Amato Sets Pomona Record With a 5.03-Second Run

Top Fuel racer Joe Amato set a track record with an elapsed time of 5.03 seconds during the first round of qualifying Thursday for the National Hot Rod Assn. Winston Finals at Pomona.

Funny Car driver Ed (Ace) McCulloch and Pro Stock driver Bruce Allen led their respective categories for the season-ending $937,400 event.

Amato, of Old Forge, Pa., ran an elapsed time of 5.033 seconds at 281.33 m.p.h. in his dragster to take the No. 1 position and shatter Darrell Gwynn’s record of 5.098 seconds.

The 1984 champion is the current point leader and could clinch the $150,000 Winston championship by winning in the first round of eliminations Sunday. Gene Snow of Ft. Worth, Tex., with a 5.055-second run at 263.23 m.p.h. is second quickest.

McCulloch, of Hemet, ran his Olds Cutlass to a time of 5.418 seconds at 270.51 to take the leading position. Allen, of Arlington, Tex., drove his Chevrolet Beretta to a time of 7.426 seconds at 186.99 m.p.h.

Qualifying continues today.