BERNSTEIN RIDES WITH THE U.S. AIR FORCE THUNDERBIRDS ; FINISHES RUNNER-UP IN SEATTLE
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/b_bernstein.jpg" alt="b_bernstein" align="left"borders="0"/>KENT, Wash.( July 20) – It was an unforgettable week for Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster pilot Brandon Bernstein. As a prelude to the Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals, Bernstein took to the skies with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds on Thursday and sustained a 9.2 G pull during maneuvers in which he flew inverted, went into a 14,000-foot vertical climb, and rolled through loops. The same day he went on the most memorable ride of his life, he also visited wounded soldiers at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis .
On Friday, Bernstein got down to the business of driving the 8,000-horsepower Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster owned by his father, six-time NHRA champion Kenny Bernstein.
. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team qualified second with a 3.820/314.68 and was awarded the $3000 Full Throttle check for excellence and consistency in qualifying.
In the first round of Sunday’s eliminations, Bernstein used low elapsed time of the round, 3.856/310.77, to defeat opponent Troy Buff’s 3.879/308.71.
“That was a close race and I couldn’t see who was ahead at the end,” said Bernstein. “We’re happy to put another 20 points in the bank.”
In the second round Bernstein rolled to the starting line to face off against Cory McClenathan.
Both drivers lost traction and were on and off the throttle, but Bernstein crossed the finish line with a winning 4.336/233.52 to McClenathan’s 4.910/197.65.
“It just comes undone and unloads,” explained Bernstein about the loss of traction. “There’s smoke everywhere and then you feel your rear lift up in the air. Then you think, ‘wait a second I’ve gotta get back in this thing because I don’t hear him, I can’t see hi m. ’ You get on the throttle, back off the throttle, and then you get the win light. It’s a crazy sequence of events.”
For the third consecutive race, Bernstein met Doug Herbert, this time in the semifinals. Again, both cars lost traction but Bud/Lucas Oil crew chief Tim Richards scored his 650th career round victory with a winning tune-up of 4.262/241.71, defeating Herbert’s 4.380/240.85.
“That was a great job by our Budweiser/Lucas Oil team,” said Bernstein, “but it’s tough out here. The sun’s out hard on this track and it’s real tricky. Hopefully Tim can calm the car down a bit for the final and we’ll have a chance at it.”
In the money round against Tony Schumacher, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster dropped a cylinder early in the run while Schumacher recorded a winning 3.902/309.98 to Bernstein’s 4.056/291.19.
“We’ve had a fantastic week,” concluded Bernstein, “and I was hoping it would carry over to winner’s circle here in Seattle . Tim did a great job, but Schumacher’s a tough customer. We made some headway tightening up the point battle and we hope to benefit from this momentum next weekend in Sonoma .”
Bernstein remains sixth in NHRA Top Fuel point standings, six points out of fifth and 18 points (less than a round) out of fourth place.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/b_bernstein.jpg" alt="b_bernstein" align="left"borders="0"/>KENT, Wash.( July 20) – It was an unforgettable week for Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster pilot Brandon Bernstein. As a prelude to the Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals, Bernstein took to the skies with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds on Thursday and sustained a 9.2 G pull during maneuvers in which he flew inverted, went into a 14,000-foot vertical climb, and rolled through loops. The same day he went on the most memorable ride of his life, he also visited wounded soldiers at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis .
On Friday, Bernstein got down to the business of driving the 8,000-horsepower Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster owned by his father, six-time NHRA champion Kenny Bernstein.
. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team qualified second with a 3.820/314.68 and was awarded the $3000 Full Throttle check for excellence and consistency in qualifying.
In the first round of Sunday’s eliminations, Bernstein used low elapsed time of the round, 3.856/310.77, to defeat opponent Troy Buff’s 3.879/308.71.
“That was a close race and I couldn’t see who was ahead at the end,” said Bernstein. “We’re happy to put another 20 points in the bank.”
In the second round Bernstein rolled to the starting line to face off against Cory McClenathan.
Both drivers lost traction and were on and off the throttle, but Bernstein crossed the finish line with a winning 4.336/233.52 to McClenathan’s 4.910/197.65.
“It just comes undone and unloads,” explained Bernstein about the loss of traction. “There’s smoke everywhere and then you feel your rear lift up in the air. Then you think, ‘wait a second I’ve gotta get back in this thing because I don’t hear him, I can’t see hi m. ’ You get on the throttle, back off the throttle, and then you get the win light. It’s a crazy sequence of events.”
For the third consecutive race, Bernstein met Doug Herbert, this time in the semifinals. Again, both cars lost traction but Bud/Lucas Oil crew chief Tim Richards scored his 650th career round victory with a winning tune-up of 4.262/241.71, defeating Herbert’s 4.380/240.85.
“That was a great job by our Budweiser/Lucas Oil team,” said Bernstein, “but it’s tough out here. The sun’s out hard on this track and it’s real tricky. Hopefully Tim can calm the car down a bit for the final and we’ll have a chance at it.”
In the money round against Tony Schumacher, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster dropped a cylinder early in the run while Schumacher recorded a winning 3.902/309.98 to Bernstein’s 4.056/291.19.
“We’ve had a fantastic week,” concluded Bernstein, “and I was hoping it would carry over to winner’s circle here in Seattle . Tim did a great job, but Schumacher’s a tough customer. We made some headway tightening up the point battle and we hope to benefit from this momentum next weekend in Sonoma .”
Bernstein remains sixth in NHRA Top Fuel point standings, six points out of fifth and 18 points (less than a round) out of fourth place.
