NHRA launches year-long celebration leading up to 50th annual GatorNationals - Speedway Digest

Today at the 49th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, drag racing legend “Big Daddy” Don Garlits helped NHRA announce the launch of a momentous celebration leading up to the 50th year of this iconic event in 2019. The NHRA Legends Tour will feature some of NHRA’s most beloved figures from the early days of drag racing including Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, Kenny Bernstein, Tom “Mongoose” McEwen, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Joe Amato, Ed “The Ace” McCulloch, “The Bounty Hunter” Connie Kalitta, and “Big” Jim Dunn, as well as a host of local drag racing heroes.

At each stop on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit, the NHRA Legends Tour will provide fans with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interact with a few of the most renowned names in drag racing at meet-and-greets, autograph sessions and a variety of other activities. The tour wraps up next year in Gainesville, Fla. as all of the biggest stars in drag racing come together for one colossal blowout to celebrate the 50th annual Gatornationals. Never before have so many NHRA legends been gathered in one place.

“The 50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals will be a ‘bucket-list’ event for any devoted drag racing fan,” said NHRA president Glen Cromwell. “All of NHRA’s fan favorites will be there to celebrate the rich history of this event.”

“Gainesville Raceway is one of the most iconic tracks in the country,” said Garlits. “We want to celebrate by bringing all of the NHRA legends together in one place. You won’t want to miss this!”

The Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, held each March at Gainesville Raceway, is one of NHRA’s longest standing annual events going back to the days of muscle cars, rock ‘n’ roll and Coca-Cola. While the engines are faster and the tracks are safer these days, the true spirit of drag racing remains at Gainesville Raceway. The Gatornationals are a community staple providing entertainment and economy to the area.

Beginning this weekend, the NHRA Legends Tour will take place at each stop on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series leading up to the 50th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, currently scheduled to take place March 14-17, 2019. Appearances are subject to change. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.nhra.com/gatornats.

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.