NHRA
Phoenix Race Review
AMATO, FORCE, KURT JOHNSON CLAIM CHECKER SCHUCK'S KRAGEN NATIONALS VICTORIES CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Joe Amato went from the outhouse to the penthouse by driving his Top Fuel dragster to the winner's circle at the 15th annual Checker, ...
Edited: May 8, 2001, 12:19 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
AMATO, FORCE, KURT JOHNSON CLAIM CHECKER SCHUCK'S KRAGEN NATIONALS VICTORIES CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Joe Amato went from the outhouse to the penthouse by driving his Top Fuel dragster to the winner's circle at the 15th annual Checker, Schuck's, Kragen Nationals. Amato, from Exeter, Pa., made a pass in 4.565 seconds at 320.66 mph which was enough to defeat Kenny Bernstein who had a run of 4.649 seconds at 316.75 mph. "After the first race of the year when I didn't qualify, I thought there goes my title hopes now," Amato said. "After something like that you ask yourself what you have to do, and go do it. This time it worked." John Force and Kurt Johnson were also victors in their respective categories at Firebird International Raceway, near Phoenix. The $1.5 million race was the second of 22 events in the $40 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. Eight-time NHRA Winston Funny Car champion Force, from Yorba Linda, Calif., overcame the flu and earned his 71st career victory. Forced covered the quarter-mile in 4.843 seconds at 317.87 mph. That was enough to hold off Cruz Pedregon who completed his run in 5.095 seconds at 272.67 mph. "Lane choice was critical for this race," Force explained. "I figured if my hot rod ran good anyways I could outrun him because we had outrun him all weekend. We needed that lane choice and we got it." Pro Stock driver Kurt Johnson, from Lawrenceville, Ga., earned his victory with a run of 6.970 seconds at 197.97 mph, which was enough to defeat Troy Coughlin who finished in 8.095 seconds at 120.38 mph. "The key to the (final round) was not overreacting," Johnson said. "I think we have a hot rod that will be a contender the rest of the season." Tony Schumacher, from Park Ridge, Ill., became the first person in NHRA history to eclipse the 330 mph mark. Schumacher made a run of 330.23 mph in the first round of eliminations on Sunday. Schumacher was not able to back up the run within the required one percent in order to establish a national record. The Mac Tools Gatornationals is the next event in the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. The event will be held March 18-21 at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla.
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 Team JEG'S-Pit Sunday Report
Next article Phoenix NHRA Chevy FC Semis Note
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Tony Schumacher
Capps, Schumacher score their first wins of 2018
NHRA
NHRA
Bristol
Capps, Schumacher score their first wins of 2018
Schumacher unconcerned by new crew chief’s lack of Top Fuel experience
NHRA
NHRA
Schumacher unconcerned by new crew chief’s lack of Top Fuel experience
Hagan, Brown, Enders lead first day of NHRA Spring Training
NHRA
NHRA
Hagan, Brown, Enders lead first day of NHRA Spring Training
Latest news
WEC Barcelona: Genesis secures maiden series pole from Toyota
WEC
WEC WEC
Barcelona
28 min
WEC Barcelona: Genesis secures maiden series pole from Toyota
Five-time IndyCar champion, first-time Indy NXT driver: Alex Palou tops IMS road course test
Indy NXT
IndL Indy NXT 1 h
Five-time IndyCar champion, first-time Indy NXT driver: Alex Palou tops IMS road course test
Gabriel Bortoleto on Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar's F1 success: 'Let's see where we are in 20 years'
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
2 h
Gabriel Bortoleto on Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar's F1 success: 'Let's see where we are in 20 years'
Nicki Thiim's cheeky F1 jab: "Max Verstappen just wants to drive a proper race car!"
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 2 h
Nicki Thiim's cheeky F1 jab: "Max Verstappen just wants to drive a proper race car!"
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