NHRA
Pennzoil Nationals Notes and Points
PENNZOIL NATIONALS PRESENTED BY HILO/O'REILLY MARCH 19-22, HOUSTON TOP FUEL * Joe Amato set the Top Fuel elapsed time record at 4.539 seconds and earned a $50,000 bonus from the MBNA World Record Club. Amato previously held the record at 4.564 ...
Edited: May 8, 2001, 12:19 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
PENNZOIL NATIONALS PRESENTED BY HILO/O'REILLY MARCH 19-22, HOUSTON
TOP FUEL
* Joe Amato set the Top Fuel elapsed time record at 4.539 seconds and earned a $50,000 bonus from the MBNA World Record Club. Amato previously held the record at 4.564 seconds.
* Cory McClenathan ran a career-best 4.559 second E.T. in a final round win over first-time finalist David Grubnic, a native Australian. The win was McClenathan's second of the season, and moved the McDonald's dragster driver into the Winston points lead. It was also McClenathan's first career victory at Houston Raceway Park.
* For the first time in NHRA history, the top 16 Top Fuel qualifiers posted speeds over 300 mph.
FUNNY CAR
* Tony Pedregon won his second-straight Funny Car title at this event, beating teammate and car owner John Force. Their final round battle ended as the quickest side-by-side Funny Car race in NHRA history, Pedregon's 4.847, 316.67 beating Force's 4.887, 310.88.
* Cruz Pedregon collected a second-straight MBNA World Record Club bonus, earning $10,000 for lowering the Funny Car E.T. mark to 4.819 seconds. He also set the speed record at 317.23 and took the Winston points lead away from Ron Capps with a semi-final round appearance.
PRO STOCK
* Warren Johnson claimed his third-straight victory of the season, this time defeating first-time finalist Mike Thomas. The GM Goodwrench Pontiac driver increased his Winston points lead over defending Winston champion Jim Yates by 97. Yates lost in the first round.
* New Carlisle, Ohio's Ray Franks (200.22 mph) became the fourth member of the Speed-Pro 200-mph Pro Stock Club.
PRO STOCK TRUCK
* Team Mopar driver David Nickens became the inaugural Pro Stock Truck race winner. Hometown favorite Nickens drove his Dodge Daktoa pickup to a 7.747 second, 170.81 mph victory over Chevrolet's Randy Daniels, who ran 8.121, 140.07 in the final.
* Baltimore, Md.'s Larry Kopp set the Pro Stock Truck low elapsed time (7.635 seconds) and top speed (174.82 mph) in his G-Force Transmissions Chevrolet.
NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES POINT STANDINGS (as of MARCH 23, 1998)
BAYTOWN, Texas -- NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series point standings for professional categories following the 11th annual Pennzoil Nationals presented by HiLo/O'Reilly at Houston Raceway Park.
TOP FUEL 1. Cory McClenathan 325 2. Jim Head 321 3. Larry Dixon 270 4. Mike Dunn 259 5. Joe Amato 244 6. Kenny Bernstein 230 7. David Grubnic 227 8. Gary Scelzi 222 9. Bruce Sarver 215 10. Doug Kalitta 174
FUNNY CAR 1. Cruz Pedregon 302 2. Chuck Etchells 300 3. Ron Capps 298 4. John Force 281 5. Tony Pedregon 277 6. Randy Anderson 229 7. Al Hofmann 225 8. Dean Skuza 213 9. Tim Wilkerson 211 10. Whit Bazemore 150
PRO STOCK 1. Warren Johnson 443 2. Jim Yates 346 3. Jeg Coughlin 297 4. Mark Osborne 236 5. Mike Thomas 197 6. Kurt Johnson 196 7. George Marnell 173 8. Pete Williams 156 9. Mark Pawuk 150 10. Scott Geoffrion 144
PRO STOCK TRUCK 1. David Nickens 117 2. Larry Kopp 98 3. Randy Daniels 95 4. Todd Patterson 76 5. Roy Hill 54 6. Brad Jeter 54 7. Bob Panella Jr 53 8. John Lingenfelter 33 9. Sondra Sikes 32 10. Jerry Haas 32
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Dallas Comp Eliminator Final Qualifyin Order
Next article Warren Report: Englishtown
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Doug Kalitta
Hight, Torrence are champions, Kalitta, Beckman take Pomona wins
NHRA
NHRA
Pomona II
Hight, Torrence are champions, Kalitta, Beckman take Pomona wins
C. Force, Kalitta, Gray and Hines secure No. 1 qualifiers at Carolina Nationals
NHRA
NHRA
Charlotte II
C. Force, Kalitta, Gray and Hines secure No. 1 qualifiers at Carolina Nationals
Can Millican start a winning streak?
NHRA
NHRA
Norwalk
Can Millican start a winning streak?
More from
Williams
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Formula 1
Formula 1
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
James Vowles explains request for review of F1 cost cap
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
James Vowles explains request for review of F1 cost cap
Latest news
2026 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix – How to watch, session times & more
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Indonesian GP
23 min
2026 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix – How to watch, session times & more
Zane Smith fined $50,000 by NASCAR for ramming Carson Hocevar after Phoenix Cup race
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
7 h
Zane Smith fined $50,000 by NASCAR for ramming Carson Hocevar after Phoenix Cup race
FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
12 h
FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned
TDS Racing doubles down on IMSA program with two-car LMP2 return
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 12 h
TDS Racing doubles down on IMSA program with two-car LMP2 return
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe