Eye problems end Amato’s career

Mike Harris

Friday, Nov. 17, 2000 | 10:03 a.m.

This isn't the way Joe Amato wanted to end his racing days.

The most successful Top Fuel driver in the history of the National Hot Rod Association had hoped for a season-long farewell party for himself and his fans in 2001. Instead, he quietly announced last Sunday that his drag racing career is over.

"In the past few days, I realized the smartest and safest thing for me to do is get out of the car now," the 56-year-old Amato said.

Amato, winner of a record 52 Top Fuel national events, has had laser surgery twice in the past five months to repair torn retinas, and the damage to his eyes led to the somewhat surprising decision.

His doctor told him he has thin retinas, a hereditary condition. The high G-forces Amato experiences while racing increase the risk.

Amato had four tears in the retina of his right eye repaired in June, causing him to miss the July 9 race in Bristol, Tenn. He came back from that to win his next race, July 16 at Bandimere Speedway in Colorado.

Soon afterward, though, he required additional surgery to repair a tear in the retina of the left eye before coming back to win his 52nd and last national event, in Reading, Pa. He wound up fourth in the season standings.

Amato tried everything he could to keep racing.

In recent months, he began using a different parachute configuration, which releases air when it's deployed to help slow the car. The air release reduces the G-forces.

Amato also admitted, somewhat sheepishly, he had begun braking before releasing the chute.

"I must be completely honest with myself, and pulling the chute late is not a smart or safe thing to do," he said. "I have almost no margin for error and, in some cases, I'm leaving myself very little room in case something goes wrong."

"This was a tough decision to make, but it's the right one for me and my family - my wife, Donna, and my son, Seth," Amato said.

"What makes this decision so hard is racing has been my way of life for so long."

Amato has finished in the top 10 in the Top Fuel points every year since he began competing in 1982. He made 99 final-round appearances, including four this season, and holds numerous division records, including his five championships (1984, 1988, 1990-92). No other driver has won three titles in a row.

Amato recorded the first 4.5-second pass in the NHRA in 1996, and the first 260- and 280-mph passes.

"Joe has been a pioneer and friend to the sport of NHRA Winston Drag Racing, not only in terms of the innovations his teams have brought to the sport technically, but as a fan favorite," NHRA president Tom Compton said.

"We'll miss him in competition, but we hope he'll continue to contribute to the sport for many years."

Amato plans to do just that. He said he will remain active in the NHRA as a Top Fuel team owner and, pending sponsorship, will field a car with a new driver next season - the NHRA's 50th anniversary year.

"I've been thinking about retiring as a driver for a couple of years," Amato said. "The timing seems right because so many positive things are happening in the NHRA in 2001 and I want to be a part of it."

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On the net:

Joe Amato: http://www.joeamato.com