U.S. Nationals post-race notes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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POST-RACE NOTES: U.S. NATIONALS, AUG. 27-SEPT. 1, INDIANAPOLIS

TOP FUEL *Jim Head became the fourth driver in NHRA history to win a U.S. Nationals title in Top Fuel and Funny Car. Head, from Columbus, Ohio, won in Funny Car in 1984. The others are Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, Ed "The Ace" McCulloch and Kenny Bernstein. *Joe Amato set an NHRA speed national record of 318.24 mph in the Keystone Automotive Warehouse Dragster. Amato, from Old Forge, Pa., broke his record of 317.57 set at the Slick 50 Nationals presented by Western Auto in March 1997 at Houston. *The field was the quickest in history, as Pat Dakin qualified 16th at 4.758 seconds in the Commercial Metal Fabricators Dragster. The previous quickest field came at the ATSCO Nationals in February 1997 at Phoenix, where Eddie Hill was 16th at 4.802. *Cory McClenathan failed to set an NHRA record by becoming the first Top Fuel driver to win five consecutive races in one season. But McClenathan, from Anaheim, Calif., tied an NHRA Top Fuel record by winning 19 consecutive rounds since mid-July in the McDonald's Dragster before losing to Jim Head in the final. Scott Kalitta won 19 straight rounds in 1994.

FUNNY CAR *The field was the quickest in history, as Dale Creasy Jr. qualified 16th at 5.167 seconds in the Creasy Family Pontiac Firebird. The previous quickest field came last year at this event, where Richard Hartman was 16th at 5.183. *John Force qualified No. 1 for the sixth consecutive year at this event in the Castrol GTX Ford Mustang.

PRO STOCK *Kurt Johnson's second consecutive victory at this event in the ACDelco Pontiac Firebird kept his family in the winner's circle at Indianapolis Raceway Park for the sixth consecutive year. Johnson's father, Warren Johnson, won this event four consecutive years from 1992-95.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE *For the second consecutive year, John Myers beat Matt Hines in the final when Hines left the starting line too soon. -30- 9/2/97-II6-135