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event: AHDRA Don “D.J.” Johnson Nitro Spring Nationals sponsored by MTC and Gainesville Harley-Davidson when: April 1-3, 2022 where: Gainesville Raceway, Florida, USA Only a legend like the late Don “D.J.” Johnson could bring out the Top Fuel Harley-Davidson community like what is expected at the AHDRA season opener at Gainesville Raceway. Named in honor of the man known worldwide as the “Nitro Santa,” the inaugural Don “D.J.” Johnson Nitro Spring Nationals sponsored by MTC and Gainesville Harley-Davidson will be a historic event in nitro Harley drag racing. So defending AHDRA Top Fuel champion Ryan Peery will have his hands full at this event, and the whole year as well. The thundering, flaming, nitro Top Fuel bikes are expected to flock to AHDRA races this season like never before. And when memorializing the legend that was D.J. headlines the event, you can expect racers from all over the world to come pay high-peed homage. That includes Japanese H-D dealer Tak Shigematsu—famous for his record-breaking kamikaze attacks down the quarter mile aboard D.J.’s supercharged monster. Two-time NHRA champs Randal Andras and Tii Tharpe will be there, both riding alongside their team boss Jay Turner—a multi-time, multi-sanction champion himself. 2020 AHDRA champ Rich Vreeland will be in the house, along with Bad Apple Racing’s Tracy Kile and Dr. Jimmy “Mac” McMillan. Tim Kerrigan will have some help from legendary builder/tuner/rider Mike Romine to put his and teammate Frank Velasco’s beautiful bikes in the winners circle. Chris Smith, Billy Jackson, and Dean Communal will be back on track, and Rebel Glover will again be on Jake Stordeur’s Knucklehead Racing bike. So while Peery will have to be on top of his game, he proved what he can do by winning both the AHDRA and AMRA championships last year and damn near winning the