1990 NHRA Winston Finals Top Fuel Drama

Joel I think every drag racing fan in the Golden State is here at Pomona today [Applause] nobody wants to miss the championship final race for the Top Fuel category between the two best drivers of the year Gary Ormsby and Joe Amato in the two best cars of the year nobody would deny that and maybe the two best boutiques in the sport for Joel modelled there's Tim Richards Amato calls him the general because he's always in charge and that's the men that rinsed a model to the title just two years ago in 1988 for Gary horns beep well there's quiet studied and very dapper Lee beard a true student of the sport here in stornes be to that same title just one year ago right here in Pomona now consider this you talk about even over 18 races in nine months both drivers have 143 rounds of competition it's a tie but a model came into this event with a 250 four-point lead because he's been to the final a few more times than Armsby he except in qualifying it was Gary Oren's be sitting low elapsed time at 5.0 won 50 bonus points he how qualified a model by two positions for bonus points so now it's 200 that means that Ormsby only has to go one more round than a model to take the crown now they both survived first round competition earlier today but in round number 2 they each meet a giant in the sport neither of which could upset this very delicate apple garden for more here is three-time top bill champ Big Daddy Don Garlits Steve Eddie Hill just ran a stellar 5:08 the best for him in many races and the driver of this car Don Prudhomme he won his round with a 5-11 his very best since he entered top Fuel this year now we take a look at the latter we see the problem is Joe Amato faces Eddie hill and Gary Orange Beach faces d'enfer don't they must get by these two competitors if they are to continue this championship duel now if they do they could conceivably face each other in the final round to decide the overall winner Steve Evans to talk with Eddie Eddie you could ruin not only Joe him on Tuesday for this whole year yeah we've already thought about that I'd really like to see him win the championship you know but and he's a friend of mine but we want to win this race so we kind of got a little conflict there we're gonna try to do is put him out I like his attitude buddies but not when they're next to each other and Don Garlits they face a very tricky racetrack it's almost 90 degrees today the Sun beating down on it that's not a good combination the crew chief could certainly make a miscalculation on the clutch and everything would go up in smoke I guarantee you one thing Gary Hornsby and Leafers favorite color right now is yellow they are rooting for Eddie hill with everything they have and he'll lose this last time Hornsby but not quick enough let's go to Steve Evans he talked to Joe about him well Joe you completed half of the mission the 502 takes the wind but doesn't take that 50 points away from Gary Hornsby it's tough in the heats are try and run you know to get the 501 with or something we're just for a heartbeat away the whole weekend's been a thousandth of a way all weekend I just hope doesn't come back to haunt me all right Gary Hornsby now faces that tricky racetrack I like to I like to be a thorn in his side on this this next round to tell you the truth and you know we've been kind of going back and forth all year and I just like to step up new one it's been a tough year done Garlits for snake Prudhomme but he has really put together some consistent times leading up to this matchup that 511 ET and the first round is the best that he has had this year Hornsby away first five point one two seconds for the big speed three miles per hour joe amato did not get the help he wanted to put donford up but the good news for Joe is ormsby's 512 is a tenth of a second slower the Joe's performance hit the same Lane in the same round well Gary you darn near saw your championship hopes go right out the window that was quite a very grace yeah cuz you know Steve I can't see him unless they're in front of me never what's in front of me but I guess it was pretty close you're 512 this car is not performing the way you and Lee beard wanted to know it really hasn't we've been stumbling since the last couple of runs yesterday and it hasn't run well all at all today or the first round or this round either you need to protect that 501 yourself those 50 points for sure that's a lot fifty points is a ton right now let's remind you those 50 points could spell the difference in the overall season-long championship getting ready for the semi finals in the Top Fuel and from where he sits in that car he can see Gary Hornsby and Kenny Bernstein getting ready to stage he is so nervous he's like a cat inside that cockpit darling yes he is he is science barn scene if you ever did anything right in your life it's oh absolutely because if Gary only should fall to the red star Kenny Bernstein this championship faces over the title the money the glory belongs to Joe Amato all things have been equal pretty much during the day for both Amato and Gary RS be ours be here does not have Lane choices at a big deal doc it could be it means to him that there's a car setting in the other Lane that could possibly outperform it it did in the previous round here we got warrants me Laura's new shield Bernstein assess the most interested spectator among the 40,000 here will be Joe Votto [Music] Easy's Tim Richards beef Guerry or as day goes to the final round at 5.02 let's go to Don Garlits upon the starting line that's a little better well we're tuning it up to race the big guy in the final if we get a shot at him we're gonna throw everything we can there's a lot of money at stake our fans been supporting us all year long there's I cannot stress to you how important it is for me to win the World Championship the crew chief leave beer not only does Gary Arms be without the lane choice the Kenny Bernstein begin a final round berth you picked up your performance to run with him out of 502 the same numbers he's been running all day yes T we made a big big move there and Agee work for us looks like I guess it was in the clutch yes you're right you're absolutely right he was out on me a little bit Bernstein may be the best leader in this sport yeah he did get out me I didn't want to take any chances I'm not making excuses but and I just wasn't really on after I did not want to lose by red light or you know some other way by this actually win how would you like to know what happens on the finish on the starting line right now oh yeah we better go and watch huh so now Gary Ormsby is turning his attention to the top of the racetrack the starting line for the next matchup the semi-finals Jeanne stoic Joe Amato little motto hold up his end of the deal he wants to win this round so that he can get the horse be in the final but he would also like to set LOI P so the he will own the fifty points instead of the belonging to or speed now Jean smell has not been in the same performance lake as a model and RS be all day long but that doesn't mean anything with that particular team they are capable of going from 550 stuff or 90s in one run we've seen them do it often over the years a bottle in the far light snow in the near Lane a bottle has got to win the game pace it all depends on the track and the tires for deep snow if the tires will he could do it absolutely he could be a contender right there but it's off motto and even react 503 from ATO 280 miles per hour down on the starting line is Don Garlits to talk to the winning crew chief Tim Richards fell off just at an you know we weren't really leaning on it too hard I didn't want to lose Lane choice there but I didn't expect the Hornsby to go to that 502 either but we'll see in the final this track will be a lot better I think then the pressure continues to build Kenny Bernstein more or less apologizing to Joe Amato for not taking care of Gary Hornsby the whole season comes down to one race that's called pressure buddy I mean you wanted a four second run you got a 503 I means I lost Lane choice to it that's right pretty important right here I mean thank God the sun's going down to Parker Avenue one more time we get to run it'll be two lanes to be good I hope boy the whole season 19 races come down world champion over quarter million dollars on the line the pressure we can't wait I know the fans are getting it the TV people again that's I don't know if I like it so much but that's what Racing's all about absolutely Parker Avenue the name of this drag strip after the former police chief the city of Pomona we now have our final pairing in the Top Fuel Division Joe Amato and Gary Ormsby so after an entire season of racing it comes down to this so much at stake now this is a strange move Lee beard is called for a lane change I can't believe this is happening Lee beard just because a little smoke came off a large news car is giving up the Far Lane it's been the best lane all day long this is just what a motto this has got to be considered a shocking development as we get ready for the Top Fuel final so after 19 races nine long months it all boils down to one race and we'll be right back with that that right now of the 1990 race season but one big showdown remains this is simply unbelievable both Gary Ormsby and Joe have knit down the track 46 times this year but now this is the only one that matters the final at the Winston final Steve when you consider all the photo shoots the ridge Bob and the season-long Championship prize money there is better than dollars of state on this one race and we just saw the look of concern on to both of the crew chief spaces everybody who bought a ticket to this event is still here and of course Gary Owens his girlfriend Susie hook she's holding her breath well they say Steve you're only good is your last round if we look at that we got to say that orbs he's got an advantage 502 to 503 and Steve and Donna let's not forget the Far Lane today has seen a great deal of success but Lee beard the crew chief for Gary Hornsby who had a Lane choice decided to go with the near Lane that could be the determining factor you run it was so important but that last decision that you make and you want to pass our twist Gary on Zee could win this race and still lose the championship Suzy hooks knows it if Joe Amato says lo ET quicker than 501 no matter whether he gets at the finish line first or not he will win the money in the title in priest a has he is gelatos [Applause] [Music] [Applause] believable development joe amato takes it all as gary Ormsby read landed at the outset trying to get that reaction time that jump and what a parting shot by Joe Amato the quickest time of the entire battle for three seconds Gary Hornsby who failed to defend his championship down to the new champ now Joe Amato in the most drama fact Top Fuel final in the history of drag race and Joe Amato has won his third Winston crowd speechless I guess now we can say Joe knows drag race somebody with that 493 orange we could have gotten the win light you'd still be the champion well what can I say Steve you know that was a lot of pressure and tension for the whole week but we were trying to win the race the whole enchilada you know a little Gary's youth cars been there you know they stepped up the last round my team did an outstanding job this weekend where they came through under pressure every one of the Tim Richards Jim my wife Jerry when Ken and Dick more Jeff Rogers I mean all of them that's important almost being well along with Don Garlits and children bailed on me the only driver to 1/3 that puts me in a special class to be with Don Garlits Charlie moaning my name no Joe how do a three-time world champion you know two plus two win the championship for team Valvoline Keystone all the guys the warehouse you don't go they'll be off my case a little bit if I lost it would have made a tough winner but boy my team they came true in the car let's celebrate [Music]

Channel: Calvin Walker

Views: 628

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Id: Ql7yuXVyhTg

Length: 12min 46sec (766 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 09 2019