GAINESVILLE, Fla. (MARCH 5, 2026) – For a man driven to stay busy and achieve success in every aspect of his life, Josh Hart couldn’t be happier to be just the driver for John Force Racing’s Burnyzz Speed Shop / Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster team headed into the season-opening AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.
Hart was an owner-driver the first five seasons of his Top Fuel career but sold his racing operation at the end of last season when the opportunity arose to drive for Force’s 24-time championship organization after two-time NHRA Top Fuel Champion Brittany Force put her racing career on hold to start a family.
He found success early with his own team, winning the Gatornationals in his class debut in 2021 and once more his rookie season but, with the growth of his Burnyzz Speed Shop and the addition of two children to his family, Hart realized he couldn’t devote enough time and energy as a team owner to make it the success he strove for.
The decision proved to be fruitful on the first test pass two weeks ago at Gainesville Raceway, with Hart eclipsing the 340-mph barrier in the Dave Grubnic/John Collins-tuned dragster for the first time in his career. The strong performance continued throughout the week of testing as well as the past two days leading into the Gatornationals.
Quotes
What are your overall thoughts on how testing went going into this weekend’s Gatornationals.
I’m feeling very, very confident. I’m blessed to be a part of JFR. The communication between myself, David Grubnic, John Collins and the team is something that I’ve never been privy to. They tell me what they’re testing and they communicate better than anybody I’ve ever met so I feel very blessed and very excited. To put it into context, my slowest full test run was faster than my career best and I think we made 13 full runs.
What was it like to make that first 340 mph pass two weeks ago?
I mean, it was an absolutely breathtaking ride. It’s something you can’t really explain. It pulls so hard, but it was so smooth that you knew you were just on a mission. And when I got out of the car and they said my first pass ever was 340 mile an hour. I mean, what else could you ask for? That’s a testament to how good this team really is.
You’re obviously a very driven man who wants to succeed in everything you do. What has it been like to let go of the team owner reins and just focus on being a driver when you’re at the racetrack.
It’s kind of like when you have an elephant standing on your chest. It feels so relieving to know that you don’t have to deal with the day-to-day stuff. Again, it’s a great testament to what John Force has built because it’s hard. It’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of struggles. A lot of little things. It’s like death by a thousand razor blades. So, the fact that he is still out there and still willing to put in the time and the effort and all the money that it takes to fund this thing says it all. That man is drag racing.
You won the Gatornationals in your adopted state in your very first Top Fuel race. What memories come back to you five years later? What are those memories now 5 years later?
It absolutely is coming back. I mean, to see Burnyzz on the side of the car is something I’m excited about it. To me, it was like last year. Let’s get this chapter closed, and now we’re starting the new chapter and I hope it starts just the same. And I hope that it just keeps going up and up together. I think it definitely will as the team continues to gel together. We’re only going to get stronger.
| Josh Hart | Race Result | Qualified | Event Round Record |
| 2021 (TF) | Winner | 8th | 4-0 |
| 2022 (FC) | 1st round | 11th | 4-1 |
| 2023 (FC) | 1st round | 7th | 4-2 |
| 2024 (FC) | 2nd round | 12th | 5-3 |
| 2025 (FC) | 1st round | 9th | 5-4 |
Number starts: 4
Wins: 1 (2021)
No. 1 qualifier: 0
Final rounds: 1 (2021)
Event Round Record: 5-4
Track & TV Schedules
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying features two rounds at 1:30 and 4 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6, and the final two qualifying rounds on Saturday, March 7 at 12:30 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, March 8.
The first round of the Right Trailers Top Fuel All-Star Callout takes place at 12:15 p.m. on Saturday, with the semifinals slated for 2:15 p.m. and the final round at 3:30 p.m. A special Callout broadcast will also air at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS1.
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