NHRA: Amato's 50th Win; Hines Takes Title Lead
20 September 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
With five Top Fuel and three Pro Stock Motorcycle events left in the
Winston drag racing season, Joe Amato and Matt Hines both won Sunday in
the
True Value Keystone Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., to
advance in two of the closest championship fights in NHRA history. Amato,
five-time Top Fuel titlist and driver of the Valvoline-backed Tenneco
Automotive dragster, jumped to second from fifth in points after defeating
Tony Schumacher in Sunday's final round. Hines, two-time Pro Stock
Motorcycle king on the Eagle One Suzuki, took over the points lead from
Angelle Seeling by beating Dave Schultz in the finals and setting a
national elapsed time record of 7.188 seconds in qualifying.It was Amato's record 50th career Top Fuel triumph. Also, the first at what the Exeter, Pa., driver considers his "home" track.
"There's time left," said Amato, who has five wins this season. "I've got a fast race car. I think this championship chase is going to have 8-10 cars in it. There's nothing any better than that for the fans." His next run is Oct. 3 in Topeka, Kansas.
"It kind of brings back memories of when Schultz and (John) Myers used to get out ahead and I had to go out there and chase them down, like in '97," recalled Hines, winner of the recent U.S. Nationals. "Angelle, she's running really tough, but it seems like the last few races we've made up some ground on her. We're just trying to have the best bike out here. If I can have the fastest bike out here, it gives me a lot more confidence. The Eagle One Suzuki's really close right now. We moved weight around, and if we just keep fine-tuning the setup, the bike's going to go even faster."
Hines goes again Oct. 10 in Memphis.
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