Terry McMillen, driver of the 10,000-horsepower Amalie Motor Oil InstiGator dragster, will put on a display of power and precision in Gainesville March 11 at noon in front of Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza restaurant at the Holiday Inn University Center.
McMillen and his team will light the wick on his Top Fuel dragster and let it thunder to life in front of area fans of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. When the car shuts off, the team will display the rebuilding process that crews take part in between rounds of racing at NHRA events across the country.
The highly trained group will begin a precise ballet in which it removes major components of the car, such as the blower, headers, and pistons, and changes the oil in the engine. In less than 30 minutes, the team will fully reassemble the motor and restart the machine. This will all be done in the amount of time it takes to get an oil change at a quick-service auto-repair shop.
This event will also serve to kick off the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, March 12-15 at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville. This historic event is the East Coast opener for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and is one of the premier events on the circuit. Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Warren Johnson, and Kenny Bernstein cemented their legendary status at the track through the years, and drivers will again look to win the Gators in sunny Florida.
The 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season is in full swing and has the potential to become one of the most exciting years in drag racing history. The best in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle will again battle for the coveted race victory at one of drag racing’s most tradition-rich events. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock), and Steve Johnson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the race, which will again be televised on ESPN2.
Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, March 13, with sessions at noon and 3 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, March 14, at noon and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday, March 15.
