Joe Amato Story
AMATO THANKS HIS FANS THE MOST FOR AN INCREDIBLE CAREER
In 24 years of competition as an owner and driver in the NHRA's Top Fuel category, Joe Amato has achieved immense success behind the wheel of a dragster as well as at the helm of a major corporation such as Keystone Automotive. No other competitor came from such a background and left so triumphantly in all aspects. He leaves a living legacy on the sport that he loves so much, and takes with him marvelous memories that he will cherish forever.
His Midas-touch career began at the age of 14 when he saw his first drag race and said, "I want to do that". From that simple viewpoint, Joe Amato parlayed an incredible business acumen into a lucrative NHRA career based on determination and grit.
As a salute to his fans, Joe Amato wanted to say "Thanks." Although he will never say good-bye to the sport he loves, the man from Moosic, Pa was determined to acknowledge the loyalty of the fans, which he gave as his primary motivation. His career spans from 1983 to 2001 and in that time he set drag racing records that are so far unparalleled in the 54-year history of the NHRA.
In an interview, Amato reflected on his career, as he became the most prolific Top Fuel racer in the history of the National Hot Rod Association…
Joe Amato, 35 years of drag racing and then one day, it's over. This is unique for you, isn't it?
"I guess when I woke up the next morning it was like what happened to the switch? I'm used to waking up and full speed with Amato Racing. Tomorrow is more or less unwinding everything and moving all the pieces of the puzzle to the next chapter. It's been a great, great ride. Like all good things in life, sometimes you have to change the chapter. I have my health and now I'll have the time and freedom to come to a few races and do what I want to do, but not be here and have the Monday to Friday obligation.
"I still have many other business interests and I will be keeping myself busy. I'm not the type of person to sit on the couch, trust me. It's a big responsibility out here to have a team and make sure you know what's going on with them. Keeping sponsorships going is a business and it's becoming an even bigger and more competitive business. After all these years, it can wear you out a little bit. Plus, when you're not driving, you lose a little bit control over your ability to win. When you rely on 'hired guns' sometimes, they do well and sometimes they don't do well. You are somewhat at everyone's mercy to win. So, it is a very frustrating sport. I remember when Dan Pastorini was out here he said that this was much more frustrating than the NFL ever was because you might have a bad play there, but you get up, go back to the line, and do it again. In football, you can keep coming back but in this business, something happens on Sunday and you lose, you have to wait a week or two to come back."
What would you want to say to your fans for all their support over the years?
"A lot of people came up to me this weekend and said thanks for the memories, but I think it's been my pleasure to be able to perform in front of all the fans. Without the fans, this sport would be nothing. What supports that are the media, the sponsor people, and the NHRA. Over the years, that's been the best part - the people, whether it's the fans or the people involved in the sport and having the same denominator of competition. I have all the memories.
"Wins and records are great, but the people, the fun in trying to be the best of the best on Sunday and being lucky enough to do it every once in a while, lets me savor and enjoy my career from what I've accomplished in my mind during my unwinding years."
Is there a particular fan you remember that stands out in your memory?
"I think the way the 'Snoopy' thing came along. I met a big fan in Minnesota at the Brainerd race. There was a woman with a couple of kids in a wagon that I befriended. The next thing you know they brought me a pair of Snoopy underwear and I won the race. I modeled my Snoopy shorts in the winner's circle and that started the whole Snoopy thing for many years. I had Snoopy on my car, it was Snoopy everywhere. I still have a lot of Snoopy stuff at my house to this day and I've always been a (Charles) Shultz fan. It was a lot of fun, but it also developed into as part of my racing aura. It was the whole perception of Joe Amato being with Snoopy, which was a great thing with kids."
Crew Chiefs -- Tim Richards earned you five Top Fuel championships, what made that click so well?
"I think to begin discussing that racing relationship you have to understand that we were friends, we're from the same area, and we grew up together. Ray Laboski (personal racing friend) was a good friend of Tim's and we ended up racing Alcohol together. At the time, Tim had his own Super Stock car, I wanted to go Alcohol Funny Car racing, and Tim decided to come with us and be the crew chief, building the engines for Ray and me. The three of us grew up together as sportsman racers and then later we transferred up to Top Fuel. Probably the biggest single mistake I made in my career was not staying involved with Timmy. We went through a transition period there while he was going through his divorce where we didn't hang together and I would have probably had even more success with Tim. We've both been lucky and blessed.
"The other thing with crew chiefs helping our team whether they are the Jimmy Procks and the guys, I guess, is that I gave them the ability to become crew chiefs or super crew chiefs, all the way to my current guys, the Dupuy boys (Wayne and Jimmy) who are both crew chiefs now. One was a crew chief when he got here and I gave them the budget and the whereabouts to become a top-five crew chief. There's a big difference, you know. I felt I gave back in that respect.
"The only sad part of everything is the Darrell Russell incident and if I never became a team owner, I never would have gotten myself into that situation. That's a tragedy and you'll always second-guess yourself."
Is there one race that stands out in Joe Amato's mind?
"There are two races that I remember most. When I raced Ormsby for the championship in 1990, which was a high-pressure drama of having the final round determine the champion and the other one was when I finally won the Keystone Nationals after 15 years of trying to win it. After many runner-ups, I was able to win the race (1999) and then as luck would have it; I won it again the next year. To me that was about as emotional of a win in front of the hometown crowd. It was something I was trying to forever to do and I was finally able to do it. I remember we had around 3,000 employees of Keystone Automotive, family, friends, and everybody you've known all your life were there celebrating with us. They stayed loyal for all those years of runner-ups and not winning that race. That was the last race I won in my career (2000). I grew up racing there, so that place is very special."
Where does life take Joe Amato after drag racing now?
"I still want to stay a part of racing. I'll be back at Pomona next year. How I want to be part of it all is yet to unwind and who ends up where. However, I would like to stay included with a small part of a team or hang around with a couple of teams. I'll see what develops. I've got many people that I'm friends with out here. I still would like to be able to contribute a little bit, if possible. I want to stay a part of mix when I want to come and if I want to come to 10 races, just pick the ten and I'll spend the rest of my time traveling. Spend a little more time at home with my family and friends. You get used to doing it, but it's still a lot of traveling. I hope the dog will get to see me a little bit more. Nevertheless, I have business stuff I am staying occupied in and I still do real estate and some things like developmental projects. I want to be able to kick back, slow down and smell the roses. I've always been full speed ahead on a treadmill all my life.
"I guess I'll go wherever my nose leads me, I guess that's the way you could say it. I don't want any definite plans except for trying to enjoy life a little bit instead of going from one mission to the next. When you race, it's a big commitment of time. It's a traveling circus out here. With 23 races and all the testing and sponsor stuff you get into, it turns out to be a way of life. When you don't have that pressure, you can do a lot of other things. That's going to be the mission for Joe Amato.”
If you could gather every Joe Amato fan and address them as a group, what would you say?
“That's a tough question. I would tell them thanks for all their support over the years. For being there through thick and thin, because in any sports business, you're not a winning team every year. You have some ups, some downs, good luck and bad. The true Joe Amato fans have been through it all and that's what a true fan is as well as a friend. Someone that is with you all the way. Thanks fans, you're the best!”
Joe Amato's career at a glance:
* 5-Time NHRA Top Fuel Champion (1984, 1988, 1990-92)
* 52 - Top Fuel NHRA Professional career victories (ranks No. 1 in Top Fuel and eighth in overall National Events. (55 total with three as a car owner through 2005)
* 99 - Top Fuel Final Round Appearances
* 19 - Has finished in top 10 of NHRA Winston standings for 19 consecutive seasons, since his Top Fuel career began in 1982 and finished in 2000.
* 15 – Top Five Finishes in season ending standings.
* First driver to exceed 260 mph and 280 mph.
* Career-Best Elapsed Time - 4.516 seconds (19 th quickest all-time through 2005)
* Career-Best Speed - 326.67 MPH (21 st fastest all-time through 2005)
* Career Best Winning Season: 1990 - 6 National event wins.
* Produced first 4.50-second pass in NHRA history with run of 4.595 seconds at the 1996 Western Auto Nationals.
* First NHRA National event win - 1983 Le Grandnational, St. Pie, Quebec
* Last NHRA National event win - 2000 Keystone Nationals, Reading, Pa.
* 56 - No. 1 Qualifier (ranks fifth)
* 6 Budweiser Shootout Victories (1985, 1987-90, 92) 7 Final Rounds (R/U - 1986)
* 16 consecutive years of Budweiser Shootout competition
* No. 9 ranking in NHRA's Top 50 drivers as celebration of their golden anniversary.
* Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall-of-Fame - Class of 2005, Talladega, Alabama (April 28, 2005) (Bob Glidden, Chip Hanauer, Nigel Mansell, and Darrell Waltrip)
* 191 ('83 Gainesville - '95 Memphis) career qualifying streak (ranks third)
* Career won/lost record 526-267(.663) (ranks ninth in overall winning percentage)
* 15 th Member of the NHRA 250-mph Club (July 17, 1982 250.69 MPH - Englishtown, N.J.)
* Fourth Member of the NHRA Cragar 4-Second Club (March 3, 1989, 4.996 ET, Houston)
* Sixth Member of the Slick 50 300-MPH club (April 23, 1990 - 300.90 MPH, Commerce, Georgia)
* Started racing go-karts at age 11. His first car was a 1953 Ford.
Joe Amato's History of NHRA NATIONAL RECORD PERFORMANCE Records
(8 - Speed Records --- 4 - Elapsed Times)
1. 1984 March - Gainesville, Florida - 262.39 MPH
2. 1984 July - Englishtown, N.J. - 264.70 MPH
3. 1986 February - Pomona 1 - 269.46 MPH
4. 1987 April - Atlanta - 279.24 MPH
5. 1987 September - Reading, Pa. - 280.98 MPH
6. 1989 September - Reading, Pa. - 4.967 seconds
7. 1991 March - Gainesville, Florida - 4. 897 seconds
8. 1997 February - Pomona 1 - 4.564 seconds
9. 1997 March - Houston 1 - 317.57 MPH
10. 1997 September - Indianapolis - 318.24 MPH
11. 1998 March - Houston 1 - 4.539 seconds
12. 1998 May - Englishtown - 323.50 MPH
DOB: June 13, 1944
Amato's NHRA Top Fuel Point Standings through the years:
1982 - 6 th
1983 - 2 nd
1984 - 1 st
1985 - 2 nd
1986 - 4 th
1987 - 2 nd
1988 - 1 st
1989 - 2 nd
1990 - 1 st
1991 - 1 st
1992 - 1 st
1993 - 7 th
1994 - 5 th
1995 - 10 th
1996 - 6 th
1997 - 3 rd
1998 - 3 rd
1999 - 3 rd
2000 - 4 th
National Event Final-Round Record – 52 wins, 47 runner-ups, 99 final round appearances -- .525 winning percentage
1983 3 wins, 2 runner-ups (5)
1. Le Grandnational winner, St. Pie, Quebec (1)
2. Summernationals winner, Englishtown, N.J. (2)
3. Northstar Nationals winner, Brainerd, Mn. (3)
4. U.S. Nationals runner-up, Indianapolis, In. (1)
5. Winston Finals runner-up, Pomona, Ca. (2)
1984 3 wins, 4 runner-ups (7)
6. Winternationals runner-up, Pomona, Ca. (3)
7. Gatornationals winner, Gainesville, Fl. (4)
8. Southern Nationals winner, Atlanta, Ga. (5)
9. Springnationals runner-up, Columbus, Oh. (4)
10. Summernationals runner-up, Englishtown, N.J. (5)
11. Mile-High Nationals runner-up, Denver, Co. (6)
12. Northstar Nationals winner, Brainerd, Mn. (6)
1985 1 win, 3 runner-ups (4)
13. Winternationals winner, Pomona, Ca. (7)
14. Gatornationals runner-up, Gainesville, Fl. (7)
15. Southern Nationals runner-up, Atlanta, Ga. (8)
16. Keystone Nationals runner-up, Reading, Pa. (9)
1986 0 wins, 2 runner-ups (2)
17. Springnationals runner-up, Columbus, Oh. (10)
18. Winston Finals runner-up, Pomona, Ca. (11)
1987 3 wins, 5 runner-ups (8)
19. Winternationals runner-up, Pomona, Ca. (12)
20. Gatornationals winner, Gainesville, Fl. (8)
21. Southern Nationals runner-up, Atlanta, Ga. (13)
22. Cajun Nationals runner-up, Baton Rouge, La. (14)
23. Le Grandnational runner-up, St. Pie, Quebec (15)
24. Summernationals runner-up, Englishtown, N.J. (16)
25. Mile-High Nationals winner, Denver, Co. (9)
26. U.S. Nationals winner, Indianapolis, In. (10)
1988 4 wins, 5 runner-ups (9)
27. Winternationals runner-up, Pomona, Ca. (17)
28. Gatornationals runner-up, Gaineville, Fl. (18)
29. Southern Nationals runner-up, Atlanta, Ga. (19)
30. Cajun Nationals runner-up, Baton Rouge, La. (20)
31. Summernationals winner, Englishtown, N.J. (11)
32. California Nationals winner, Sonoma, Ca. (12)
33. Northstar Nationals winner, Brainerd, Mn. (13)
34. U.S. Nationals winner, Indianapolis, In. (14)
35. Supernationals runner-up, Houston, Tx. (21)
1989 4 wins, 4 runner-ups (8)
36. Supernationals runner-up, Houston, Tx. (22)
37. Springnationals winner, Columbus, Oh. (15)
38. Mile-High Nationals winner, Denver, Co. (16)
39. California Nationals runner-up, Sonoma, Ca. (23)
40. Northwest Nationals winner, Seattle, Wa. (17)
41. Northstar Nationals winner, Brainerd, Mn. (18)
42. Keystone Nationals runner-up, Reading, Pa. (24)
43. Winston Finals runner-up, Pomona, Ca. (25)
1990 6 wins, 4 runner-ups (10)
44. Arizona Nationals winner, Phoenix, Az. (19)
45. Southern Nationals runner-up, Atlanta, Ga. (26)
46. Mid-South Nationals runner-up, Memphis, Tn. (27)
47. Springnationals runner-up, Columbus, Ohio (28)
48. Summernationals runner-up, Englishtown, N.J. (29)
49. Mile-High Nationals winner, Denver, Co. (20)
50. Northstar Nationals winner, Brainerd, Mn. (21)
51. U.S. Nationals winner, Indianapolis, In. (22)
52. Heartland Nationals winner, Topeka, Ks. (23)
53. Winston Finals winner, Pomona, Ca. (24)
1991 4 wins, 4 runner-ups (8)
54. Gatornationals winner, Gainesville, Fl. (25)
55. Springnationals runner-up, Columbus, Ohio (30)
56. Mile-High Nationals winner, Denver, Co. (26)
57. California Nationals winner, Sonoma, Ca. (27)
58. Northwest Nationals winner, Seattle, Wa. (28)
59. Northstar Nationals runner-up, Brainerd, Mn. (31)
60. Keystone Nationals runner-up, Reading, Pa. (32)
61. Heartland Nationals runner-up, Topeka, Ks. (33)
1992 3 wins, 2 runner-ups (5)
62. Slick 50 Nationals winner, Houston, Tx. (29)
63. Southern Nationals runner-up, Atlanta, Ga. (34)
64. Summernationals winner, Englishtown, N.J. (30)
65. Champion Auto Stores Nationals winner, Brainerd, Mn. (31)
66. Sears-Craftsman Nationals runner-up, St. Louis, Mo. (35)
1993 2 wins, 0 runner-ups (2)
67. Winternationals winner, Pomona, Ca. (32)
68. Mid-South Nationals winner, Memphis, Tenn. (33)
1994 1 win, 2 runner-ups (3)
69. Ford Quality Care Nationals runner-up, Phoenix, Az. (36)
70. Springnationals runner-up, Columbus, Oh. (37)
71. Northwest Nationals winner, Seattle, Wa. (34)
1996 2 wins, 2 runner-ups (4)
72. Slick 50 Nationals runner-up, Houston, Tx. (38)
73. Mopar Parts Nationals winner, Englishtown, N.J. (35)
74. Pennzoil Nationals runner-up, Memphis, Tenn. (39)
75. Winston Finals winner, Pomona, Ca. (36)
1997 5 wins, 3 runner-ups (8)
76. Chief Auto Parts Winternationals runner-up, Pomona, Ca. (40)
77. Mac Tools Gatornationals winner, Gainesville, Fl. (37)
78. Slick 50 Nationals winner, Houston, Tx. (38)
79. Lone Star Nationals winner, Dallas, Tx. (39)
80. Sears-Craftsman Nationals winner, St. Louis, Mo. (40)
81. Sears-Craftsman Nationals runner-up, Topeka, Ks. (41)
82. Revell Nationals runner-up, Dallas, Tx. (42)
83. Winston Finals winner, Pomona, Ca. (41)
1998 4 wins, 2 runner-ups (6)
84. Pennzoil Nationals runner-up, Richmond, Va. (43)
85. Castrol Lone Star Nationals winner, Dallas, Tx. (42)
86. Mopar Parts Nationals winner, Englishtown, N.J. (43)
87. Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals runner-up, Denver, Co. (44)
88. Prolong Northwest Nationals winner, Seattle, Wa. (44)
89. Pennzoil Nationals winner, Memphis, Tenn. (45)
1999 5 wins, 1 runner-up (6)
90. Checker Schuck’s Kragen Nationals winner, Phoenix, Az. (46)
91. Mopar Parts Nationals winner, Englishtown, N.J. (47)
92. Mile-High Nationals winner, Denver, Co. (48)
93. Prolong Northwest Nationals winner, Seattle, Wa. (49)
94. Keystone Nationals winner, Reading, Pa. (50)
95. Advance Auto Parts runner-up, Topeka, Ks (45)
2000 2 wins, 2 runner-ups (4)
96. Summitracing.com NHRA Nationals runner-up, Las Vegas, Nv. (46)
97. Pontiac Excitement Nationals runner-up, Columbus, Oh. (47)
98. Mopar Part Mile-High Nationals winner, Denver, Co. (51)
99. Keystone Nationals winner, Reading, Pa. (52)
Wins By Track (Alphabetical Order):
Atlanta Dragway, Atlanta, Georgia
1 – 1984
Bandimere Speedway, Denver, Colorado
6- 2000, 1999, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1987
Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minnesota
6 – 1992, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1984, 1983
Firebird International Raceway, Phoenix, Arizona
2 – 1999, 1990
Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Florida
4 - 1997, 1991, 1987, 1984
Gateway International Raceway, St. Louis, Missouri
1 – 1997
Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, Kansas
1 – 1990
Houston Raceway Park, Houston, Texas
2 – 1997, 1992
Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis, Indiana
3 – 1990, 1988, 1987
Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California
2 – 1991, 1988
Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Fall Race
1 – 2004 (car owner)
Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, Pennsylvania
2 – 2000, 1999
Memphis Motorsports Park, Memphis, Tennessee
2 – 1998, 1993
National Trail Raceway, Columbus, Ohio
1 – 1989
1 – 2004 (car owner)
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey
6 – 1999, 1998, 1996, 1992, 1988, 1983
Pacific Raceways, Seattle, Washington
5 – 1999, 1998, 1994, 1991, 1989
1 – 2002 (car owner)
Pomona Raceway, Pomona, California
5 – 1997 (Finals), 1996 (Finals), 1993 (Winternationals), 1990 (Finals), 1985 (Winternationals)
1 – 2001 (Winternationals) (car owner)
Texas Motorplex, Dallas, Texas
2 – 1998 (Fall Race), 1997 (Fall Race)
Discontinued NHRA National Events
Sanair International Dragstrip, St. Pie, Quebec, Canada
1 - 1983,
State Capital Dragway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
2 – 1987, 1988 Runner-ups
Virginia Motorsports Park, Richmond, Virginia
1 – 1998 Runner-up