Amato, McCulloch, Glidden Win Before Crowd of 42,000 at NHRA U.S. Nationals

INDIANAPOLIS — Joe Amato coasted past Gene Snow to win the Top Fuel final and Kenny Bernstein took over the Winston Funny Car points lead by finishing second to Ed McCulloch Monday at the NHRA U.S. Nationals.

Nine-time champion Bob Glidden won the Pro Stock final when Warren Johnson had a red-light start before a record crowd of more than 42,000 fans at the $1,367,650 event.

Amato won his fourth race in the last five Winston Series events and maintained his Top Fuel points lead. Both drivers smoked their tires at the start and Amato won in a time of 6.818 seconds at 202.79 m.p.h. Snow was timed in 10.361, 85.01 m.p.h.

McCulloch won the Funny Car final. Driving a Olds Cutlass, he ran a slower elapsed time, but had a quicker starting-line reaction time. McCulloch ran a time of 5.355, 271.16 m.p.h. and Bernstein, driving a Buick Reatta, ran 5.347, 270.83 m.p.h. McCulloch left the starting line of the quarter-mile track in a time of .467 seconds and Bernstein had a time of .503.