KENNY BERNSTEIN, Owner

Birthplace: Clovis, New Mexico
Current Residence: Lake Forest, California
Years with Kenny Bernstein Racing: 29
Year driving the Monster Energy Funny Car: 2007; team owner 2007 and 2008

Other racing experience: Began pro career in the late 1960s in Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars, and in 1973 reached the Funny Car finals at the NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, Calif. Returned to racing in 1978, and a year later was the Funny Car winner at the NHRA Cajun Nationals at Baton Rouge, La. In 1980, began an association with the Budweiser brand of Anheuser-Busch, Inc., which stands as the longest-running active team/sponsor partnership in motorsports. A four-time NHRA Winston Funny Car Champion, and also an IHRA Winston World Championship Funny Car crown to his credit, he is a seven-time AARWBA Auto Racing All-American. Bernstein earned the title “King of Speed” when he became the first NHRA driver to break the elusive 300 mile-per-hour barrier when he was clocked at 301.70 mph on March 20, 1992, during qualifying for the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla. He was the first to reach 310 mph, when he was clocked at 311.85 mph on October 30, 1994, at Pomona Calif. Holds the unique distinction of being the first and only race team owner to have collected wins in each of America’s three major motorsports series -- NHRA Winston Drag Racing, NASCAR Winston Cup and IndyCar. Won the 1996 NHRA Winston Top Fuel Championship becoming the first driver to win NHRA championships in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Honored at the 1997 Car Craft awards banquet by receiving the prestigious Ollie Award with Dale Armstrong for all of their years of dedication to the sport of NHRA Winston Drag Racing. Inducted into Petersen Publishing HOT ROD Magazine’s Hall of Fame as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People within the high performance industry. Won his second NHRA Top Fuel championship in 2001, by virtue of eight national event wins. In 2001, he won 61 rounds of competition, setting an NHRA record for the number of Top Fuel rounds won in a season, a record that was intact at the end of Bernstein’s driving career. In 2001 he set both ends of the world performance records, speed (332.18 mph) and elapsed time (4.477 seconds), records that were still unbroken at the end of Bernstein’s 2002 driving career. Also in 2001, he was voted in the top ten drivers in NHRA’s 50-year history. In 2003, Bernstein competed in 15 NHRA national events, substituting for his son who was injured May 18 in Englishtown, N.J. Bernstein won four of the last five events of the ’03 season, amassing 39 Top Fuel victories boosting him to second on the all-time Top Fuel win list, surpassing the legendary Don Garlits. His 39 Top Fuel victories, combined with 30 Funny Car victories, make him No. 2 on the career nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) win list. Also, Bernstein surpassed 1000 rounds of competition, which ranks him No. 2 on the all-time list of nitro category career rounds of competition. In 2005 Bernstein was named by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association as one of 12 nominees for the Newsmaker of the Half-Century award. In April of 2006, he was inducted into the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame during a gala at the Texas Motor Speedway. Bernstein was “Back in Black” in 2007 as driver of the Monster Energy/Lucas Oil Funny Car and charted runner-up finishes at Norwalk, Ohio, and Brainerd, Minn. He surprised the fans and media with his comeback and stunned them again at the end of the 2007 season when he announced he was stepping out of the cockpit, naming Tommy Johnson, Jr. as his successor. Additionally in 2007, Bernstein was inducted into the Don Garlits International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Responsibilities: Bernstein, a “hands on” team owner, continues to market, sell, and manage all aspects of Kenny Bernstein Racing.

Hobbies: Motorcycles, golf, and speed walking.

TOMMY JOHNSON, JR., Driver

Birthplace: Ottumwa, Iowa
Current Residence: Avon, Indiana
Years with Kenny Bernstein Racing: First year

Other Racing Experience: Born into a racing family and raced family-owned sportsman vehicles before moving to the seat of a family-owned Top Fuel car. Has driven for such notables as Super Bowl champion coach Joe Gibbs and spent seven seasons driving for Don “The Snake” Prudhomme. Is a member of the Cragar 4-Second Club and the Slick 50 300 Mile Per Hour Club. Married to nitro driver Melanie Troxel. Kenny Bernstein named Tommy as his successor as driver of the Monster Energy Funny Car in December of 2007. At the end of the 2007 season, Tommy had nine career victories.

Responsibilities: Driving the race car, promoting sponsors, working with the media and making marketplace appearances

Hobbies: Electronics techie, bike riding, golf, internet surfing, novice R/C helicopter pilot

MIKE KLOEBER, Crew Chief

Birthplace: Torrance, Calif.
Current Residence: Vancouver, WA
Years with Kenny Bernstein Racing: First

Other racing experience: Started in professional drag racing in 1979 on the Super Shops Funny Car. Became crew chief for Don Prudhomme in 1989. Ran the first 300 mph in Funny Car with Jim Epler in 1993. Was the crew chief for Tommy Johnson, Jr. in Top Fuel in 1995. IHRA Top Fuel champion crew chief with Clay Millican from 2000 to 2006. Accumulated 51 IHRA national event wins from 1999 to 2008. Other notable drivers/owners he has worked for include Pat Foster, Ed McCulloch, Candies & Hughes, Jerry Ruth, Richard Tharp, Connie/Scott Kalitta, Dale Pulde, Tom McEwen and Cristen Powell.

Responsibilities: Crew Chief

Hobbies: Collects coffee cups from nearly every leisure trip he takes. Enjoys gardening. He and his wife Deanna grow vegetables including 5-7 varieties of tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, several kinds of lettuce and some strawberries. Enjoys the beach and flying stunt kites on the Washington and Oregon coast. He has also become a regular at the health club, exercising three to four times a week.

PHILIP AUSTIN

Birthplace: Painesville, Ohio
Current Residence: Painesville, Ohio
Years with Kenny Bernstein Racing: Second year

Other Racing Experience: Worked for the Baca-Henkelman Motorsports Top Fuel team from 2002-2004. Most recently worked for Kalitta Motorsports, 2004-2006.

Responsibilities: Mechanical responsibilities include the clutch and drivetrain. Also drives the transporter.

Hobbies: Golf

FRANK WHITMORE

Birthplace:  Santa Maria, California
Current Residence:  Titusville, Florida
Years with Kenny Bernstein Racing: Second year

Other Racing Experience: Frank and wife Suzy owned and operated two restaurants for nearly 10 years as well as several other small businesses.  Worked in restaurants since the age of 16.  Also worked for MainGate in the Kenny Bernstein/Budweiser Racing souvenir trailer.

Responsibilities: Assist in managing the Monster Energy hospitality tent at each race.  Meet and greet guests that attend the races.

Hobbies: Traveling the country between races with wife Suzy and their three parrots and enjoying life.

SUZY WHITMORE

Birthplace: Newburg, Oregon
Current Residence:  Titusville, Florida
Years with Kenny Bernstein Racing: Second year

Other Racing Experience: Suzy and husband Frank owned and operated two restaurants for nearly 10 years.  Suzy was a bookkeeper for a horse ranch and breeding facility in California.  Also worked for MainGate in the Kenny Bernstein/Budweiser Racing souvenir trailer.

Responsibilities: Assist in managing the Monster Energy hospitality tent at each race.  Meet and greet guests that attend the races.

Hobbies: Traveling the country between races with husband Frank and their three parrots. Scrap booking our “on-line journal” of all of the places and cities we see and adventures we encounter along the way.

SUSIE ARNOLD, Dir. Of PR, Marketing, Special Events

Birthplace:  Indianapolis, Indiana

Current Residence:  Temecula, Calif.

Years with Budweiser King Racing:  20

Other Work Experience:  Worked for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; Dan Gurney; Bobby and Al Unser; with Jack Long on the marketing side for the U.S.-based Formula One Grands Prix including Caesar’s Palace, Detroit, and Long Beach; and the public relations firm of Bob Thomas and Associates.

All Anheuser-Busch racing public relations including Can-Am, Indy 500, NASCAR and drag racing were administered by Bob Thomas and Associates in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.  When Kenny obtained the Budweiser sponsorship for the Funny Car, I first became acquainted with him. I was also the marketing director for NHRA from 1993-1999 before returning to Kenny’s Budweiser King Racing team.

Responsibilities at Kenny Bernstein Racing:  Director of marketing and public relations for the company.  Work closely with Anheuser-Busch wholesalers across the country and the sports marketing team in St. Louis. Also maintain the www.kennybernstein.com web site.

Hobbies:  Pilates, reading

JULIE GONZALEZ       

Birthplace: New London, CT
Current Residence:  Cooper City, FL
Years with Kenny Bernstein Racing:  Second year

Other racing/work experience:  Began career in drag racing with Darrell Gwynn Racing in 1998, while completing a bachelor’s degree in communications.  Continued with Jerry and Darrell Gwynn and driver Cory McClenathan through 2003.  In 2004, again joined Cory as Team Operations Manager of Carrier Boyz Racing.  Served as Administrator for the Professional Racers Owners Organization (PRO) from 2005 to 2007.

Responsibilities at Kenny Bernstein Racing:  Coordinate/oversee trackside hospitality program for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel and Monster Energy Funny Car teams, as well as guest ticket needs and team travel.  Assists Sheryl with team merchandise, team apparel, and other special projects.

Hobbies: Shopping, beach, snorkeling, fishing and spending time with friends and family in S. Florida.