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1987 NHRA Winternationals
The 1987 NHRA Winternationals (commonly known as the Winternats) were a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag racing event, held at Auto Club Raceway, Pomona, California on 1 February.[1] Top Fuel began a revival, from what looked like a death knell in 1984, with thirty-two entrants for a sixteen-car Funny Car field, including Kenny Bernstein (in his controversial, and quick, new Budweiser-sponsored[2][3] Bud King Buick LeSabre[4]), Ed "The Ace" McCulloch, Tom Hoover, Tom "Mongoo$e" McEwen, John Force, and Raymond Beadle.[4] Bernstein's switch to Buick meant Ford's Motorcraft sponsorship would go to the new Candies and Hughes Ford Thunderbird, driven by Mark Oswald.[5] EventsTop Fuel began a revival, from what looked like a death knell in 1984, with thirty-two entrants for a sixteen-car Funny Car field, including Kenny Bernstein, Ed McCulloch, and Tom McEwen, and Don Prudhomme (who, surprisingly, failed to qualify).[4] High-mounted wings and cylinder heads milled from billet aluminum were the leading technical highlights.[5] Maximum qualifying e.t. was 5.60, the quickest yet for a Top Fuel field.[3] ResultsTop Fuel DragsterTop Fuel hosted a field of 16, including low e.t. qualifier Hank Endres (driving for John Carey), "Big Daddy" Garlits (qualified #3), Shirley Muldowney (#7 qualifier), Larry Minor (qualified #11), Gene "Snowman" Snow (#2 qualifier), Amato (qualified #6), and Darrell Gwynn (qualified #8).[6] Round OneLow e.t. qualifier Hank Endres (turning in a 5.32[3]) eliminated Carey (his car owner, who qualified #9, with a 5.49).[3] #17 qualifier Tom Morgan (stepping in after #12 qualifier Ray Stutz failed to start) lost to #4-qualified Dan Pastorini.[6] Muldowney qualified #7, but lost to Bill Mullins, who qualified #15.[6] Frank Bradley, who qualified #10, lost to #2 qualifier Gene "Snowman" Snow.[6] Minor, #11 qualifier, was eliminated by Garlits (qualified #3).[6] Qualifying #16 (high e.t.), Ed Moore was defeated by #8 qualifier Darrell Gwynn.[6] Denver Schutz, #14 qualifier, lost to Joe Amato, who qualified #6.[6] Dick LaHaie, qualified #5 (driving for Larry Minor), turned in a 5.307 pass[7] to defeat Jack Ostrander, who qualified #13.[6] Round TwoPastorini lost to Gwynn. Amato defeated Snow. Garlits eliminated Mullins. Endres was defeated by LaHaie.[6] Round ThreeGwynn lost to Amato,[6] and LaHaie was eliminated by Garlits (5.38 to 5.36 seconds)[8] Final roundGarlits recorded a 5.298 at 270 mph (435 km/h) on his final pass of the meet, defeating Amato, who turned in a 5.415.[3] Garlits also had a better reaction time.[3] Top Fuel Funny CarTop Fuel Funny Car began a revival, from what looked like a death knell in 1984, with thirty-two entrants for a sixteen-car field, including Bernstein, McCulloch, Hoover, Force, and Don Prudhomme (who, surprisingly, failed to qualify).[4] Round OneOswald (qualifying #2, at 5.52 seconds and 268 mph (431 km/h)[5]) defeated #10 qualifier Hoover. Force (qualified #9) lost to low-e.t. qualifier Bernstein. Raymond Beadle, qualified #4, was defeated by #12-qualified Graeme Cowin. Doc Halladay, qualified #8, was beaten by high-e.t. qualifier Tim Grose. #14 qualifier John Martin defeated #6 qualifier Billy Meyer. Steve Hodkinson qualified #15, and eliminated #7 qualifier Johnny West.[4] McEwen qualified #13, and went out in round one.[9] Round TwoGrose fell to Cowin, Hodkinson to Pulde. Bernstein trailered McCulloch, and Martin eliminated Oswald.[4] Semi-final roundMartin was eliminated by Cowin, Pulde by Bernstein.[4] Final roundCowin faced off against Bernstein, and lost.[4] Pro StockBob Glidden debuted a new 1987 Thunderbird with a low-e.t. qualifying pass of 7.425 seconds at 186.76 mph (300.56 km/h).[8] Larry Morgan qualified #16 in an Oldsmobile Firenza (owned by Bob Panella) at 7.57 seconds and 185 mph (298 km/h).[5] Warren Johnson turned in several 7.4-second passes in a row, and went home having recorded low e.t. and top speed in class of the meet, 7.403 seconds and 188.20 mph (302.88 km/h).[5] Round OneGlidden eliminated #9 qualifier Mark Pawuk. Morgan defeated #8 qualifier Joe Lepone.[6] Gary Brown, #15 qualifier, lost to the #7-qualified Firebird of Tony Christian. Bruce Allen qualified #3, but lost to #11 qualifier Don Coonce's Firenza. Johnson qualified #2, and eliminated # qualifier Kenny Delco. Lee Dean qualified #4, only to lose to Darrell Alderman, who qualified #12. Reid Whisnant qualified #13 and lost to #5 qualifier Butch Leal. Steve Schmidt, qualified #12, lost to Gordie Rivera, qualified #6.[6] Round TwoGlidden lost in round two to a holeshot by Leal (with a 7.52 e.t. to Glidden's 7.45).[7] Alderman was eliminated by Morgan, Christian by Coonce. Rivera lost to Johnson.[10] Semi-finalMorgan faced Johnson, and lost. Leal eliminated Coonce.[10] Final roundJohnson took the win. Top Alcohol
The TA/D final pitted Denny Lucas against Bill Barney. Lucas's dragster did a wheelstand, yet still managed a pass of 6.312 seconds and 216 mph (348 km/h), exactly to the thousandth the same as Barney's.[3] The win was initially given to Barney, but after examining the videotape recorded by Diamond T Sports, it finally went to Lucas.[3] Chuck Phelps brought his Bad Moon Rising TA/FC to Pomona; playing Creedence Clearwater Revival in the pits and dressing his crew as werewolves may (or may not) have contributed to his taking the class win.[7] Super Gas
Super Gas had fully 62 entrants. The class was won by Ed Sellnow, in a small-block Camaro.[3] Competition Eliminator
The field was 49 cars.[3] Frank Parks qualified #15 in a C/ED, owned by Todd Patterson; Parks was eliminated in Round Three.[7] The class was won by a B/Econo Altered Opel, owned and driven by Patterson.[3] Stock
The Stock final matched Norm Rollings (of Pomona, in a Corvette (his first national event) lost to Harry Axemaker, in a G/SA 1971 Firebird; it would be his first class win in eighteen years of trying.[11] Notes
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