1980's Headline News

Muldowney ousts Kalitta in Pomona final Longtime rivals Shirley Muldowney and Connie Kalitta met in the Top Fuel final of the Winternationals to settle top honors. Muldowney took the hard-fought win en route to her second of three NHRA Winston championships. Prudhomme stuns 'em at Gatornationals Don "the Snake" Prudhomme stunned the Funny Car field at the Gatornationals, running not one but five awe-inspiring five-second passes -- including a quickest-ever 5.93 -- to dominate the event and score his 29th career title. A barrier-breaking Mile-High Nationals Jerry Ruth recorded the first mile-high five-second pass in Top Fuel and Bob Glidden the first rare-air eight in Pro Stock en route to victories at the Mile-High Nationals. Raymond Beadle scored in Funny Car over local favorite Rob Williams. Upsets abound at 26th U.S. Nationals Upset was the word at the 26th running of the U.S. Nationals as Terry Capp scored his first Top Fuel win and Ed McCulloch ended an eight-year victory drought in Funny Car. Darrell Gwynn made his first final-round appearance with a runner-up in Pro Comp.

NFL quarterback Pastorini to tackle Top Fuel World champion program for E.T. bracket racers Atlanta, Fremont to added to '81 schedule Western Canada new NHRA Region Chi-Town team to run tour in '81 Monthly Headlines