It wound up a weekend to remember for Ocala driver Josh Hart at 2026 NHRA Gatornationals.
It began when Hart set a Gainesville Raceway speed record during qualifying, going 340.3 miles per hour in his Burnyzz/Speedmaster John Force Racing dragster, and continued when he earned a top qualifying spot in an NHRA event for the first time in his career.
On Sunday, March 8, Hart took home the Diamond Wally Trophy, beating two-time series champion Doug Kalitta in the Top Fuel finals with a time of 3.73 seconds.
Hart picked up his second career Gatornationals win and first since 2021. He also kicked off NHRA’s 75th anniversary win by picking up his first checkered flag for John Force Racing after joining the racing team this past offseason.
“Last time I did this it was storybook, and I think we just beat it,” Hart said. “We crushed every record that I had in my career in the first weekend with John Force Racing. Those guys are absolutely awesome, the most professional team I’ve ever been a part of.”
With no member of the Force family racing at Gatornationals for the first time since 1976, Hart still managed to keep the Force team in the winners circle. Former Gatornationals champion Brittany Force retired from the NHRA racing circuit this past offseason to start a family.
To prepare for racing for Team Force, the 42-year-old Hart said he focused on fitness during the offseason, dropping 15 pounds.
“Starting focusing on reactions, paying attention to closing my team down with dignity and then I had the offseason to really think about it and clear my head,” Hart said.
Hart waited through an hour and 45-minute rain delay for his finals run with Kalitta, who was seeking his first Gatornationals win since 2005.
“It’s definitely a confidence builder, knowing that you have a competitive car,” Hart said. “As a driver I think the semifinals was me proving I could still drive the car, pedaling it without banging the blower and making sure I got it down the track without hurting the car. That’s the confidence. You just need more seat time.”
A Huntington, Indiana native, Hart moved to Ocala in 2010 to found Burnyzz Speed Shop. He became an NHRA Drag Racer a year later in 2011 and earned his Top Fuel license a year later.
“It’s a storybook ending,” Hart said. “We crushed all of our first quarter priority goals all in one weekend … the fan energy here at home, I can’t put it into words. They kept me going.”
Who else won at 2026 NHRA Gatornationals
Chad Green defended his title in the Funny Car division, beating Alexis Dejoria in the finals with a time of 3.95 seconds and a speed of 329.91 mph for his second straight Gatornationals win. Green credited the win to his crew chiefs.
“They’ve nailed it here the last couple of years,” Green said. “That’s for sure.”
In the Pro Stock division, Matt Hartford picked up his ninth career NHRA win and first since 2023, beating six-time world champion Greg Anderson with a time of 6.53 seconds at 210.41 mph.
In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Richard Gadson ended Gaige Herrera’s four-year winning streak at Gatornationals. Herrera was knocked out in the quarterfinals, clearing the way for Gadson to beat John Hall with a time of 6.75 seconds at a speed of 200.05 mph on his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki.
2026 NHRA Gatornationals results
Top Fuel
Quarterfinals
Maddi Gordon (3.78 seconds) d. Tony Schumacher (3.86 seconds); Antron Brown (3.81 seconds) d. Tony Stewart (3.82 seconds); Doug Kalitta (3.76 seconds) d. Leah Pruett (3.87 seconds); Josh Hart (3.79 seconds) d. Tripp Tatum (3.84 seconds).
Semifinals
Josh Hart (4.48 seconds) d. Antron Brown (4.55 seconds); Doug Kalitta (3.75 seconds) d, Maddi Gordon (4.63 seconds)
Finals
Josh Hart (3,73 seconds) d, Doug Kalitta (3.87 seconds)
Funny Car
Quarterfinals
Alexis Dejoria (4.04 seconds) d. Spencer Hyde (4.06 seconds); J.R. Todd (4.03 seconds) d. Daniel Wilkerson (4.15 seconds); Jordan Vandergriff (3.99 seconds) d. John Smith (6.77 seconds); Chad Green (3.96 seconds) d. Matt Hagan (3.97 seconds)
Semifinals
Chad Green (3.98 seconds) d. Jordan Vandergriff (4.06 seconds); Alexis Dejoria (4.04 seconds) d. J.R. Todd (4.20 seconds)
Finals
Chad Green (3.95) seconds d. Alexis Dejoria (5.00 seconds)
Pro Stock
Quarterfinals
Dallas Glenn (6.58 seconds) d. Matt Latino (6.60 seconds); Matt Hartford (6.56 seconds) d. Aaron Stanfield (6.58 seconds); Erica Enders (6.56 seconds) d. Cody Caughlin (6.58 seconds); Greg Anderson (6.54 seconds) d. Cody Anderson (red light).
Semifinals
Matt Hartford (6.57 seconds) d. Dallas Glenn (17.83 seconds); Greg Anderson (6.57 seconds) d, Erica Enders (6.60 seconds).
Finals
Matt Hartford (6.53 seconds) d. Greg Anderson (6.56 seconds)
Pro Stock Motorcycle
Quarterfinals
Richard Gadson (6.76 seconds) d. Chase Van Sant (6.80 seconds); Steve Johnson (6.79 seconds) d. Angie Smith (6.85 seconds); John Hall (6.74 seconds) d. Gaige Herrera (6.75 seconds); Clayton Howey (6.82 seconds) d. Matt Smith (6.83 seconds).
Semifinals
Richard Gadson (6.81 seconds) d. Clayton Howey (7.11 seconds); John Hall (6.83 seconds) d. Steve Johnson (6.86 seconds).
Finals
Richard Gadson (6.75 seconds) d. John Hall (6.79 seconds).
Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Ocala’s Josh Hart set track record, wins Top Fuel title at 2026 NHRA Gatornationals
Reporting by Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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