoming a legitimate championship contender.

Chris McGaha of Odessa is hoping to put his Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevrolet Camaro in Winner’s Circle at this weekend’s 47th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

But in a sense, McGaha feels like he is starting over during the early part of the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season and he is just fine with embracing that challenge. The class has new rules and a new look, including fuel-injected engines, shorter wheelie bars, flat hoods and a 10,500 RPM rev-limiter.

It created a significant learning curve for the entire class, but McGaha is ready to take the next step in his Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevrolet Camaro at this weekend’s 47th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

“Like we did last year, we are going back to the start,” said McGaha, who advanced to the final round at the most recent event in Phoenix. “Where we want to improve is to win a race. As an engine builder, I don’t want us to get lost because you can get lost with the tune-up real quick with this new fuel injection. It can happen to us and it could happen to any of the teams out here. We want to win a race. That’s our first goal because everything has changed.”

Spencer Massey (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the tradition-rich event that will be televised on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), including live finals coverage at 1 p.m. (ET). The Gatornationals marks the third of 24 races during the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Series season and a win at the famed event would be a significant achievement in McGaha’s career, which took a major upward swing in 2015.

Chris McGaha of Odessa enters this weekend’s NHRA Gatornationals ranked fifth in the Pro Stock point standings. NHRA photo

A first-round loss in Pomona was not the way he hoped to start this season, but McGaha rebounded nicely in Phoenix before falling to Jason Line in the final round. There are questions that still need to be solved and adjustments that still need to be made, but McGaha, who finished fourth in points in 2015, is confident his team will get there.

“We did adjust some things going into Phoenix but we had a lot of the same issues in Phoenix,” McGaha said. “Our plan was to suck it up because I’m confident in our team that the worst case scenario would have us fifth or sixth in the qualifying order. We knew we had issues but we just let it be and went to the finals.

“We felt pretty comfortable after doing the first test session in Phoenix before Pomona but still, there’s been ongoing little issues and we’ve been addressing them. We’ve found some things the last two weeks that will help us overcome those issues. We think we found some of the issues but we just need to get to the racetrack and see when we test before Gainesville.”

While still early in the season, the Gainesville race marks an important time for McGaha, currently fifth in points, to make headway on the Summit Racing Equipment Chevy duo of Greg Anderson and Line. The teammates, who have a combined for seven wins at Gainesville Raceway, appear to have adjusted quickly to the new fuel-injected engines, with Anderson winning the opening event and Line following suit in Phoenix.

Other standout competition in Pro Stock includes two-time defending champion Erica Enders, two-time Gatornationals winners Allen Johnson and Jeg Coughlin Jr., Drew Skillman, Vincent Nobile and Phoenix No. 1 qualifier Bo Butner. But for the moment, Texas native McGaha is focused on trying to catch the Anderson-Line KB Racing team.

“Right now, KB Racing has the advantage right off the bat and we’re trying to get to where they are at this point,” McGaha said. “I’m confident in my Harlow Sammons team that we can get to where they are and it’s just a matter of time. Time will tell. I think our team is capable of overcoming these new setups and being a contender in the class.”

Winning in Gainesville would go a long way in making that happen, bringing plenty of early-season momentum along with it. McGaha is just 76 races into his Pro Stock career, but he’s well-versed in the history of the Gatornationals and just how meaningful a win there is for a driver.

“It’d be a big deal to win in Gainesville,” McGaha said. “2012 was my first time racing there and that’s when I made my debut with my own team. I almost ran the table until eliminations; we were really fast. If the U.S. Nationals is the top race to win, I would say winning the Gatornationals would be in the top three races to win. That’d be pretty neat to win.”

In Top Fuel, Steve Torrence will bring the confidence he gained from his win at the Winternationals in Southern California to the fabled Florida race. Drivers like reigning world champion Antron Brown, four-time event winner Tony Schumacher, 2014 event winner Doug Kalitta and rising star Leah Pritchett, who won her first career race in Phoenix, will do everything in their power to knock him off the top, as will 2013 champ Shawn Langdon, J.R. Todd, Phoenix runner-up Brittany Force and Clay Millican.

In Funny Car, Pomona winner Capps has enjoyed victory at the Gatornationals three times, including last season, and the San Diego resident hopes to do so again this year. He’ll face off against the likes of Tim Wilkerson, who won the most recent event in Phoenix, defending world champion Del Worsham, Alexis DeJoria, Courtney Force, seven-time event winner John Force, Robert Hight, Jack Beckman, Cruz Pedregon and Tommy Johnson Jr., among others.

The Pro Stock Motorcycle class will make its 2016 season debut at the AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. The two-wheeled class races at 16 events throughout the season and reigning world champ Andrew Hines is after his third consecutive world championship and sixth overall. Trying to prevent him from getting there will be teammate and three-time event winner Eddie Krawiec, 2015 event winner Stoffer, Louisiana alligator farmer Jerry Savoie, three-time champ Angelle Sampey and two-time world champion Matt Smith.

The event also will serve as the season-opening race for the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Series and feature plenty of thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 12:45 and 4:15 p.m. on Friday, March 18 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, March 19, at 12 and 3:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 20.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call (800) 884-NHRA (6472) or visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.

AMALIE MOTOR OIL NHRA GATORNATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: 47th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, the third of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships. Competition also will be featured in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series and the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Series.

WHERE: Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Fla. The track is located on 11211 North County Road 225 in Gainesville.

WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, March 17-20

SCHEDULE:        

THURSDAY, March 17 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying

FRIDAY, March 18 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations

NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at noon and 3:30 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 12:45 and 4:15 p.m.

SATURDAY, March 19 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations

NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2 p.m. Round 1 of eliminations at 5:15 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at noon and 3:15 p.m.

SUNDAY, March 20 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:      

Friday, March 18, FOX Sports 1 (FS1) will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 9 p.m. (ET).

Saturday, March 19, FS1 will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 6:30 p.m. (ET).

Sunday, March 20, FS1 will televise three hours of live finals coverage at 1 p.m. (ET).

2015 EVENT WINNERS: Spencer Massey, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Greg Anderson, Pro Stock; Karen Stoffer, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

MOST VICTORIES: Warren Johnson, 9, PS; John Force, 7, FC; Don Prudhomme, 5, FC; Joe Amato, 4, TF; Kenny Bernstein, 4, FC/TF; Larry Dixon, 4, TF; Don Garlits, 4, TF; Jason Line, 4, PS; Ed McCulloch, 4, FC; Tony Schumacher, 4, TF; Dave Schultz, 4, PSM; Terry Vance, 4, PSM.

TRACK RECORDS:            

Top Fuel – 3.743 seconds by Morgan Lucas, March ’12; 329.02 mph by Spencer Massey, March ’15.

Funny Car – 4.022 seconds by Cruz Pedregon, March ’15; 317.12 mph by Robert Hight, March ’12.

Pro Stock – 6.473 seconds by Mike Edwards, March ’12; 214.69 mph by Erica Enders, March ’14.

PS Motorcycle – 6.750 seconds by Eddie Krawiec, March ’12; 199.26 mph by Krawiec, March ’11.

NATIONAL RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.680 sec. by Antron Brown, Aug. ’15, Brainerd, Minn.; 332.75 mph by Spencer Massey, Aug. ’15, Brainerd, Minn.

Funny Car – 3.884 sec. by Jack Beckman, Nov. ’15, Pomona, Calif. and 331.45 mph by Matt Hagan, Nov. ’15, Pomona, Calif.

Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C. and 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ‘14, Englishtown N.J.

PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88 mph by Hector Arana Jr., March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.

TICKETS: For tickets call (800) 884-NHRA (6472). Tickets also available online at www.NHRA.com/tickets.

NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

GLENDORA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the second of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series –

Top Fuel:  1.  Doug Kalitta, 171; 2.  Steve Torrence, 163; 3.  Brittany Force, 133; 4.  Clay Millican, 131; 5. Leah Pritchett, 129; 6.  Antron Brown, 110; 7.  Richie Crampton, 109; 8.  J.R. Todd, 105; 9.  Tony Schumacher, 98; 10.  Terry McMillen, 97.

Funny Car:  1.  Ron Capps, 183; 2.  John Force, 168; 3.  Robert Hight, 158; 4.  Del Worsham, 154; 5.  Tim Wilkerson, 147; 6.  Courtney Force, 141; 7.  Jack Beckman, 121; 8.  Alexis DeJoria, 87; 9.  Chad Head, 86; 10.  Tommy Johnson Jr., 85.

Pro Stock:  1.  Jason Line, 227; 2.  Greg Anderson, 209; 3.  Bo Butner, 171; 4.  Drew Skillman, 131; 5.  Chris McGaha, 129; 6.  Jeg Coughlin, 106; 7.  Allen Johnson, 87; 8.  Vincent Nobile, 86; 9.  Deric Kramer, 83; 10.  Alex Laughlin, 66.