Canada’s ERIC LATINO made more excellent strides forward at the NHRA season opener. He qualified a career high #4 for Pro Stock with the quickest run of his career so far – 6.467 secs!  Eric won his round one on Sunday — before losing a close tussle versus many time champion Jeg Coughlin Jr., in round two on a hole shot – 6.553 secs to Jeg’s 6.565 secs.

Quebec’s DANIEL MERCIER most certainly did have an “eventful event”! Mercier rode out a wild 320+ mph tire exploding incident in qualifying but rebounded from that with a 2nd round placing in Top Fuel eliminations.   Daniel also had to dodge opponent Tripp Tatum who crashed his car along side him in a round #1 pairing.  The NHRA Gainesville event was in fact Daniel’s 25th career NHRA national event TF start — also an impressive number.

The two highly anticipated Canadian Pro Mod cars driven by JUSTIN BOND and defending World Champ JORDAN LAZIC faced off in the one and only Pro Mod round of qualifying.  Justin (from Mission BC – far lane) roared to a 5.709 secs to qualify #2 while Jordan (Rutland BC) slowed to a DNQ run.  Pro Mod class racing for the Gainesville race is rescheduled and will now be decided at NHRA Chicago later this spring.

A couple of great Canadian Mopar cars were entered at Gainesville with both DARCY CLARK (Alberta) and WENDALL HOWES  (New Brunswick) doing wheels up launches.  Wendall was the quickest qualified Canadian car in Super Stock — going .943 under his SS/IA index.  Darcy was .927 under SS/EA.

JEFF CHATTERSON (from Brantford) was the only Canadian car entered for the TAD class at the Gatornationals.  Jeff took his injected nitro car to a #14 qualifier — but he lost out to Jackie Fricke in round #1 by a 5.251 secs to 5.455 secs margin.

Lots of eyes on Canada’s SPENCER HYDE during his fuel Funny Car class debut as driver for the Jim Head Racing team!   But Spencer’s best run (a potential 3.9 secs clocking) was DQ went the car knocked down a cone during his 2nd qualifier – the end result being missing the 16-car field at his first race in the class.

JORY ELLIOTT (from London ON) drove the Fletcher Family Racing Cobra Jet Mustang at the Gatornationals – his first career entry for that event.  Jory won his FSS/A class in the 2012 model.  *Some more news on the horizon coming for he and that team (to be posted to DragRaceCanada in the near future).

Also making her first appearance as a driver at Gainesville was CHELSEA CLARK – daughter to the “one and only” Wally Clark.  Chelsea qualified the team’s 2002 GT/HA Pontiac which is based from Niagara Falls ON.

Two of the Maritime provinces most famous drag racing names – TODD PATON & WENDALL HOWES — caught talking strategy and tech (and seafood?) during NHRA Gainesville!

A cool photo which very much just simply — Speaks for Itself!