NHRA national event racing for 1978 came to a dramatic conclusion this past weekend with the running of the 14th annual Winston World Finals. It was excitement galore at Ontario Motor Speedway: performance-wise, final-round drama-wise, and everything else-wise. It was a picture-perfect finish for the stellar '78 drag racing season, one that the spectators, racers, officials, and manufacturers will long remember.

The NHRA Winston Professional titles in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock might have been sewed up long before the World Finals, but that didn't take anything away from stellar pro action. Rob Bruins, fresh off his Fallnationals triumph, put Gaines Markley's potent mount back in the Top Fuel winner's circle when performance star Gary Beck had trouble on the line. Raymond Beadle annexed the Funny Car crown, stopping Tom McEwen in the final. And in Pro Stock, well Bob Glidden kept his undefeated string alive with his Ford Fairmont by topping Larry Lombardo. - Dave Densmore