Sun, 08 Mar 2026, 19:07 PM Summary of Eliminations in Top Sportsman

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Summary of eliminations in Top Sportsman at the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, 57th annual AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals:

Round 1:

Robbie Steward, Strausburg VA, '97 Cutlass, TS, Right lane, (0.057) 7.20 7.582 0.382, def. Ron
Mergel, Saint Charles MO, '95 Avenger, TS, (0.010) 6.95 9.507 2.557

Thomas Schmidt, Lakeland FL, '10 GXP, TS, Right lane, (0.076) 6.87 6.878 0.008, def. Douglas Bussa,
South Glastonbury CT, '02 Camaro, TS, NT-Left Before Tree

Ronald Riegel, Fairless Hills PA, '68 Camaro, TS, Right lane, (0.019) 6.84 6.826 -0.014, def. Scotty
Lyons, Douglasville GA, '10 GTO, TS, (-0.022 foul) 7.42 8.873 1.453

Scott Underwood, Madison AL, '18 Camaro, TS, Left lane, (0.032) 7.08 9.473 2.393, def. Vince Hoda,
D'Iberville MS, '68 Camaro, TS, (-0.010 foul) 6.43 6.471 0.041

Bruce Duncan, Crawfordville FL, '05 Cobalt, TS, Right lane, (0.071) 6.61 6.665 0.055, def. Mark
Roberts, Reddick FL, '63 Corvette, TS, (0.074) 7.36 7.493 0.133

John Benoit, Barre VT, '15 Corvette, TS, Right lane, (0.007) 6.53 6.567 0.037, def. Lester Johnson,
Cynthiana KY, '55 Belair, TS, (0.053) 7.28 7.293 0.013

Bruce Thaxton, Butler GA, '03 Mustang, TS, Right lane, (0.022) 7.39 7.399 0.009, def. Chris Arnold,
Mont Belvieu TX, '02 Cavalier, TS, (0.042) 6.62 6.677 0.057

Doug Crumlich, Douglasville GA, '63 Corvette, TS, Left lane, (0.002) 6.60 6.620 0.020, def. Frank
Altilio, Longwood FL, '02 S 10, TS, (0.018) 7.36 7.380 0.020

Don Preece, Meriden CT, '68 Camaro, TS, Left lane, (0.037) 7.09 7.130 0.040, def. Jeff Brooks,
Fredricksburg VA, '51 Henry J, TS, (0.022) 6.45 6.648 0.198

Earl Folse, Raceland LA, '68 Camaro, TS, Right lane, (0.020) 6.57 6.583 0.013, def. Lawrence Willard,
Leominster MA, '57 Bel Air, TS, (-0.005 foul) 7.29 7.369 0.079

Chad Morrison, Statesville NC, '57 Belair, TS, Right lane, (0.049) 6.71 6.710 0.000, def. Jeff
Windholz, New Smyrna Beach FL, '63 Corvette, TS, (0.009) 7.41 7.502 0.092

Rick McDonough, Southwest Ranche FL, '06 S10, TS, Left lane, (0.034) 7.06 7.109 0.049, def. Darian
Boesch, Kenner LA, '18 Camaro, TS, (-0.011 foul) 6.27 6.736 0.466

Rich Smith, Wentzville MO, '68 Camaro, TS, Right lane, (0.047) 6.48 6.526 0.046, def. Michael Scott,
Lakeland FL, '63 Corvette, TS, (0.043) 7.16 7.453 0.293

Mark Buehring, Navasota TX, '07 Cobalt, TS, Left lane, (0.068) 6.75 6.744 -0.006, def. Michael
Grafas, Brick NJ, '63 Corvette, TS, (-0.019 foul) 7.00 7.833 0.833

Glenn Butcher, Doylestown OH, '69 Camaro, TS, Right lane, (0.062) 6.14 6.147 0.007, def. John
Gifford, Naples FL, '10 Cobalt, TS, (-0.012 foul) 7.05 7.061 0.011

James Hinkle, Danville KY, '05 Grand Am, TS, Left lane, (0.031) 7.26 7.300 0.040, def. Tom Patterson,
Lorette West MB, '94 Camaro, TS, (0.024) 6.55 6.548 -0.002


Round 2:

B Thaxton, Right lane, (0.061) 7.39 7.425 0.035, def. S Underwood, (0.294) 7.09 19.327 12.237

B Duncan, Right lane, (0.002) 6.65 6.669 0.019, def. R McDonough, (0.009) 7.09 7.102 0.012

J Benoit, Right lane, (0.022) 6.55 6.583 0.033, def. T Schmidt, (0.012) 6.87 7.119 0.249

R Smith, Right lane, (0.035) 6.46 6.462 0.002, def. M Buehring, (0.018) 6.74 6.769 0.029

R Steward, Left lane, (0.057) 7.20 7.230 0.030, def. E Folse, (0.044) 6.58 6.577 -0.003

D Preece, Left lane, (0.042) 7.10 7.138 0.038, def. C Morrison, (-0.007 foul) 6.70 30.485 23.785

G Butcher, Right lane, (0.017) 6.12 6.131 0.011, def. D Crumlich, (0.012) 6.59 6.583 -0.007

J Hinkle, Left lane, (0.003) 7.27 7.284 0.014, def. R Riegel, (0.027) 6.82 6.910 0.090


Round 3:

B Thaxton, Left lane, (0.006) 7.37 7.392 0.022, def. J Benoit, (0.021) 6.52 6.547 0.027

D Preece, Right lane, (0.005) 7.12 7.137 0.017, def. R Steward, (0.055) 7.21 7.192 -0.018

R Smith, Left lane, (0.004) 6.43 6.450 0.020, def. G Butcher, (0.027) 6.11 10.653 4.543

J Hinkle, Left lane, (0.014) 7.26 7.263 0.003, def. B Duncan, (0.072) 6.63 6.620 -0.010


Round 4:

J Hinkle, Left lane, (0.024) 7.25 7.282 0.032, def. D Preece, (0.081) 7.12 7.090 -0.030

B Thaxton, Left lane, (0.022) 7.37 7.385 0.015, def. R Smith, (-0.010 foul) 6.44 7.983 1.543


Round 5:

J Hinkle, Left lane, (0.020) 7.28 7.301 0.021, def. B Thaxton, (0.057) 7.41 7.393 -0.017

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink