Shane Tucker DNQ'd and Richie Crampton was eliminated in the first round but Queensland Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Steve Harker reached the semi-finals while Team Kalitta’s Dave Grubnic made the second round of their respective Gatornationals campaigns in Gainesville, Florida.

Sporting a new 2014 Chevrolet Camaro, Shane Tucker started qualifying in solid fashion with a 6.594 at 211.53 mph but that was as good as it would get for Tucker as tyre shake and driver error ended his campaign to reach the 16 car field on Sunday. Disappointed, the Rob Tucker Race team will now head back to Mooresville NC before heading back to Australia. The team is focused on furthering the research and development of their in house engine program and return bigger and better than ever in time for round 10 of the NHRA Mello Yello series in Bristol, Tennessee.

Steve Harker qualified fifth in the Top Alcohol standings with a 5.546 at 264.75 mph and went on to record low ET of the first round defeating Tony Bogolo on a 5.528 pass. He backed that run up in round two with a second successive low ET of the round defeating a shaking Annie Whiteley with a 5.589. Unfortunately tyre shake would end Harker’s run in the semis going down to Dan Pomponio.

Dave “Grubby” Grubnic qualified fifth in Top Fuel with 3.823 at 312.78 mph but bowed out in the second round to eventual winner and teammate Doug Kalitta on a holeshot. Grubnic ran low ET of the second round but Kalitta’s 3.82 and .050 at the tree to Grubnic’s .099 and 3.80 was enough to get the win light.

Fellow Top Fuel pilot Richie Crampton qualified third thanks to a 3.816 at 322.34 mph but red lit in his round one matchup with Morgan Lucas Racing teammate Morgan Lucas, allowing his team owner and the man he replaced in the GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster to get the win. The accidental double-bulb threw him off, and he left .040-second too soon. Crampton continued with the run, a 3.802 at 321.19 mph that would have been quicker than Lucas’ pass of 3.846 at 321.50 mph.

For full results please visit www.nhra.com