Celebrating 75 years of speed, power, and the world's fastest motorsport

1987

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1987 TOP FUEL WORLD CHAMPION DICK LaHAIE

  • Scored first career world championship
  • Collected five race wins and a runner-up
  • Championship decided in semifinals of last race
  • Edged Joe Amato by less than one round
  • Daughter Kim and son Jeff were crewmembers

Top Fuel world champion
Dick LaHaie

Funny Car world champion
Kenny Bernstein

Pro Stock world champion
Bob Glidden

Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion
Dave Schultz

Top Alcohol Dragster world champion
Denny Lucas

Top Alcohol Funny Car world champion
Pat Austin

Comp eliminator world champion
Bill Maropulos

Super Stock world champion
Jim Boburka

Stock eliminator world champion
Jim Waldo

Super Comp world champion
Steve Cohen

Super Gas world champion
Sheldon Gecker

1987

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

FORCE GETS FIRST WIN

After nine runner-ups and 10 years of frustration, John Force scored his first Funny Car win at Le Grandnational outside of Montreal, defeating Ed McCulloch in a rain-delayed Monday final round.

‘SNAKE’ STRIKES BACK

After a near-five-year absence from the winner’s circle, Don “the Snake” Prudhomme scored the Funny Car victory at the NHRA Gatornationals in his Skoal Bandit Pontiac.

WINSTON ALL-STARS DEBUTS

Dick LaHaie, Kenny Bernstein, and Warren Johnson took home the Pro titles at the first Winston All-Stars event at Texas Motorplex, a competition featuring 10 handpicked drivers from each class.

SWAMP RAT XXX ENTERS SMITHSONIAN

Don Garlits’ “Swamp Rat-XXX” streamlined Top Fuel dragster, the first Top Fueler to exceed 270 mph, earned a place of honor as it was installed at the Smithsonian Institution.

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