Sunday's final results from the 41st annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. The race is the third of 23 in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series:

The atmosphere has changed greatly in the last nine years for the Pro Modified division at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville,Fla. In 2001, the NHRA invited 24 of the leading Pro Modified teams to participate in an exhibition event aimed at kicking off a five-race special tour showcasing a class of cars which up until then had been absent from NHRA events.

Friday morning six of the leading drivers in the Get Screened America Pro Modified series participated in the NHRA’s first official press conference since recognizing the class as an official professional division.

Danny Rowe, who participated in two of the first five 2001 events, joined series sponsor Roger Burgess, Raymond Commisso, Mike Knowles, Jay Payne and Melanie Troxel in the media gathering.

Antron Brown spoke to the media for the first time on Friday at the NHRA Gatornationals regarding his crash two weeks ago at the Firebird Raceway located outside of Phoenix, Az.

Brown, an eight time winner since joining the Top Fuel ranks in 2008, was for the most part uninjured in the accident. However, a wheel came off of his Matco Tools dragster and eventually made its way into the pits, striking and killing a spectator.

Brown’s accident was his first in twelve years of professional drag racing. In the days following the accident he struggled with the fact his accident had taken the life of a spectator. Seeing his family share in the pain only compounded the wound.

Mike Edwards accomplished a rare feat Saturday at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals when he raced to a Pro Stock victory and a No. 1 qualifying position in the same day at historic Gainesville Raceway.

The defending NHRA world champ powered his Penhall/Interstate Batteries Pontiac GXP to a win in the completion of the weather-delayed NHRA Arizona Nationals and scored his third No. 1 qualifying effort of the season and 25th of his career.

First-round pairings for professional eliminations Sunday for the 41st annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway, the third of 23 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.  Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Roger Burgess earned the first official No. 1 qualifying position of the new NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series Saturday at the Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway. After nine seasons as an exhibition category, the NHRA Get Screened America Pro Mod Series became an official NHRA touring series with 10 races on the 2010 schedule and is making its much-anticipated debut this weekend.

Team owner John Force confirmed with Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com that John Medlen resigned his position at John Force Racing on Friday.

“It’s hard to talk about because I love John Medlen and I feel like he loves me,” said Force, who is competing at this weekend’s NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. “John Medlen made a choice yesterday to leave this camp. I never thought that he would. Whoever gets John Medlen, they don’t know what they’ve got. I’m not just talking the technology and stuff.

“John Medlen is the man who gives you more than a day’s worth of work. He lives it. He’s sacrificed more than anyone. John and his son saved my life. I didn’t want to lose him and I tried hard to keep him. John Medlen had his reasons.”

Medlen said it was just time for a change.

The townspeople lined the streets. The colorful parade of haulers and cars past the University of Florida signaled that the hot-rod crowd was in town for the Gatornationals.

And young Darrell Gwynn soaked in all the glory of spring and sunshine and waves and cheers and being the privileged kid to ride in his dad's roadster in the middle of it all.