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NHRA: 2 to Go for Amato and Hines

26 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

With just two events remaining in an NHRA Winston Drag Racing season-for-the-ages -- including this Sunday's (Oct. 31) Matco Tools Supernationals at Houston -- Joe Amato is second in the Top Fuel standings. Amato's Valvoline-backed Tenneco Automotive dragster lost in the second round in last Sunday's O'Reilly Fallnationals in Dallas and now trails Dallas winner Tony Schumacher by 81 points.

Even for a five-time Top Fuel titlist like Amato, race day in the closing stages of a tight championship chase brings pressure. "I'm loose during qualifying and take care of business, but on Sunday, I'm busy," admits Amato, who has five wins this season and earned his 50th career Top Fuel crown just a few weeks ago. "I go to the chapel service and get my mind into the 'zone'. All I do is focus on racing. If you mess up, you come home, and then nobody wants to talk to you.

"As the rounds go by, I get closer and closer to that point. I go in the trailer and lock the door. We have a reaction time practice tree. I run it over and over again in my mind. The older you get (Amato is 55), the harder you have to work at it. When you're older, maybe you're too smart for your own good, sometimes."

In the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, Matt Hines is 35 points behind Angelle Seeling. HInes is gunning for his third consecutive title on the Eagle One Suzuki. The season ends Nov. 14 at Pomona.

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