NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

With two Wally trophies and a charity challenge on the line, Leah Pritchett, the quickest woman in NHRA history will go for a three-in-one at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, competing in the Top Fuel category, the Factory Stock Showdown,  and the Papa John’s Charity Challenge.

“I always dig doing things differently, and to their maximum capabilities,” said Pritchett, a five-time Top Fuel event champion.

At this weekend’s event, Pritchett will fly the colors of Papa John’s Pizza and FireAde on her 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel entry. In the Factory Stock Showdown, she will line up against her competitors in a Hoonigan-designed Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak, and in the Papa John’s Charity Challenge, Pritchett will duke it out with Papa John’s Pizza founder ‘Papa’ John Schnatter in a side-by-side winner takes all race to benefit the Infinite Hero Foundation and Overcome Academy.  

“This weekend is more about three cars and three events. It represents three important aspects of my passion for drag racing- Top Fuel competition, grassroots racing, and charity involvement,” said Pritchett. 

“The Top Fuel competition is a passion to be the quickest and the fastest at the ultimate level. Factory Stock Showdown has brought me back to my Sportsman roots. The program is ‘heads up’ and delivers the opportunity to make the combination of what is available from the factory faster than anyone else through tuning and ingenuity within set limitations. It’s all about who can make their hot rod faster, which is something everyone can be a part of without having to be at the Top Fuel level. The Charity Challenge, for me, represents growth and integration of a partner who loves this sport and can face off for a great cause while telling an All American story and raising money for returning military heroes and their families.”

Both Top Fuel and Factory Stock Showdown competitions span the entirety of the three-day Gatornationals event. 

Saturday will be especially busy for Pritchett when the Papa John’s Charity Challenge enters the mix. In fact, Pritchett is scheduled to make five runs down the historic Gainesville Raceway stretch that day. By the time Top Fuel fields have been set, she’ll have staged a car at least eight times over the course of Friday and Saturday, doubling that of her nitro competitors who will make a maximum of four passes.

“I believe my bandwidth of focus has grown to compartmentalize these opportunities at their maximum without robbing from one another, but I can guarantee you, enjoyment will be at an all-time high.”

“The constant variable is always the mindset of being the baddest and fastest no matter what; whether it’s a car I dedicate my life and all hours to, or one that I haven’t even touched before. 

“I’m a proud Gemini, whereby nature, I’m good at doing multiple things to the max, and this weekend, it’s all about the trifecta.”

So for those keeping count, that’s a Papa John’s hat, a Mopar/Dodge hat, and a FireAde hat, all in Pritchett’s signature flat-bill style, of course. If she can add a yellow Mello Yello hat, a Factory Stock trophy and the bragging rights of Charity Challenge victor to the mix, it’s safe to say the busiest woman at the Gatornationals will leave as the happiest.