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Lucas and Bernstein will be ready for Indy redux
INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 4) - It might not be the way they originally expected to spend this coming weekend, but Morgan Lucas Racing teammates Morgan Lucas and Brandon Bernstein are looking forward to the resumption of the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus at Lucas Oil Raceway.
Lucas, driver of the GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster, has a pretty good track record at races that have to go extra days, the most recent example are his victories at this year's national events in Gainesville and Brainerd.
"There's something about the way this team bounces back from adverse conditions," Lucas said. "We won in Gainesville after it rained and we had a rain delay during our last win in Brainerd, too.
"Like just about everyone we would have liked to wrap this race up on Labor Day and get some rest before our last four-in-a-row stretch of the schedule, but I think conditions this weekend will be in our favor. We shouldn't have any more issues."
Lucas will start in the No. 4 slot on the sheet after a best pass of 3.792 seconds at 311.63 mph, but that could change in the two sessions scheduled for Saturday.
Across the pit, Bernstein said the ProtectTheHarvest.com/MAVTV dragster, didn't show its true potential during the three rounds of qualifying last weekend, so he's looking forward to an opportunity to move up the ranks.
"The guys put in a lot of work last weekend and we didn't end up with a lot to show for it," Bernstein said. "Thankfully we've got another opportunity and I'm confident, with the way we've been running of late, that we'll be able to make a move and qualify in the top half of the field. That's the immediate goal.
"At least we all live here in the area so if there's gonna be a rainout, it might as well be here where we can go home at night and have a fairly normal routine with our families.
"My heart goes out to the fans who stuck around all weekend. I know a lot of people plan their vacations around the race and it stinks for them, but I do think the ones that are able to come back are gonna see a tremendous show. Everyone is itching to get back after it."
Qualifying for the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus resumes at 11 a.m. EDT on Saturday. Eliminations start at 11 a.m. on Sunday. ESPN2's coverage of the event will start at 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday.
