PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAN ABERNETHY |
Florida ’ s Gainesville Raceway has an action-packed schedule in 2024 , featuring several brand-new events , as well as returning staple attractions , and since the Florida climate is very favorable for year-round racing , Gainesville begins with test-and-tune sessions in mid-January . The first NHRA Summit bracket points race was completed in late January under near-perfect weather conditions , and with a huge car count filling the pits . Track manager Jodee Kennedy was pleased with the results and credits the two-day format with the boost in car count . “ In 2023 , we switched to a two-day format with our bracket races , and we experienced a 10-15-percent increase
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in car count ,” says Kennedy , who took over managing Gainesville in 2022 after a 17-year career at Atlanta Dragway , serving as track manager for the last five years of the track ’ s existence . “ When I was in Atlanta I tried to work with
Jodee Kennedy , Gainesville Raceway track manager
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tracks all around us , all the way into the Carolinas , in an effort to make a schedule where we weren ’ t on top of each other , and I ’ ve been real fortunate with our schedule this year , by not being on top of Bradenton , Orlando , South Georgia , and even North Florida Motorplex , even though they ’ re not an NHRA track ,” says Kennedy .
The bracket program at Gainesville will be robust in 2024 , with 16 races scheduled across eight weekends . February ushered in the return of the touring attraction Sick Week , as they kicked off the tour in Orlando , then visited Bradenton , Gainesville , and South Georgia before returning to Orlando to complete the weeklong tour .
Also returning in 2024 is Import Face-Off ,
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March / April 2024 |
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