Ocala’s Josh Hart Wins at Gatornationals in John Force Racing Debut
Holding his pointer finger to the sky to signal No. 1, Josh Hart smiled at the crowd before stepping off the stage to prepare for Sunday’s racing.
After five seasons running his own operation, Hart is entering a new chapter.
Hart began racing in the NHRA in 2021 with his self-owned team, Josh Hart Racing. But as his business, Burnyzz Speed Shop — also a sponsor displayed on the side of his dragster — grew and his family expanded, Hart decided to step away from the pressures of team ownership and look for a driving opportunity elsewhere.That opportunity came quickly.
In September of 2025, two-time NHRA Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force announced she was stepping away from racing to focus on her family. Just four months later, Hart and John Force Racing reached a multiyear agreement that placed him behind the wheel of the team’s Burnyzz Speed Shop/Speedmaster Top Fuel dragster.
His preparation began in Indianapolis of last year. After receiving the news of his new contract, Hart said he immediately began to prepare by rearranging his finances, fitness and family life.
Despite the expectations that come with joining one of drag racing’s most successful organizations, Hart said the pressure actually feels lighter than running his own team.
“I feel like the elephant is off my chest,” he said.
A few months into the role, he says he has no plans to return to the owner-driver role. Driving for John Force Racing has allowed him to refocus on the reason he entered the sport in the first place.
“I want to enjoy it again,” Hart said. “I can go up there and actually focus on having fun, doing my job and winning races instead of thinking about invoices and payroll and all the other shenanigans.”
Only one weekend into the partnership, that lighter workload already appears to be paying off.
Hart posted a run of 3.658 seconds at 340.30 mph Friday in his 12,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster, breaking the Gainesville Raceway track record and earning the provisional No. 1-qualifying position for the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. The spot became official Saturday.
The run also produced several personal bests for Hart, including his fastest elapsed time and top speed. He rated the day “10 stars out of five.”
Success at Gainesville Raceway isn’t new for him. During his rookie season in 2021, he won the Gatornationals in his first career start. He also captured the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout at the track in 2023.
The Gainesville strip also holds a deeper personal connection: it’s the first drag strip Hart drove down.
Not only that, but the driver also lives in Ocala. Many of the fans, including plenty from the Gainesville area, are familiar with Hart’s presence at National Hot Rod Association tracks.
“There’s a select few races … where you can really, truly feel the crowd’s energy,” Hart said. “This is definitely one of them.”
“Josh Hart” and John Force Racing merchandise is not a rare site in fan areas during race weekend.
Joey Capri, who has followed NHRA racing for about 30 years, stood outside the John Force Racing garage and said he was surprised when he first heard about Hart joining the team. Still, he hopes the move helps Hart return to top form.
“I hope he gets back to the way he was when he came out his first year, when he did really well, and then he kind of fell off,” Capri said. “It looks like he’s on track to start doing better again.”
Don Coffman, another longtime fan who’s followed the sport since 1975, has supported John Force Racing since he started watching. Wearing a John Force shirt signed by Brittany Force, Coffman said he was disappointed when she stepped away from the sport but wished her well.
“She’s already proved herself,” Coffman said with a smile. “She’s something … just like her daddy.”
Coffman, who traveled from the Tampa Bay area to attend the Gatornationals, said Hart is a natural fit for the team.
When asked about his expectations for the rest of the season, his answer was simple.
“I hope he wins it all.”
Hart took the first step toward that hope Sunday.
After earning that top qualifying position Saturday, he powered through a field of top competitors, including 2025 NHRA world champion Doug Kalitta, to win the Gatornationals for the second time in his career. After close to five years of disappointing results, Hart emphasized the weight of the moment.
“I forgot what that felt like,” he said.
Hart and John Force Racing are set to hit the dragstrip again March 20 in Arizona at the FMP NHRA Arizona Nationals.
After a weekend that ended with a grin in the winner’s circle and two trophies in hand, the next chapter of Hart’s career is already off to a strong start.
Chad Green (Funny Car), Matt Hartford (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won Sunday at the first of 20 races during the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, NHRA’s 75th anniversary season.
Category: Gainesville, Gatornationals, Motor Sports, NHRA
