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The Leverich family will celebrate 65 years of drag racing legacy at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, where Jake Opatrny will saddle up in the family’s Top Fuel with a special tribute paint scheme.

The car, normally painted blue, will feature a red paint scheme at the Gatornationals honoring the Jr. Fuel dragster that Leverich campaigned in the early 1960s.

Team founder, Bob Leverich, is a multitime event winner and an AHRA national event winner in the Jr. Fuel class in 1967 at Detroit Dragway. For years, the team campaigned small-block Chevy-powered dragsters on injected nitro and supercharged alcohol, competing in 91���� Pro Comp and NHRA's Top Alcohol Dragster class.

In 2002, the team switched to an injected nitro 426 Chrysler Hemi, also competing in the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster class. In 2008, the team made the switch to Top Fuel with a blown nitro Chrysler Hemi and made its return to NHRA competition with a Top Fuel dragster in 2015.

After licensing in Del Worsham’s dragster in the spring of 2021, Opatrny, of McHenry, Ill., made his debut in the Leverich dragster in late 2022 and ran three races with the team last season.

“I'm honored to be a part of the Leverich family's 65th year in competition, and I'm honored to have the opportunity to continue driving their car and to represent Majors Mashburn Nitro Sports and 22 A Day as primary supporters, plusadditional backing from IUOE Local 150/FIGHT BACK, Certified Services, Black Rock Industries, All American Auto Body, Blue Demon Welding Products, Start Imagining, LLC, Burromax, PennGrade, Goodson Tools & Supplies and Mark’s Mixers.,” he said.

Bob, left, and Gary Leverich

Gary Leverich, Bob’s son, added. “We’re excited to be down at the Gatornationals with Jake behind the wheel to kick off 65 years of active competition, and we’re helping to run our personal bests in both elapsed time and miles per hour. Fingers crossed.”

After Gainesville, Opatrny will turn his attention to the Gerber Collision NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Chicago and also the NHRA Midwest Nationals outside of St. Louis after that.