NHRA: Amato Says Golf Is Fun, But Racing Is Better
24 April 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Five-time NHRA Winston Top Fuel champion Joe Amato likes to golf when
he's not behind the wheel of his DynoMax/Valvoline/Keystone Automotive
dragster -- often with his friend, Kenny Bernstein. At 55, Amato could be
golfing more and racing less, but he says the love of the sport keeps him
going down the quarter-mile.
"I do it for the love of doing it," Amato explains. "The thrill of competing, the challenge of trying to be the best on any given Sunday, setting track records and winning races. It's something growing up as a kid you say, 'I want to do that,' and then you grow up and you're doing it and lucky enough to be a five-time champion. It's amazing and you don't want to give it up, because to jump in a 5,000-6,000 horsepower Top Fuel dragster and you shoot it off and punch the throttle and get that sensation of speed, it's hard to give that up and go play golf. Golf is fun and if you smack a 300-yard drive it's satisfying, and it doesn't cost you thousands of dollars like racing does, but it's not the same."
Amato is fifth in points going into Sunday's (April 30) event in Richmond, Va. Eagle One Pontiac Firebird driver Ron Krisher is fourth in the NHRA Pro Stock class standings.
Text provided by Michael Knight
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