NHRA TOP FUEL CHAMPIONSHIP ELUDES BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 4) – The outcome of a potential championship for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team came down to one round at the Auto Club Finals. With five wins in the 2007 season, a career high number of victories per season for second generation driver Brandon Bernstein, the Kenny Bernstein-owned team was in the thick of the battle when eliminations unfolded at Auto Club Raceway. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team qualified fourth at 4.524/328.54. They also took home their fifth Top Fuel Full Throttle $3000 check of the season for overall performance and consistency based on the event’s qualifying rounds. In the opening stanza of Auto Club Finals eliminations, Bernstein faced off against Cory McClenathan. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster made a straight, trouble-free run to take the round win while McClenathan struggled with loss of traction at the hit of the throttle. Bernstein clocked 4.557/327.11 to McClenathan’s 12.109/75.31. “We have to concentrate on our own efforts,” said Bernstein, “and not get caught up in what the other Countdown drivers are doing. That was a good run and the car went right down there.” In the quarterfinals, Bernstein rolled to the ready line to meet David Grubnic. Bernstein had the advantage from the 60-foot incremental all the way down the quarter-mile and tripped the win light with a 4.549/322.19 to Grubnic’s 5.020/305.77. “We’re into a rhythm now,” said Bernstein. “We just need to keep the consistency rolling.” The defining moment for Bernstein and his championship hopes would be in the semifinals against Tony Schumacher. Tensions were high, but the scenario was simple. If Bernstein won the round, he would win the championship. Bernstein had the reaction time advantage, but Schumacher won the round. Bernstein’s 4.637/319.14 could not match Schumacher’s 4.520/325.53. “Obviously we are very disappointed,” said Bernstein. “We just came up a bit short. It’s unfortunate, but that’s drag racing. It’s tough out there. You have to be on your game and you have to run the number and we know what kind of numbers Schumacher puts out. It’s too bad our car fell off against him. We had not run 4.60s all weekend. “Overall, our Budweiser/Lucas Oil team had a good season, winning five races. We’ll take some time over the winter to do a little R & R and ramp up for 2008.” Bernstein finished the season in the No. 3 position, 37 points, or less than two rounds, out of the championship. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com and www.brandonbernstein.com. Please visit www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com # # # |
The Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel Dragster will compete in the 43rd Annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at The Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, California. AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NHRA FINALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying NHRA Race Day Eliminations
We hope to have the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel Dragster in the finals for you to watch. We will have continuous internet updates daily. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com and www.brandonbernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com, (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com
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BRANDON BERNSTEIN INSPIRED BY SIX-TIME CHAMPION FATHER POMONA, Calif. – Second generation driver Brandon Bernstein will be one of four drivers vying for the coveted 2007 NHRA POWERade Top Fuel championship. The champion will be crowned Nov. 4 at the Automobile Club of Southern California Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. “You have to be totally focused,” said Bernstein. “You can’t leave the starting line too late or too early. You have to remember there are good teams competing that aren’t in the countdown that want to win and take some of the glory. At this stage, there can’t be any hiccups and there’s no making it up if you make a mistake. “It’s going to be a pressure filled race. We faced similar pressure in the Richmond race in the first round of competition which was a make or break round for us to get into the Countdown to 1. We got through that, and Dad counseled me to build on that experience for this final event. “We feel very fortunate to have made it this far, but we really would like to win the championship for Budweiser, Lucas Oil, Mac Tools, all our sponsors and fans, but especially Dad. We were runner-up in Pomona at the season-opener and we’d like to end the season going one better with a victory. “Our team has shown its competitive nature by winning five events this season, so we definitely have the talent. Tim (Richards, crew chief) and Kim (Richards) have won championships before so they know how to handle the pressure. “Dad has won championships and he will be there to guide me. We’ll give it 120 percent and hope for the best.” The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team celebrated national event victories in the spring in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Bristol, Tenn., Topeka, and Brainerd, Minn., setting a new career high for victories in a season for Bernstein. Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the Auto Club Finals begins Thursday, Nov. 1 at 2:30 p.m., with a second session Friday at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, there are two scheduled qualifying rounds, noon and 3:30 p.m. The championship-defining rounds begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FINALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying – Nov. 3 – ESPN2 |
BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM ADVANCES TO THIRD LAS VEGAS (Oct. 27) – With the Top Fuel championship to be decided Nov. 4 in Pomona, Calif., the Kenny Bernstein-owned Budweiser/Lucas Oil team will be in the thick of the final battle. In a competitive, double header weekend in Las Vegas, driver Brandon Bernstein credited crew chief Tim Richards for tuning consistency that propelled the team to a final four appearance in the ACDelco Nationals, essentially the semifinals of the Countdown to the Championship. Bernstein qualified No. 6 for Sunday’ race with a 4.534-second elapsed time at 325.69 miles per hour. In Saturday’s Technicoat Top Fuel Shootout, Bernstein was paired with Melanie Troxel in the first round of racing activity. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team turned a 4.557/327.59 which would have bested any other competitor in the field, except for Troxel, who earned the round win with a 4.529/330.55. In the opening round of Sunday’s ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team ran their quickest elapsed time of the weekend (4.530/326.71) and earned 20 points for the round win against Doug Herbert (4.611/315.57). "We saw one of the other Countdown competitors go right down the lane and win his round before us so the pressure was on us to win,” said Bernstein. “That was a great run and tuning call by Tim.” In the quarterfinals, Bernstein once again faced Melanie Troxel, his first round opponent in Saturday’s Technicoat Shootout. Bernstein contributed to the team’s Sunday round win by getting a quicker start out of the gate. Bernstein’s .048-second reaction time, coupled with a 4.566-second elapsed time at 327.43 mph, helped the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster reach the finish line first. Troxel’s .094-second reaction time with a 4.561-second elapsed time at 326.79 miles per hour gave Bernstein a .0413-second margin of victory. “That was a huge, huge round win for us, and a stout tune-up,” said Bernstein. “Tim has this car running consistently. Tim needed the driver to step up and I did everything I could to help our effort. “Every round match is tough, and every 20 points gained by a round win is coveted.” Once again, Bernstein had the starting line advantage over semifinals competitor Doug Kalitta and led until half track where the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster began to lose traction. Kalitta drove around Bernstein for the round win. “We knew Doug would be tough,” said Bernstein. “We were good for a while there and I was holding my breathe hoping we could fend him off. Then I felt the tires spin and just had to watch as he went by. “The good news is we went some rounds and we’re in the hunt.” The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team advanced to third position in the Countdown points heading into the finale at Pomona, Calif. next weekend. Bernstein is 61 points out of the lead. # # # |
The Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel Dragster will compete in the 7th Annual ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada. ACDELCO LAS VEGAS NHRA NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying NHRA Race Day Eliminations
We hope to have the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel Dragster in the finals for you to watch. We will have continuous internet updates daily. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com and www.brandonbernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com, (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com |
BRANDON BERNSTEIN AND BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM LAS VEGAS – Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team are among an elite list of Top Fuel teams who will have an opportunity for a double payday weekend at the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals Oct. 26-28. Additionally, Bernstein is one of four Top Fuel drivers in the Countdown to 1 for the season’s championship ring. Las Vegas and Pomona are the final two races of the year and the team that earns the most points at those remaining races will collect the $500,000 championship bonus. At Las Vegas in addition to the national event trophy that is at stake, along with performance points earned toward the championship, eight of the quickest Top Fuel contenders who have earned starting berths based on qualifying points gained throughout the year will compete for the $100,000 winner’s share at the Technicoat Top Fuel Shootout. The specialty event will be held Saturday, Oct. 27 during professional qualifying at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “It’s a big weekend for us,” said Bernstein, “and one that will be filled with the pressure of two races and a championship in the mix. “We will hold our breath on Friday and hope we get qualified in the top half of the field. If we’re not, then we’ll have to worry about qualifying for Sunday’s event and racing the Technicoat Shootout all at the same time on Saturday. “Best case scenario is to get two good, quick, consistent runs in on Friday and be ready to rumble on Saturday in the Shootout. “This will be our fourth Shootout start. We finished runner-up in our first race, but we’d sure like to win one. The Cowboys (Technicoat’s Bob Coffman and Glen Williams) have been friends of our family for a long time and they’ve been involved in our sport for many years. We would enjoy sharing a few Budweisers with them in winner’s circle!” Bernstein’s very first professional race was the Shootout in February of 2003. It was a starting position earned by his father, six-time NHRA world champion, Kenny, in the race that was scheduled to run at the season-ending race of 2002, the year of his retirement. Rain forced postponement until the season-opening event in 2003. Because Kenny had retired, the rules allowed Brandon to take his place. “I was really pumped for that race,” said Brandon. “I was just a rookie but I had a great team behind me. We still have Tim and Kim (Richards) at the tuning helm and they’re doing a spectacular job. “So far this season we’ve won five events, which is a season best for us. Of course we could add on to those event wins with a little Las Vegas luck.” Bernstein won the SummitRacing.com Nationals April 15 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “Our team has proven that we’re capable of winning at this track,” said Bernstein. “Dad’s had tremendous success at this track and we’d like to continue the family tradition.” Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals begins Friday, Oct. 26 with an opening round at 2 p.m., followed by a second session at 4:30 p.m. Technicoat Shootout driver introductions are scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Saturday, with round one of the Shootout at 1 p.m., round two at 3:20 p.m. and Shootout finals at 4:45 p.m. In conjunction with the Shootout, nitro qualifying for Funny Car and Top Fuel cars not participating in the Shootout are slotted for 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals kick off at 11 a.m. Sunday. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. ACDELCO LAS VEGAS NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying – Oct. 27 – ESPN2 |
BRANDON BERNSTEIN AND BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 7) – In a nail-biter match in the first round of eliminations at the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals, Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team won the fourth seed in the Countdown to Four and the opportunity to enter the final phase of the Countdown to the Championship. In the battle for the final available position in the Countdown to Four, qualifying position and accompanying points also became very important. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team qualified second at 4.549/321.58, gaining seven valuable points. They also took home their fourth Top Fuel Full Throttle $3000 check of the season for overall performance and consistency based on the event’s qualifying rounds. “Our fate was in our hands,” said Bernstein. “It was ours to win or lose. We had just a fraction over a round point advantage coming into the opening round. The team did their job, I did my job, and we were fortunate enough to have everything fall into place. “It was definitely a pressure situation, but our team was able to rise to the occasion. “Dad gave us a pep talk on Friday and he said, 'Just do the best you can do and let everything fall into place. We only ask that when you look in the mirror at the end of the weekend that you can say you've done the best you can do.” “We all gave our best effort.” In the second round of eliminations, Bernstein lost traction by half track (6.626/134.52) while Doug Foley had a trouble free run (4.603/318.99). “We hated to lose that round because a win there would have catapulted us to second place in point standings which would have meant an extra 20 points on the point reset for the Countdown to One,” lamented Bernstein. “But the first round was the important win. e last two races, Las Vegas and Pomona, are back to back and it’s going to be a thriller to see who wins the Top Fuel championship trophy.” # # #
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The Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel Dragster will compete in the 2nd Annual Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Virginia. TORCO RACING FUELS NHRA NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying NHRA Race Day Eliminations We hope to have the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel Dragster in the finals for you to watch. We will have continuous internet updates daily. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com and www.brandonbernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com, (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com |
BRANDON BERNSTEIN ON COUNTDOWN
TO FOUR “BUBBLE”; RICHMOND, Va. -- The Torco Racing Fuels Nationals Oct. 5-7 are a make or break race for Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team in their quest to transfer to the next stage of the new NHRA championship countdown format. The team led the Top Fuel point standings twice during the season, and they have never fallen out of the top eight. Since the Countdown to Eight field has been set, they have remained fourth. Now with the cutline fast approaching for the Countdown to Four, Bernstein is vulnerable. “We really didn’t want to end up at the last race before the field of four is set with no breathing room,” said Bernstein, “but that’s pretty much where we are. We are 26 points out of third place, or 21 points out of fifth. “It would be a huge bummer if we didn’t make the Countdown to Four. The record books prove we’re definitely a contender. We’ve won five events this season, a career-high number of victories in one season for me. For the most part we’ve hovered around second or third in the point standings with a few dips lower than that. “The tide turned to a certain extent when I was hospitalized for kidney stones and was unable to compete at Reading,” continued Bernstein. “We were second going into that event, and because I couldn’t race, we came out fourth as the points were reset for the first phase of that Countdown. That was a 20-point swing. Those kidney stones just picked a really bad time to get riled up. “Now, all that being said, we have the talent to soldier through this. Make no mistake, competition in our category is tough. We’ll have knots in our stomach and we’ll be holding our breath until we qualify. Fortunately Tim (Richards, crew chief) normally tunes us to some really consistent laps in all the qualifying sessions. Qualifying high on the ladder awards you more points and gives you lane choice, which might give you an advantage. “I know for sure I picked up the competitive gene from my dad. But our whole team has the desire to win. We need to stay focused and positive and see if we can go some rounds. We have our eyes on the championship, but we need to make the Countdown to Four.” Bernstein’s victories this season include Las Vegas, Atlanta, Bristol, Topeka, and Brainerd, Minn. He was runner-up at the season-opening event in Pomona and in Seattle. Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals begins Friday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. with a second session at 6:30 p.m. There are two qualifying rounds Saturday, 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., with final eliminations scheduled to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. TORCO RACING FUELS NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying – Oct. 6 – ESPN2 7 – 8 p.m. ET NHRA Race Day – Oct. 7 – ESPN2 11-11:30 a.m. ET Eliminations – Oct. 7 – ESPN2 7 – 10 p.m. ET |
BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM
SETS LOW ELAPSED TIME DALLAS (Sept. 23) – Though Brandon Bernstein was unable to defend last year’s Top Fuel title at his hometown track, he and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team set a performance mark for the O’Reilly Fall Nationals, and most importantly, remained in the top four in the Countdown to Four. Bernstein qualified ninth with a 4.585/319.37. In the opening round of eliminations, Bernstein pulled to the starting line to face fellow Brat Packer, Morgan Lucas. Lucas rolled into the starting line lights a little too deep and fouled out, leaving the starting line before the Christmas tree was activated. Bernstein took the win with low elapsed time of the round and of the event, 4.534 seconds, at 323.89 mph. “I saw the pre-stage lights on Morgan’s side flicker twice,” explained Bernstein, “and then Morgan was gone. I thought maybe I was late leaving and then I saw the win light on my side indicating Morgan had a red light or foul start. I felt bad for him. I know he was upset.” The second round against Clay Millican was a pedalfest with both drivers on and off the throttle. Millican won the round by little more than a wheel with a .020-second margin of victory. “That was a disappointing loss,” said Bernstein. “First of all we wanted to defend our title here in our hometown, and secondly, we needed to build some cushion between us and fifth place. Richmond is shaping up to be a make or break race for us, a lot more pressure than we would have liked. “I have a tremendous amount of confidence in our team. We’ve been hanging in the top four since the Countdown to Eight, and with the cutoff for the Countdown to Four at Richmond, we hope we can remain on the top side of the cutline.” Bernstein is 76 points out of the lead, 26 points out of third place, and 21 points ahead of fifth place. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. |
BRANDON BERNSTEIN IN MEMPHIS
FINAL FOUR; MEMPHIS (Sept. 16) – Brandon Bernstein drove his Budweiser/Lucas Oil Countdown car to the final four at the O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals, remaining fourth in points, and tightening the Top Fuel points battle. Bernstein qualified second with a 4.566-second elapsed time and logged an event top speed of 327.35 mph during qualifying. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team earned an important opening round win against Hillary Will. Bernstein clocked a great 4.569/323.27 vs. Hillary's valiant 4.617/312.13. "The countdown points we earn for every round we win are huge,” exclaimed Bernstein. “Tim (Richards, crew chief) made a lot of changes in the staging lanes before our run, but he had our Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster dialed in." Bernstein advanced to the quarterfinals to face his good friend J.R. Todd. Both are battling for a position in the Countdown to Four. Bernstein edged Todd for the round win, 4.600/315.27 to Todd‘s 4.877/283.55. “J.R. and I don’t like racing each other because we know there can only be one winner,” said Bernstein. “But we have a job to do. We’ll always remain friends. “That was another good tuning call by Tim and we were fortunate to put 20 more points in the Countdown bank.” In the semifinals, Bernstein squared off against Melanie Troxel. Both drivers lost traction and were on and off the throttle trying to get the tires to hook up. Bernstein went on a wild ride sashaying down the quarter-mile while trying to tame the 7,000-horsepower dragster. Despite his efforts, Troxel crossed the finish line first, 6.674/260.46, to Bernstein’s 7.748/138.87. “These cars are temperamental,” explained Bernstein. “Sometimes you can feather the throttle and get the car back on track, but today the car wanted to go every which way. “We went three rounds so we tightened up the points, which now makes performance at Dallas and Richmond critical. This puts a lot of pressure on the eight drivers and crew chiefs who are vying for those four positions trying to make the final cut for the championship showdown. It’s good for the fans, but we’re sweating every round. “We need to defend our title at Dallas next weekend to see if we can’t get a firmer foothold on the upper rungs of the point ladder.” Bernstein will remain fourth in Countdown point standings with two races remaining before the cutoff to the Countdown to Four. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com.
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BRANDON BERNSTEIN TO DEBUT
BUDWEISER COUNTDOWN PAINT SCHEME MEMPHIS – Brandon Bernstein, one of eight Top Fuel drivers vying for a spot in the Countdown to Four in the new NHRA Countdown to the Championship format, will debut a special Budweiser Countdown paint scheme at Memphis Motorsports Park. The O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals Sept. 14-16 is the second event, or the halfway point, before the four who are eligible to challenge for the coveted NHRA Top Fuel Championship are named. The elite field of drivers will be those who are the top four in points. “We are so excited to debut a new Budweiser Countdown paint scheme at Memphis,” said Bernstein. “As far as I know, we’re the only team that will have a specialty car for the ‘playoffs’ and we owe a big tip of the helmet to Budweiser for initiating the concept. It’s the car we’ll campaign for the five remaining races this season.” “Brandon and the Bud King team are long-time partners, and Brandon is having an amazing season with a career-best five wins,” said Randall Blackford, director of Budweiser marketing. “Week in and week out, Brandon is a tremendous ambassador for Budweiser and for the sport, and we’re excited to celebrate his push for the title with a special red and silver-flamed paint scheme for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster.” “The Top Fuel field is very competitive and you hold your breath until you know you’ve qualified for the event,” said Bernstein. “Once you’re in the field, then the pressure begins to go rounds. I don’t think you’re going to have any room to stumble.” Bernstein is fourth in point standings heading into the O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals, 86 points out of the lead. That equates to four rounds and some qualifying points. “We’re all pretty much bunched up at the moment, but the spread will grow after the Memphis race no doubt,” continued Bernstein. “The Friday night qualifying session traditionally presents the best conditions for the quickest runs which are important in getting seeded in the field. A bobble there could mean you’ll be on the outside looking in on Sunday morning. “Tim (Richards crew chief) has done an awesome job tuning us to five wins this year, and we’re hoping the new Countdown paint scheme on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Dragster will provide a little more momentum heading into the final races of the season. “We’re pumped!” “We are celebrating our 28th season of Budweiser sponsorship,” said team owner and six-time NHRA world champion Kenny Bernstein. “Our contract with them is extended to 2009 which will become the longest consecutive major team sponsorship in autosports history at 30 years. The Countdown paint scheme concept demonstrates their high level support for our program. We’re very fortunate to be a member of the Anheuser-Busch corporate family.” Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals begins Friday, Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m. with a second session at 7 p.m. There are two qualifying rounds Saturday, 12:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., with final eliminations Sunday at 11 a.m.
NHRA Race Day – Sept. 16 – ESPN2 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET Eliminations – Sept. 16 – ESPN2 7 – 10 p.m. ET
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BRANDON BERNSTEIN DRIVES ELVIS 30TH ANNIVERSARY BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL DRAGSTER TO LOW ELAPSED TIME OF MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS ELIMINATIONS CLERMONT, Calif. (Sept. 3) – Debuting a commemorative Elvis 30th Anniversary paint scheme, the Kenny Bernstein-owned Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team was a fan favorite at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. To add to the Elvis sensation, driver Brandon Bernstein was decked out in a white jumpsuit-style, “blinged” out fire suit with Oakley blue suede driving shoes, fashion worthy of the King of Rock ‘n Roll. Budweiser supported the annual Elvis celebration in August with a Bernstein/Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ‘One Night Stand’ promotion on the first night of the “Music and Movies” series on the front lawn of Graceland. Earnhardt, Jr. also sported a commemorative Elvis paint scheme on his Budweiser No. 8 Chevy on the NASCAR circuit. At O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Bernstein qualified 12th with a 4.568/324.36. In the opening round of eliminations, the second generation driver piloted “The King” to a round win over a tire-smoking David Grubnic with an impressive low elapsed time of eliminations, 4.525 seconds, at 324.90 mph. “That was an awesome run,” said Bernstein, “Tim (Richards, crew chief) had a great set-up. Even with hot, tricky track conditions he has the ability and talent to pour a lot of power into the tune-up and still make the car stick to the track.” In the second round of eliminations, Bernstein faced off against Melanie Troxel. The two had nearly identical reaction times and were neck and neck to the finish line, where Troxel scored the winning edge with a 4.606/325.77 to Bernstein’s 4.620/319.82. “That was a close race,” said Bernstein. “With four races until the Countdown to Four, every round counts. You hold your breath until you qualify for the field, and then try to calm the butterflies that build up before each round. We’re hanging in at fourth but we’ve got four competitive cars behind us breathing down our exhaust pipes.” Bernstein is 86 points out of the lead. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. # # # |
CLERMONT, Ind. – Having secured a position in the Countdown to Eight, Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team now begin their quest for a berth in the Countdown to 4. The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the first of four races that will name the four drivers who will battle for the coveted championship trophy. Bernstein, who missed the last event in Reading, Pa. due to emergency kidney stone surgery, will start in Indy from the fourth position, 30 points out of the lead as points are reset for the Countdown. “Had this kidney stone problem arisen after I had made one qualifying attempt in Reading,we would have remained second in the points and there would only have been 10 points difference beginning in Indy,” explained Bernstein. “Rit Pustari jumped in and qualified the car in Reading and then competed on race day. Because points stay with the driver, not the team, we didn’t earn any points at Reading. That being said, if this kidney stone problem had to happen, at least we were better off dealing with the issue at Reading. We were guaranteed a spot in the Countdown to Eight. If it had happened in Indy, the first race of the Countdown to 4, it would have been far more serious in the championship overview.” Bernstein will debut a commemorative Elvis paint scheme on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals to celebrate the 30th Anniversary Elvis Week. Earlier this month, Bernstein joined Budweiser Racing stable mate Dale Earnhardt, Jr. on the lawn of Elvis’ Graceland mansion in Memphis, where they hosted the first night of the “Music & Movies” series. “I have become a big fan of the ‘King’ this year,” said Bernstein. “I was at Graceland in April for the Elvis Harley Ride and again a couple of weeks ago. I have a lot of respect for Elvis’ accomplishments, showmanship, and talent. “We’re going to throw a little Elvis style into our fire suit for the Indy event, and of course we couldn’t call the ensemble complete without some special Oakley “blue suede” driving shoes! We expect to unveil the car on Friday afternoon at O’Reilly Raceway Park. “If you’re an Elvis fan and you’re coming to Indy, you’ll have to come by the pit area and take some photos. If you’re not coming to Indy, check our website. We’ll have some photos for you to check out.” “Tim (Richards, crew chief), Kim (Richards) and the team really have our car performing this year. I’m excited about our chances,” concluded Bernstein. To date this year, the Kenny Bernstein-owned team has won five events: Las Vegas, Atlanta, Bristol, Tenn., Topeka, Kan., and Brainerd, Minn. They were runner-up at the season-opener in Pomona, Calif., and Seattle. Five event wins is a career season-best for Bernstein. Bernstein has a total of 17 career wins since his rookie debut in 2003. Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals begins Friday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. There are two qualifying rounds scheduled Saturday, 2:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; two qualifying rounds Sunday, 12:45 p.m. and 3:40 p.m., with eliminations beginning Monday at 11 a.m. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY NHRA Race Day – Sept. 2 – ESPN2 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Qualifying – Sept. 2 – ESPN2 2 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET Eliminations – Sept. 3 – ESPN2 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. 10 – p.m. |
KIDNEY STONE KOs BRANDON BERNSTEIN AT
READING; READING, Pa. (Aug. 19) – Last week Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team celebrated their fifth victory of the season at Brainerd, Minn. This weekend a scenario unfolded at the Toyo Tires Nationals that wasn’t on anybody’s radar screen. Before Bernstein left his hotel room to drive to Maple Grove Raceway Friday morning, he was experiencing excruciating pain which he suspected might be associated with a kidney stone. Bernstein called his father who drove him to The Reading Hospital and Medical Center where he was admitted to the emergency room. Diagnostic tests proved he did indeed have a kidney stone. The initial course of action recommended by the attending urologist was to wait to see if the stone could be expelled with intravenous fluids and rest, without a surgical procedure. If the stone would pass Friday or Friday night, there was a strong possibility that Bernstein could at least make one run to qualify the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster and gain points. Bernstein spent a painful day and night in emergency, and by Saturday morning another set of x-rays showed that the stone had not made any forward progress. The urologist quickly arranged for Bernstein to be sent to pre-op and then performed a procedure to retrieve the stone. The surgery went well and Bernstein was released Saturday afternoon and spent the rest of the weekend recovering at the hotel where he was staying race weekend. Saturday morning, after the determination was made to operate on Brandon, Kenny Bernstein named Rit Pustari as the weekend’s substitute driver for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster. Because NHRA rules state that points go with the driver, not the team, it meant that Brandon would earn no points at the Toyo Tires Nationals. “We have an obligation to Budweiser and our other sponsors to field this race car,” said Kenny. “Brandon is naturally very disappointed that he can’t drive this weekend, but he’s a total supporter of putting Rit in the car and giving the team the opportunity to make some runs.” “We’re lucky we’re seeded in the countdown to eight,” said Brandon. “If this had happened at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indy, we would be in trouble since that race starts the countdown to four. I’ll be good to go by Indy and we’ll put this behind us.” Pustari, a part-time independent race driver, made his first professional Top Fuel qualifying attempt at Maple Grove Raceway in 1997. Ironically Pustari happened to be in Reading visiting friends when the opportunity of a lifetime arose to drive the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster. Pustari made two Saturday qualifying runs, and was seeded 13th in the Top Fuel field with a 4.607/323.35. In the first round of Sunday’s eliminations, Pustari fouled with a red light start and opponent David Grubnic transferred to the second round. “We appreciated Rit stepping in for us,” said Kenny. “Based on past experience, it has taken about five to six days to get through the post surgery process,” said Brandon. “I expect to be in good form for the first qualifying session at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals August 31,” said Brandon. “We’re excited about the debut of our new Elvis paint scheme for that race.” Bernstein is fourth in the NHRA point standings. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. # # # |
BRANDON BERNSTEIN AND BUDWEISER/LUCAS
OIL TEAM READING, Pa. – Coming off their fifth win of the season Aug. 12 at Brainerd, Minn., Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team will have one last race at the Toyo Tires Nationals Aug. 17-19 to take a deep breath before the pressure is on for the next phase of the countdown to the championship. At Sonoma, July 29, the Kenny Bernstein-owned team acquired enough points to secure a position in the countdown to eight. The Toyo Tires Nationals is the final event that sets the prestigious field of eight and there will be a battle for those available starting positions. Beginning at the following race, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, those eight drivers will vie for a position in the countdown to four. The field of four is set after four consecutive races beginning with the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. “When we solidified a starting spot in the countdown to eight, it was nice to have two races to take a breather,” said the second generation driver. “I wouldn’t say ‘relax’ is the operative word here. Make no mistake. Our team will be putting every effort into this race. This year has been very competitive, but at least we won’t have to be in the vicious dogfight for the final positions in the countdown to eight. The monkey is off our back for the moment, but the stress will start again in Indy. “Tim (Richards, crew chief), Kim, and the team are deep in talent,” continued Bernstein. “Even so, we’re racing at Maple Grove Raceway at a different time of year, and it’s likely to be much warmer. Tim has a lot of experience and can adapt to new conditions, but the meticulous records kept by all of the crew chiefs from track to track may only afford a limited amount of information. The teams will probably have to tweak previous tune-ups to negotiate the track for the August race versus our former September date. And that puts more pressure for the teams to get a good run in Friday night when the air will be coolest. “The Brainerd win raised our personal best number of victories in a season to five and we are fortunate to have won more events than any other top fuel team this season. Tim, Kim, and the team have our Budweiser/Lucas Oil car running strong and we have a lot of momentum coming into Reading.” Bernstein has also won events this year in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Bristol, Tenn., and Topeka. He finished runner-up at the season opening event in Pomona, Calif. and Seattle in July. He led the Top Fuel point standings twice and has never been out of the top eight this season. Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the Toyo Tires Nationals begins Friday, Aug. 17 at 4 p.m. with a second session at 7 p.m. There are two Saturday qualifying runs scheduled at noon and 3 p.m. Top Fuel will kick-off Sunday’s eliminations at 11 a.m. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com.
TOYO TIRES NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying – Aug. 18 – ESPN2 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. ET NHRA Race Day – Aug. 19 – ESPN2 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET Eliminations – Aug. 19 – ESPN2 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. ET
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BERNSTEIN DEFENDS TOP FUEL TROPHY IN
BRAINERD BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 12) – Brandon Bernstein used an identical qualifying position and the tuning skills of crew chief Tim Richards to defend last year’s victory at the Lucas Oil Nationals. It was Bernstein’s fifth victory of the season, setting a new personal record for number of victories in a year. It was his 17th career victory. This win catapulted the Budweiser/Lucas Oil top fuel team to the top of the pack with the most event wins in the Top Fuel category for 2007 thus far. Bernstein earned the second qualifying position at Brainerd International Raceway with a 4.556/328.30. Richards tuned Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster to a first round win with low elapsed time of the opening round, 4.568/322.19, while opponent Doug Herbert struggled with loss of traction, rolling across the finish line with a 10.668/82.77. “While I was waiting to run, I watched a lot of cars lose traction,” said Bernstein. “I didn’t know what to expect but Tim did a marvelous job on the tune-up!” In the second round, Bernstein faced off against Clay Millican. A consistent 4.547-second elapsed time at 327.82 mph defeated Millican’s 4.593/326.24, “I couldn’t see him, but I could feel him on that run,” confided Bernstein. “I knew it was close.” Bernstein transferred to the semifinals to challenge his friend and fellow Brat Packer, Morgan Lucas. The two were evenly matched with a slight edge to Bernstein from the starting gate down the track until Bernstein started to pull away near the finish line. Bernstein clocked low elapsed time of the round, 4.536 seconds at 326.00 mph to Lucas’ 4.582/319.75. “When we were strapped in and ready to roll to the starting line we gave each other a thumbs up,” said Bernstein. “When the engine came to life, I put the fact that Morgan was in the other lane out of my mind and focused on doing my job and just racing the track. “When we pulled off onto the return road and got out of our cars I told him he was going to get his win. He’s so close. I think he’ll get a win before the year’s out. I know it was hard for his Mom and Dad, Charlotte and Forrest. They sponsor the race and they’re our extended family, but Morgan is their son.” In the finals, it was Bernstein against Larry Dixon. The two friendly rivals were pretty even off the starting line, but Richards produced low elapsed time of the event, 4.525 seconds, at 329.91 mph to best Dixon’s 4.586/323.35. “I knew Larry would be on his game and he’d been running 4.50s so he was going to be tough,” said Bernstein. “I wasn’t really on my game the first two rounds, so I needed to do my job to help our team. Tim gets something on race day and it’s amazing to watch. He’s consistent and quick. “When you have a rivalry like Larry and I had during the years of the beer wars you build a rapport, and now that he’s not with the blue beer, we’ve become closer. “This is an important win because we need to keep our momentum up to gear up for Indy which is two races away and starts the countdown to four. “We’ll participate in the test session in Indy prior to the race, and hopefully we can roll into the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals with our new Elvis paint scheme and go some rounds. “It was also an important win for us for Charlotte and Forrest Lucas. We were happy to win for our sponsors and close friends. “There are two personal emotions about this win. One is that while I was sitting in my car waiting to make our run, I was watching my Dad in the final round on the big screen. He was so close to winning. I was bummed for him, and when I got to the top end, I gave him a big hug. All in all he had a good showing, but when you get to the final, you just want to win. “Secondly, this is where my friend Eric Medlen scored his first Funny Car victory and I remember the night vividly. I took him out and helped him celebrate and I’ll always remember how happy he was and how great it was to be there sharing the moment. It’s a very happy memory.” Bernstein is second in NHRA Top Fuel standings, 91 points out of the lead. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. |
BRANDON
BERNSTEIN, DALE EARNHARDT JR., JEFF CLARK
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BRAINERD, Minn. – Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team have clinched a spot in the countdown to eight playoff field. With only two races remaining before the countdown field is set, many teams will be under pressure, jockeying for the three spots that are still open in the Top Fuel category when competition begins Aug. 10 at the Lucas Oil Nationals. Bernstein, who has won four races this season and finished runner-up at two, is looking to defend last year’s Top Fuel victory at Brainerd International Raceway for two reasons. “Since Lucas Oil is the title rights sponsor of this event, we always want to win for them,” said Bernstein. “Forrest and Charlotte Lucas have been a sponsor with Dad’s teams for several years now and they’re like family to us. Their son Morgan is a close friend of mine. “Secondly, four race wins in a season is our career best. Having been fortunate enough to win four events already this season, we have eight races left to try to bag another win and raise the bar to five event wins this year. “Tim (Richards, crew chief), Kim (Richards) and the team really work well under pressure, make no mistake about that. But it’s nice to have a couple of races to breathe easy before the dogfight begins for the next leg of the countdown. “Three races from now, at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the crunch begins to set the field for the countdown to four. Consistency wins races and championships. There won’t be much room for a bobble. That means as a driver I have to be on my game and do my part to help the team. “We’re very excited to be a part of this new NHRA championship format.” Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team added victories to their career total this year at Las Vegas, Atlanta, Topeka and Bristol, Tenn. They are third in NHRA Top Fuel point standings. Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the Lucas Oil Nationals begins Friday, Aug. 10 at 3:30 p.m. with a second session at 6:15 p.m. There are two qualifying runs Saturday, noon and 2:45 p.m., with eliminations scheduled to begin Sunday at 11 a.m. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com.
LUCAS OIL NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY NHRA Race Day – Aug. 12 – ESPN2 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET Eliminations – Aug. 12 – ESPN2 7 – 10 p.m. ET |
SONOMA, Calif. (July 29) – What might have been an early birthday celebration for Brandon Bernstein turned out instead to be an early loss on the final leg of the grueling six-race-in-a-row NHRA tour at the Fram Autolite Nationals. But there was cause to celebrate that the Kenny Bernstein-owned Budweiser/Lucas Oil team has clinched a spot in the countdown to eight which begins at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend. Bernstein qualified No. 7 (4.602-second elapsed time at 326.56 mph), the same starting berth that launched him to a runner-up finish last weekend in Seattle. In the opening round of eliminations Sunday in Sonoma, Bernstein squared off against his friend J.R. Todd. It looked as if both drivers lost traction, but in fact, what appeared to be tire smoke pouring off the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster was in fact smoke caused by the friction of the bottom pulley bolts shearing off. Todd, who was on and off the throttle trying to get traction to the ground, crossed the finish line first, 5.327/240.68 to Bernstein’s 5.415/174.05. “We had the edge to about the 1000-foot mark,” said Bernstein, “but by the time we got to that point, we were just out of power. J.R. blazed by us in the last few feet.” At the end of the day, Bernstein joined the Medlen family and fellow members of the drag racing “Brat Pack” serving ice cream to the fans at Infineon Raceway for the Eric Medlen Ice Cream Social. “It was nice to participate in a tribute to Eric,” said Bernstein. “This was the brainchild of the staff at Infineon and it was comforting for all of us Brat Packers to join Eric’s family at the Ice Cream Social. I know Eric would be smiling.” Bernstein is third in Top Fuel point standings, 177 points out of the lead. He is assured of a starting position in the countdown to eight field which will be set after the next two events, Brainerd, Minn. and Reading, Pa. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. # # # |
KENT, Wash. (July 22) – Brandon Bernstein drove to his sixth final round appearance and second runner-up position this season at the Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals. He also regained second place in NHRA Top Fuel point standings. Persistent rain showers forced NHRA officials to set elimination fields for the 14th race of the 23-event season after only one Saturday qualifying session. Bernstein qualified seventh at Pacific Raceway with a 4.662/311.20. Rain delayed the start of Sunday’s eliminations, but the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team displayed impressive numbers in the opening round against Doug Kalitta. Bernstein drove to a 4.540/328.62 victory over Kalitta’s 4.686/303.30. “The Kalitta team is always tough,” said Bernstein. “We were fortunate enough to get a round win that time. Tim (Richards, crew chief), Kim and the team are tuning tough today.” In the second round, Larry Dixon was up in smoke early in the run while Bernstein posted another strong 4.541/328.70. By virtue of this round win, Bernstein resumed second place in point standings. “Larry and I have been fighting for second place,” said Bernstein. “One week he has it, the next we have it. We need to capitalize on this and go to the finals to help build some cushion.” In the semifinals against Hot Rod Fuller, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team ran a consistent, but quicker 4.536/325.61 while Fuller lost traction just past the starting line. “That was a big round win for us,” said Bernstein. “We’ve had a good season, but Hot Rod has some points on the rest of the field. In the long run, it’s just important to get in the countdown to eight, but we all have that competitive spirit and want to lead the Top Fuel standings.” Bernstein transferred to the money round to face Tony Schumacher. Schumacher took the event victory with a 4.607/307.79 to Bernstein’s 4.558/328.86. “The team did an excellent job today,” said Bernstein. “I feel like I let them down. My reaction time was a bit slower than Schumacher’s and that’s what helped him earn the win. This one should have been ours.” Bernstein is 134 points out of the lead. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. # # # |
SONOMA, Calif. – Brandon Bernstein has scored 16 NHRA national event victories in his young career, including four this season. The second generation driver who began his professional career behind the wheel of his father’s Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster in 2003 had the most successful career launch of any other Top Fuel or Funny Car driver in NHRA history, logging five wins in his first 13 starts. Bernstein won at Infineon Raceway in 2001 while driving an A Fuel dragster in the NHRA Sportsman Series. This was the year Bernstein was in training for his eventual move to the Top Fuel category when his father retired at the end of the 2002 season. Though the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team will be focused on trying to gain their fifth victory of the season at the Fram Autolite Nationals July 27-29, Bernstein’s thoughts will turn toward his friend Eric Medlen, who succumbed to injuries suffered earlier this year in a testing accident. “Eric was from Oakdale,” said Bernstein. “This track was very special to him because it was so close to home. And he won the Funny Car trophy at Infineon last year. “Ever since we lost him, I wear a special Eric pin at the racetrack that has the image of his face on it, and every day I wear a special wrist band that is black and has his name on it. Additionally, I have a photo in the cockpit of our dragster of him with me and another friend, J.R. Todd. Dad and I have decals on our car as a tribute to Eric. “Sometimes I still talk to him. “Earlier this season when we won the Las Vegas event, I gave the trophy to Eric’s Mom, Mimi, who was at the race. “And at our last win in Bristol, Eric’s dad came up on the podium with us. That’s the first time he’s done that since we lost Eric. “All of us in the racing fraternity are trying to heal, but I still envision Eric bursting through our pit area with his big smile and his eyes glowing. His laugh was contagious and he was a practical joker. He was also a dedicated, untiring driver and crew member and he loved driving that race car. “My life was better for having Eric in it, but I still like to think his spirit hovers around every racetrack. It’s more comforting when I think he’s looking over us. “On the competitive side of the fence, Tim Richards (crew chief), Kim (Richards) and the team have our Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster running on mean and we hope we can keep the momentum going. “We’re comfortably seeded in the countdown to eight and hope to maintain good position there in order to transfer to the next stage of the new championship chase format.” Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the Fram Autolite Nationals begins Friday, July 27 at 4:30 p.m. with a second session at 8 p.m. There are two qualifying rounds Saturday, 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., with final eliminations scheduled to begin Sunday at noon. Brandon Bernstein, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Clark headline Bud Racing One Night Stand at Sturgis. Wednesday night, Aug. 8, the Buffalo Chip campground near Sturgis, South Dakota, will be rockin’ AND rollin’ when the boys from Budweiser Racing –Brandon Bernstein, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jeff Clark – take the stage during the “Bud Racing One Night Stand.” Brandon, Dale Jr. and Jeff will be hangin’ with the Buffalo Chip’ers, riffing about everything from riding bikes to rubbin’ fenders to pullin’ 5 G’s down the quarter-mile. Sandwiched between the lovely ladies of Hawaiian Tropic and the rockin’ sounds of Velvet Revolver, the Bud Racing One Night Stand will be Rally week’s “can’t miss” show. Hosted by ESPN’s Marty Smith, Brandon, Dale Jr. and Jeff will swap stories and take questions submitted by the crowd. The night revs up at 8:30 p.m. on Wed., Aug. 8 with the Hawaiian Tropic Pageant, followed by the Bud Racing boys at 9 p.m., and Velvet Revolver on stage at 10:30 p.m. Another highlight of the evening will be the presentation of a Budweiser custom motorcycle to Bernstein. The bike, commissioned by Budweiser and built by Jeff Clark owner of The Cycle Xchange in Matthews, N.C., will have special drag racing-type features incorporated into it. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. FRAM AUTOLITE NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying – July 28 – ESPN2 6 – 7:30 p.m. ET NHRA Race Day – July 29 – ESPN2 11 – 11:30 a.m. ET Eliminations – July 29 – ESPN2 8 – 11 p.m. ET |
MORRISON, Colo. (July 15) – Last weekend in Bristol, Tenn., the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team was in party mode, popping Budweiser tops, celebrating their fourth victory of the season. This weekend in the thin air in the Mile-High city, driver Brandon Bernstein was a victim of tire smoke or loss of traction in the first round of race day competition. Bernstein’s quicker reaction time (.072 second) against opponent Hillary Will (.118-second reaction time) couldn’t salvage the win. Will had a trouble-free 4.753-second elapsed time run at 309.77 miles per hour vs. Bernstein’s on the throttle, off the throttle 6.655/144.41 effort. “It’s a continuation of our sort of feast or famine year,” said Bernstein. “We had a good qualifying effort, but it was very hot on race day and the track was tricky and slippery. Combine that with the lack of oxygen at this altitude and it’s tough to get a combination that will give you a solid eight-cylinder, traction-to-the-ground run. “This is a tune-up that crew chiefs use once a year, so next week we’ll get back to business with our customary tuning combinations in Seattle.” Bernstein qualified No. 6 at Bandimere Speedway with a 4.646/314.68. He is a comfortable third in NHRA Top Fuel standings and countdown to eight, 156 points out of the lead. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. # # # |
KENT, Wash. – Brandon Bernstein has mixed emotions about competing in the Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals at Pacific Raceway July 20-22. He won the event in 2005 and has notched four victories thus far this season. With his most recent victory at Bristol Dragway July 8, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team driver has tied his record from 2006 for most wins in a season. The 23-race NHRA circuit has just passed its mid point so Bernstein has quite a few races left to score another victory to break his career best wins in a season. The Kenny Bernstein-owned team is one of the hottest on the circuit right now. They have performance plus consistency and in fact, have taken home four Full Throttle awards for excellence and consistency averaged over four rounds of qualifying. From a performance standpoint, Bernstein couldn’t be happier, but from a personal standpoint, visiting the Seattle area conjures up sadness from the loss of a good friend, Russ Tom, who previously owned Downtown Harley-Davidson in Tukwila. Tom lost his life in a helicopter crash last October. “Russ was always at the Seattle racetrack to cheer the team,” said Bernstein. “We spent a lot of time at his house over race week and there will be a real empty feeling without his presence. “For nearly 10 years we’ve been riding with about 200 motorcycle enthusiasts starting out at Downtown Harley and ending with a big party at BB Magraw’s. Dad started the ride and then I’ve taken over the reins these past five years. “This year we’re doing the ride in Russ’ honor and Dad and I will both ride. “On a happier note, I know Russ would be so proud of the team this season. Russ was a sponsor on our car and he just loved the competitive side of life. He could easily have been a very successful motorcycle racer had he chosen that career path. “It would be nice to be able to win in Seattle for Russ.” Bernstein won races in Las Vegas and Atlanta in April, Topeka in June and Bristol July 8. He is comfortably seeded in the countdown to eight field which is the first stage of the new NHRA championship chase format. Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals begins Friday, July 20 at 3:30 p.m. followed by a second session at 6:30 p.m. There are two scheduled qualifying runs Saturday, noon and 3 p.m., with Top Fuel kicking off Sunday’s eliminations at 11 a.m. Fans, motorcycle and car club members are invited to join Kenny and Brandon Bernstein for the Russ Tom Memorial Bike Run in Seattle Thursday, July 19. The riders will depart Downtown Harley-Davidson, 13002 48th Ave. S., Tukwila, at 5 p.m. and will make the run over to BB Magraw’s, 440 16th NE in Auburn. At BB’s a local band will entertain, while fans and riders enter to win prizes. A silent auction will be held to benefit Boyers Children’s Clinic. There is no charge to ride. Russ Tom Memorial Bike Run t-shirts will be available for purchase. Brandon Bernstein, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Clark headline Bud Racing One Night Stand at Sturgis. Wednesday night, Aug. 8, the Buffalo Chip campground near Sturgis, South Dakota, will be rockin’ AND rollin’ when the boys from Budweiser Racing –Brandon Bernstein, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jeff Clark – take the stage during the “Bud Racing One Night Stand.” Brandon, Dale Jr. and Jeff will be hangin’ with the Buffalo Chip’ers, riffing about everything from riding bikes to rubbin’ fenders to pullin’ 5 G’s down the quarter-mile. Sandwiched between the lovely ladies of Hawaiian Tropic and the rockin’ sounds of Velvet Revolver, the Bud Racing One Night Stand will be Rally week’s “can’t miss” show. Hosted by ESPN’s Marty Smith, Brandon, Dale Jr. and Jeff will swap stories and take questions submitted by the crowd. The night revs up at 8:30 p.m. on Wed., Aug. 8 with the Hawaiian Tropic Pageant, followed by the Bud Racing boys at 9 p.m., and Velvet Revolver on stage at 10:30 p.m. Another highlight of the evening will be the presentation of a Budweiser custom motorcycle to Bernstein. The bike, commissioned by Budweiser and built by Jeff Clark owner of The Cycle Xchange in Matthews, N.C., will have special drag racing-type features incorporated into it. SCHUCK’S AUTO SUPPLY NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying – July 21 – ESPN2 11:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. ET NHRA Race Day – July 22 – ESPN2 11 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET Eliminations – July 22 – ESPN2 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. ET |
BRISTOL, Tenn. (July 8) – The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team combined their tuning talents with driver Brandon Bernstein’s driving skills to win their fourth event this season, their second at Bristol Dragway. Crew chief Tim Richards lobbed out impressive elapsed times in the first and final rounds while Bernstein put his pedaling skills to work in the second and semifinal rounds. The Kenny Bernstein-owned team was awarded their second consecutive Full Throttle $3000 check of the season, their fourth of the season, for overall performance and consistency based on four rounds of qualifying. The team also earned the No. 3 starting berth for eliminations for the second week in a row with a 4.552-second elapsed time at 326.95 miles per hour. The race day opening round numbers for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team were spectacular: low elapsed time of the round and all of eliminations, 4.538 seconds at 323.50 mph for Bernstein who defeated Brady Kalivoda, 4.617/305.42. "That run was a testament to the team,” said Bernstein. “The two cars before us smoked the tires and I was a little nervous, but Tim (Richards, crew chief) had it dialed in. I knew when I hit the pedal the car was going down there." While towing back to the pits from the finish line, the tow strap wrapped around the steering box on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster. With a helping hand from the Monster Energy/Lucas Oil team, the broken steering box was replaced. “It was really nice of the Monster Energy/Lucas Oil team to dive in and help us out,” said Bernstein. “It allowed our team to focus on the normal maintenance they perform between rounds.” The second round against Cory McClenathan was a tire smoking duel. Both drivers were on and off the throttle trying to get traction to the ground. Each time Bernstein hit the throttle, the car performed a mini wheelstand, but the second generation driver finally coaxed the ill-handling dragster across the finish line to take the round win, 6.780/204.79 to McClenathan’s 7.788/137.96. “Every time I’d try to ease back on the throttle, the car would pick the front end up,” said Bernstein. “It was hard to drive, but the only thing that counts is that we got the win light.” The semifinals proved to be another pedal fest with Bernstein and Larry Dixon on and off the throttle. Bernstein helped the team earn a pass to the final round by smoking his way to the finish line first, clocking 6.613/189.42 vs. Dixon's 7.885/104.61. “It wasn’t pretty,” admitted Bernstein, “but sometimes you need a lucky break.” The money round was a repeat of the Las Vegas final earlier this year, Bernstein vs. Bob Vandergriff, Jr. Tim Richards calmed the tune-up on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil rocket and Bernstein had a smoke-free run to reach the finish line first, 4.648/317.57 to Vandergriff, Jr.’s tire-blazing 9.236/100.08. Brandon's fourth victory this year ties his record from 2006 for most number of wins in a season. “I say this nearly every time we reach a final,” said the second generation driver. “But Tim has a knack of knowing what the racetrack can hold. He’s truly amazing. It’s just a like a football game. If we get it to the five yard line, we put it in the end zone. “I just want to say thanks to my Dad for all the support and energy he puts into our team. He’s having a tough time right now. He’s a competitor and wants to win races, and I am confident that he’ll be in the winner’s circle soon.” Brandon has climbed to second place in Top Fuel standings, 74 points out of the lead. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. |
MORRISON, Colo. – Carved into the side of a mountain in the great Rocky Mountain chain, Bandimere Speedway is arguably one of the most picturesque racetracks on the NHRA circuit. But as beautiful as the track setting is, it’s fraught with tricky tune-ups for the crew chiefs and teams of those competing in the Mopar Mile-High Nationals July 13-15. Brandon Bernstein, driver of the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster, knows that his crew chief, Tim Richards, and assistant crew chief Kim Richards, can adapt to the thin air and the one-off tune-up that many teams struggle with at this event. Bernstein has driven to the No. 1 qualifying position at Bandimere Speedway twice in three years, 2004 and 2005. “We have the only team in the nitro (Funny Car and Top Fuel) ranks that have a female assistant crew chief,” said Bernstein. “Kim Richards is married to crew chief Tim, but she was a crew chief for her father, Dick LaHaie, and won prestigious Car Craft Top Fuel Crew Chief honors in 1988. She also drove a Top Fuel car in 1992. “All the buzz these days is about women drivers, and Ashley Force is a really good friend of mine. The women are very capable drivers, but Kim’s talent is sometimes overlooked. “The combined talents of Tim and Kim are hard to beat, and we’re fortunate to have them on our team. Kim is a clutch specialist, but the truth is, she can build a dragster from top to bottom and can work on any part of the car. She is very diverse. “Tim and Kim have tuned us to 15 career victories, three this season, and five career runner-up finishes. Additionally, they were the brain trust behind Dad’s sixth NHRA championship in 2001. “There are five races before the countdown to eight is set. We’re comfortably seeded at the moment, but we need to continue to go rounds. This season is very unpredictable with the close competition and we don’t want to take chances. When we drive to the starting line, we’re always confident that we’ve got a car that can win rounds. That’s a good feeling.” Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying begins Friday, July 13 at 5:30 p.m. with a second session at 8 p.m. There are two qualifying rounds scheduled Saturday, 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., with eliminations set for noon Sunday. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com.
MOPAR MILE-HIGH NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying – July 14 – ESPN2 6 – 8 p.m. ET NHRA Race Day – July 15 – ESPN2 11 – 11:30 a.m. ET Eliminations – July 15 – ESPN2 9 p.m. – 12 a.m. ET |
NORWALK, Ohio (July 1) -- The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team continued to show excellence in qualifying at the inaugural running of the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, and were awarded their third Full Throttle $3000 check of the season for overall performance and consistency based on four rounds of qualifying. The team earned the No. 3 starting berth for eliminations with a 4.554-second elapsed time at 325.37 miles per hour. In the opening stanza of race day action, Brandon Bernstein faced off against Tony Schumacher. Though their elapsed times were closely matched, Schumacher crossed the finish line first with a 4.581/317.57 to Bernstein’s 4.587/327.35. “The team has this car running strong and consistent,” said Bernstein. “I need to polish my reaction times, but we’re happy to be comfortable in the top eight with six races remaining before the field is set for the first stage of the championship chase.” Bernstein is fourth in the countdown to eight. “On a family note,” continued Bernstein, “we were there to support Dad this weekend, and we were real happy to see the Monster Energy/Lucas Oil team go to the final round. This was a break-through weekend for them.” Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com. # # # |
BRISTOL, Tenn. – The O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals mark the half-way point on the NHRA schedule, and so far this season, Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel driver Brandon Bernstein has already notched three victories and one runner-up finish. Bernstein and the team won in Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Topeka and have led the Top Fuel point standings twice this year. “Tim (Richards, crew chief) really has had a handle on consistency,” said Bernstein. “And that’s what it takes to win rounds and races. We won in Bristol in our rookie year in 2003, and we hope to have another good showing this year.” “This year’s Top Fuel field is tough,” said Bernstein. “A few years back it used to be two or three cars battling for the lead. Right now at least the top half of the field is capable of winning races. “It’s a nail-biter every round on Sunday, but by the same token, if you’re fortunate enough to win, your team has certainly put forth a lot of effort to get to victory circle and deserves the victory. There’s no walk in the park. “Tim has incredible final round stats. We’re 15 and five in 20 career final round appearances. The track record shows that Tim gets better with every round we go and when we get to the finals, he just seems to understand what the race car wants and how much the racetrack can handle. “Hopefully this consistency and Tim’s ability to do so well in the finals will come into play in the new championship chase format. The first step is to get to the countdown to eight which represents the first 17 races of the season. Right now we’re comfortably seeded in the top eight and we hope to maintain that status with five races to go before the top eight are set. Then the format goes to the countdown to four, and finally the countdown to one. At each stage, the points are adjusted, so even if you’ve built up a pretty good point lead, they are reset in 10-point increments. For instance if you have a 200-point lead going into the U.S. Nationals in which the top eight cars battle for the countdown to four, when the points are reset, you will only have a 10-point lead over the second place car. So there’s no room to stumble when you get to that point. “The season is truly interesting.” Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying begins Friday, July 6 at 5:30 p.m. followed by a second session at 8 p.m. There are two qualifying rounds scheduled on Saturday, 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., with final eliminations beginning Sunday at noon. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, www.mactools.com, www.alphatrade.com (OTCBB:APTD) and www.alphatradefn.com.
O’REILLY THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY Qualifying – July 7 – ESPN2 4- 6 p.m. ET NHRA Race Day – July 8 – ESPN2 11- 11:30 a.m. ET Eliminations – July 8 – ESPN2 7 - 9 p.m. ET |
ENGLISHTOWN, New Jersey (June 24) – Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team made a strong qualifying effort at the ProCare RX Supernationals. With consistent elapsed times Friday and Saturday, the team earned the No. 4 starting berth for eliminations with a 4.500-second elapsed time at 331.04 mph. Bernstein and his friend J.R. Todd were first round opponents on Sunday, both agreeing that it was too early in the day for two buddies to have to face each other in competition. At the finish stripe, a tick of a difference in reaction time earned Todd victory by a nose, 4.625/321.42 vs. Bernstein’s 4.620/318.39. “The team did an excellent job this weekend,” said Bernstein. “I will work on sharpening my reaction time just a bit more. It’s important that we’re solid in the countdown to eight with seven events remaining before we start the next phase of the championship chase at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indy.” Bernstein is third in NHRA Top Fuel standings, 53 points out of the lead. Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at www.kennybernstein.com. Please visit our sponsors at www.budweiser.com, www.lucasoil.com, |