DRAG RACING / WINTERNATIONALS AT POMONA : Nothing Funny in Runs of Etchells, Hofmann

Records began falling early as drag racers moved through the first round of qualifying Thursday for Sunday’s Chief Auto Parts Winternationals, opening event of the National Hot Rod Assn. season.

Chuck Etchells and Al Hofmann lowered Winternationals funny car marks with runs of 5.148 seconds and 289.20 m.p.h., respectively, on the fast Pomona Fairplex strip. Both drove 1993 Dodge Daytonas.

The previous records were 5.184 seconds by John Force and 287.08 m.p.h. by Winston champion Cruz Pedregon, both set last year.

Kenny Bernstein, defending Winternationals top-fuel champion, had the day’s quickest quarter-mile run, 4.894 seconds at 277.60 m.p.h., but was a little disappointed.

“I thought we had a 300 (m.p.h.) run going,” he said. “Then the engine ate a couple of pistons, and we had to shut off at about the 1,000-foot mark. The numbers were very good up to that point. The fuel mixture was off, but if we can get it to run on all eight cylinders, we can probably run 300.”

The weather, sunny and balmy Thursday, might be the deciding factor. If there is a cloud cover today or Saturday, the 300 run might be more likely. Bernstein is the only driver to better 300, accomplishing the long sought-after feat three times last season.

Ed McCulloch’s 294.11 run was fastest in the first round. It was also an event record, bettering the 292.20 set last year by Doug Herbert.

Joe Amato, defending Winston top-fuel champion, had his problems earlier than Bernstein.

“We dropped a cylinder the minute I stepped on the throttle,” Amato said. “It was a teething problem with a new car, new engine and new fuel system combination. We ran 297 in practice last week at Bakersfield and were confident coming in here, but when you’re dealing with 5,000 horsepower, a car can be fickle.”

Brooks Brown, a top-alcohol dragster driver from Bass Lake, Calif., set track and event records with a pass of 5.694 seconds.

In a move that caught NHRA officials and competitors by surprise, crew chief Tim Richards and his entire crew of Pat Austin’s top-fuel dragster quit at mid-day, citing “conflicting interests between the crew and the Walt Austin family.” Walt Austin is Pat’s father.

Before joining Austin, Richards was crew chief for Amato during four of his five championship years.

Pro qualifying continues today at 2 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Drag Racing Notes

Gordon Mineo, who drove a Pontiac Firebird funny car as far back as 1967, watched his latest model go up in flames after the engine exploded near the finish line. The fiberglass bodywork blew off the chassis and Mineo stepped out unhurt while the car body burned. . . . Dannielle DePorter, 20, the 10th-ranked top-fuel driver in her rookie season last year, disbanded her team for lack of sponsorship.

Indy car driver John Andretti, left without a ride when Pennzoil dropped him for Teo Fabi, is expected to begin a drag racing career in baseball star Jack Clark’s top-fuel dragster. Andretti, who has been testing at the Texas Motorplex, is expected to make his debut next month in Houston.