The Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at the Gainesville Raceway in Florida was full of fast cars, tire smoke, and lots of fun. Our own Camping World team—NHRA’s drag racing series sponsor—might have had the most fun at the racetrack over the weekend.
Among the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle races that went on all day, we managed to get in on the action, by drag racing a couple of 24 foot Coleman 19CM motorhomes.
Before we reveal the results of the motorhome race, let’s recap what the true drag racing results were.
2021 Gatornational Results
In the Top Fuel category, Josh Hart made history with a championship run of 3.82 seconds at 323 mph, beating out Shawn Langdon for the win. To achieve this he also beat defending champion Steve Torrence in the second heat.
In the Funny Car category, J.R. Todd managed to defeat Robert Hight and secure his 19th career nitro title. In the Pro Stock category, Greg Anderson won his 95th career Pro Stock victory, and he managed to do so on his 60th birthday. Last but not least, Matt Smith was the winner in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.
Coleman Motorhome Race
Our own Chris Young and Ian Baker got behind the wheel of two Coleman 19CM motorhomes for a drag race of their own. This race was tied to a giveaway of two Coleman LT17B travel trailers. A special sweepstakes promotion Camping World is running right now.
After talking a little smack at the starting line, Chris and Ian lined up in front of the Christmas tree and were set to rocket down the straight. The motorhomes moved off the line better than some folks at the race probably expected.
Ian got the good start, and for a moment it looked like he would be able to run away with it due to that start. However, by the end of the run, Chris had caught up and passed his opponent, winning the LT17B for Pam Rayburn.
The times for these motorhomes were, well, less than impressive by drag racing standards. Ian managed to make the run in 16.337 seconds at 67.88, and Chris managed 16.070 seconds at 67.38 mph.
It was announced after the race that Camping World decided to provide a travel trailer to both contestants. That means both Pam Rayburn and Chris Weatherby were able to get a Coleman LT17B travel trailer for their future adventures.
Future NHRA Camping World Races Coming
Camping World’s sponsorship with the NHRA has just begun. While you won’t see motorhomes racing at every racetrack, you will see the high-stakes drag racing that gets your heart thumping.
The series has many more races to come. Kicking things off in Gainesville is just the start, there are 20 more racetracks on the NHRA website, culminating in the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona, California from November 11 to 14. We encourage you to follow along, and if you’re a true drag racing fan, you—like us—know the best way to experience the racetrack is in an RV.
