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Friday, February 04, 2000
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Force qualifies first at Winternationals
By Jeff Wolf
Review-Journal
POMONA, Calif. -- "It's just good to start the season."
John Force echoed the sentiments of the estimated 750 race teams and about 8,000 fans attending the 40th annual Winternationals on Thursday that opened the 2000 National Hot Rod Association Winston Drag Racing season.
Force also was referring to his run down the quarter-mile dragstrip in 4.958 seconds at 311.20 mph, best among the 22 Nitro Funny Cars in the first of four qualifying rounds.
Other leaders in the professional categories were Joe Amato of Exeter, Pa., in Top Fuel, Troy Coughlin of Columbus, Ohio, in Pro Stock and Bob Panella of Stockton, Calif., in Pro Stock Truck.
The NHRA adopted several major rule changes in the pro classes for the new season, but none seemed to hinder performances. One of the rules limits the amount of nitromethane used by Top Fuelers and Funny Cars to 90 percent of the total mixture with methanol.
"I'm impressed with our performance (4.666 seconds at 320.05 mph) with the 90-percent nitro rule," Amato said. "I guess you have to say NHRA knew what they were doing with the new rules."
Another new rule is to minimize the time needed to clean the racing surface after a racecar has a mechanical problem that puts oil or other fluids on the track, requiring a major clean-up effort. Only two Top Fuelers and one Funny Car were fined $500 for depositing oil on the track.
"I really don't have an opinion yet (on the new rules)," Force said. "It's tough if guys come here and break their stuff and have to give any money back."
Force had simple instructions for how he wanted his crew chiefs -- Austin Coil, Bernie Fedderly and John Medlen -- to handle things.
"I just told my guys to figure it out," said Force, who lives in nearby Yorba Linda, Calif.
Amato said speeds in Top Fuel could reach 325 mph and elapsed times could fall into the 4.5-second range.
"Give the (crew chiefs) a rule, and they'll figure out how to make more power," he said.
Also in Pro Stock Car, George Marnell of Las Vegas qualified 12th with a run of 6.998 seconds at 197.42 mph.
-- NOTES -- Force had his quote machine in midseason form. Force, who is being nominated for an ESPY Award with Dale Jarrett and open-wheel racer Juan Montoya of the CART series as Driver of the Year, said he knows Jarrett but had never heard of Montoya. "I didn't know Michael Jackson's sister was a racecar driver." That would be Latoya Jackson. ... Rhonda Hartman became a dubious footnote in drag racing history when the engine broke during her qualifying run and it laid a path of oil on the track. She became the first driver to be issued a $500 fine for putting oil on the track. Any Top Fueler or Nitro Funny Car that does that during eliminations will lose $1,000 and 10 championship points. ... Five-time Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson and his son, Kurt Johnson, have switched to Hoosier racing tires.
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John Force qualifies first Thursday at the 40th annual Winternationals.
Photo by Associated Press
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