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After what seemed like a far-too-long winter, the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is back with the season-opening Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at historic Gainesville Raceway.

The first of 20 rounds, the Gainesville event often sets the tone for the rest of the season as team’s lock in on a coveted playoff berth.

Once again, PlayNHRA, NHRA’s partnership with leading sports books and fantasy sports providers, has allowed fans to sign up for free and legally wager on national events and other outcomes in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, including this weekend’s event in Gainesville.

NHRA fans have the opportunity to engage in fantasy games, gaming, and betting for this event. Betting markets feature the Professional classes, Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle, where fans can wager on event winners, low elapsed time of the event, head-to-head matchups, and season champions.

The experts at Alt Sports Data have set the opening lines for this week’s event in Gainesville, and they have chosen reigning world champs Antron Brown, Austin Prock, Dallas Glenn, and Gaige Herrera as the pre-race favorites.

Below are the opening odds as provided by Alt Sports Data.

(Note: In American sports betting, odds are typically expressed with a plus (+) or minus (–) symbol followed by a number. For example, +200 signifies the amount a bettor could win if wagering $100. If the bet works out, the player would receive a total payout of $300; $200 profit + $100 initial stake.)

TOP FUEL

Antron Brown is listed as the early favorite, and after a season where he won his fourth Top Fuel world title, there’s no reason for him not to be. Brown has been remarkably consistent throughout his career; although in 2025, he will have to overcome the loss of longtime co-crew chief Mark Oswald, who recently retired. Brown’s opening odds are +760, meaning a $10 bet would return $86.00.

Teammates Doug Kalitta and Shawn Langdon are ranked second and third, and not far behind Brown. Kalitta’s odds are +934, while Langdon has opened at +969. Similar odds are offered on Steve Torrence, Justin Ashley, Brittany Force, and Tony Stewart.

When it comes to long shots, look no further than Josh Hart and Tripp Tatum. Both drivers have won the Gatornationals, and they each offer value, with Hart at +2,177 and Tatum at +4,336.

FUNNY CAR

Following a dominant 2024 season that produced the NHRA Mission Foods Funny Car world title, Austin Prock finds himself as the early favorite to win a second crown this season. Prock lost the Gatornationals final to J.R. Todd last season, but he went on to win eight of the next 19 races en route to the title. Prock’s opening odds are +145, meaning a $10 wager would return $24.50.

After Prock, the order consists of Jack Beckman, Bob Tasca III, Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, and Todd. Beckman opens at +1,160, while Tasca (+1,303) and Hagan (+1,322) are close behind.

There are 19 Funny Cars on the pre-entry list, so qualifying will be difficult for many teams, but when it comes to long shots, one that stands out is Chad Green at +3,128, meaning a $10 bet would have a robust $312.80 profit.

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PRO STOCK

The Pro Stock class is wide open, and that’s reflected in the odds, which show six-time champions Greg Anderson and Erica Enders as the favorites. Anderson, the reigning world champ, is the official favorite at +549, while Enders is just a fraction behind at +667.

Dallas Glenn and Aaron Stanfield, who battled until the final weekend of the season for the 2024 title, are also listed among the favorites with odds of (+706) and (+903), respectively.

Looking for a solid long shot? Look no further than former Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Cory Reed, who went to the final last season in Sonoma, his second Pro Stock event. Reed also ran well in preseason testing, and his opening price is an attractive +3,139.

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PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE

Not surprisingly, Gaige Herrera and Matt Smith share the favorites role in Pro Stock Motorcycle, with Herrera nearly an even-money favorite at +127, while six-time champion Smith has opened at +388.

Richard Gadson, who had a great rookie season with the Vance & Hines team, is ranked third at +852, and while Gadson has yet to win an NHRA event, most insiders believe he will do so shortly.

Also lurking near the top of the chart is Chase Van Sant, who scored a milestone first win last season in Seattle. Van Sant can be had for a strong price of +2,092, making him a solid value pick.

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Opening odds provided by Alt Sports Data (Odds are subject to change).

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