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BRANDON BERNSTEIN DEFENDS TOP FUEL TITLE IN PHOENIX; TAKES FOURTH CAREER VICTORY
Brandon Bernstein was the toast of the Top Fuel class at the Checker Schuck’s Kragen Nationals at Firebird International Raceway. If he were nominated for best actor by the Academy of Arts and Sciences, it might be for a role as Master and Commander of Firebird International Raceway. In Brandon’s two-year career he is undefeated on the Firebird quarter-mile.
This was Brandon’s fourth career victory and the fifth victory in the last seven races for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team. Six-time NHRA champion Kenny Bernstein won the last four of five races to end the 2003 season. Counting Kenny’s victories, Brandon’s three victories in 2003, and today’s win, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team is 8-0 in final round appearances.
“To get my first win here at Phoenix last year, and then to come back here and win after being laid up as long as I was, it was a tremendous feeling,” said Brandon. “In the back of my mind I thought it was possible to win because we’ve done it here before and Tim (Richards) has a handle on this track. After we got by the second round I thought maybe we had a good shot at winning. Tim had the car dialed in and I feel comfortable at this track. After first round, you kind of get in a rhythm and everything just moves along.”
Bernstein qualified sixth with a 4.553-second elapsed time at 309.91 mph.
On Sunday, the track was hot and slick, but the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team had a very competitive first round winning elapsed time, 4.540 seconds at 316.45 miles per hour, when John Smith fouled with a red light start and spun the tires.
In the quarterfinals, Bernstein faced off against Darrell Russell and was first out of the starting gate and first to the finish line, 4.572/323.66 vs. 4.678/311.85.
In the semifinals, Bernstein rolled to the starting line against Tony Schumacher. In a side-by-side battle, Bernstein got to the stripe first with a 4.552/321.88 vs. 4.564/320.13.
Bernstein’s final round opponent was Doug Kalitta. When the green light flickered, Bernstein ran straight down Broadway with a 4.537/326.63, while Kalitta spun the tires at half-track and could only watch as the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team began to celebrate.
Bernstein is third in NHRA POWERade Top Fuel standings, only four points out of second place and six points out of the lead.
“It’s going to be a big battle this year,” said Bernstein. “It’s no longer a beer war between two cars as we’ve seen the last couple of years. These guys are playing hardball out here and they’re running 4.40s. It’s going to be a dogfight between four or five cars, maybe six.
“Maybe we can go on to Gainesville in two weeks and repeat (last year’s victory) there.”
