When you are celebrating at the top end and Steve Evans says, “They left a trail of burned and broken parts…” you know it was a costly victory. John Force claimed victory at the 1990 NHRA Northstar Nationals in Funny Car, Joe Amato in Top Fuel, and Bruce Allen in Pro Stock. The TNN broadcast is available to watch below and it highlights the gray skies that were the hallmark of the event that year.
The eliminations were run on a misty Sunday and there are times when water droplets are visible on the lens of the cameras shooting the track. When the 1990 season was being run, Brainerd came toward the end and there were less than a half dozen events yet to run with basically every category of competition still wide open with respect to the championship chase.
About 18 minutes in you will see a wild funny car race with John Force and Glenn Mikres driving Joe Pisano’s car. Mikes goes red but Force does not see it and makes an insanely crazy effort to catch and pass him while smoking the tires about the entire way down the track. Steve Evans attempts to talk to him at the top end and it is just about the same experience that everyone since the advent of drag racing television has ever had. You ask a question and just stand there as a torrent of words come your way, none of them having anything to do with what you just asked the guy. It’s actually kind of awesome. Been there…doing that.
28 years back and we’re headed to the woods the weekend after next. Buckle up!
