[coverattach=1]BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM SETS ELAPSED TIME AND TOP SPEED EVENT MARKS
LAS VEGAS (April 5) -- The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team launched the season with a strong performance and they continued to ride the momentum into the SummitRacing.com Nationals scoring their second runner-up finish in five starts. The Kenny Bernstein-owned team also set elapsed time and top speed marks for the event. They remain in the top three in Full Throttle point standings as they have since the season-opener.
Bernstein was the No. 11 qualifier at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a 4.027/281.13.
The second generation driver won the opening round of eliminations against Spencer Massey with the quickest run of the weekend, 3.871/317.57 vs. Massey ' s very competitive 3.922/309.77. Besides scoring low elapsed time of eliminations the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team, also nabbed top speed of the meet with that run.
"I could hear Spencer the whole way down the track so I knew he was close,” said Bernstein. “We needed that big speed to cross the finish stripe first. That was a good job by Rob (Flynn, crew chief) and the tea m. "
In the quarterfinals, Bernstein rolled to the starting line to face Larry Dixon. Another great tune-up on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster produced a win and low elapsed time of the second round, 3.927 seconds, at 312.93 mph. Dixon lost traction about half-track, crossing the finish line with a 4.210/232.79.
“We always get pumped up when we race Larry” said Bernstein. “We’ve been running well today, we just need to keep it up.”
In the semifinals against Antron Brown, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team prevailed despite a mechanical gremlin. There was a flash of fire from Bernstein’s dragster as the scoreboard reflected a winning 4.004/295.21. In the opposite lane, Brown lost traction and followed Bernstein across the stripe with a 4.149/216.51.
“We pushed out a head gasket in that round,” confided Bernstein, “and the team had to change engines before the final. It was a hustle because we were under the gun for live television, but this crew is very professional. Dad pitched in and I pitched in and we were on time for the final round bell.”
Bernstein transferred to the money round to face opponent Tony Schumacher who won the event with a 3.874/311.77 while Bernstein clocked 4.003/295.66.
“We had great performances in the first two rounds,” said Bernstein, “and set both elapsed time and mile per hour marks for this event. It’s too bad we fell off a little at the end, but it certainly proves that we’re a contender. We’re still going rounds and gaining points and that’s the goal.”
The second-generation driver remains third in NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel standings, 24 points out of the lead and 6 points out of second place.
LAS VEGAS (April 5) -- The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team launched the season with a strong performance and they continued to ride the momentum into the SummitRacing.com Nationals scoring their second runner-up finish in five starts. The Kenny Bernstein-owned team also set elapsed time and top speed marks for the event. They remain in the top three in Full Throttle point standings as they have since the season-opener.
Bernstein was the No. 11 qualifier at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a 4.027/281.13.
The second generation driver won the opening round of eliminations against Spencer Massey with the quickest run of the weekend, 3.871/317.57 vs. Massey ' s very competitive 3.922/309.77. Besides scoring low elapsed time of eliminations the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team, also nabbed top speed of the meet with that run.
"I could hear Spencer the whole way down the track so I knew he was close,” said Bernstein. “We needed that big speed to cross the finish stripe first. That was a good job by Rob (Flynn, crew chief) and the tea m. "
In the quarterfinals, Bernstein rolled to the starting line to face Larry Dixon. Another great tune-up on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster produced a win and low elapsed time of the second round, 3.927 seconds, at 312.93 mph. Dixon lost traction about half-track, crossing the finish line with a 4.210/232.79.
“We always get pumped up when we race Larry” said Bernstein. “We’ve been running well today, we just need to keep it up.”
In the semifinals against Antron Brown, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team prevailed despite a mechanical gremlin. There was a flash of fire from Bernstein’s dragster as the scoreboard reflected a winning 4.004/295.21. In the opposite lane, Brown lost traction and followed Bernstein across the stripe with a 4.149/216.51.
“We pushed out a head gasket in that round,” confided Bernstein, “and the team had to change engines before the final. It was a hustle because we were under the gun for live television, but this crew is very professional. Dad pitched in and I pitched in and we were on time for the final round bell.”
Bernstein transferred to the money round to face opponent Tony Schumacher who won the event with a 3.874/311.77 while Bernstein clocked 4.003/295.66.
“We had great performances in the first two rounds,” said Bernstein, “and set both elapsed time and mile per hour marks for this event. It’s too bad we fell off a little at the end, but it certainly proves that we’re a contender. We’re still going rounds and gaining points and that’s the goal.”
The second-generation driver remains third in NHRA Full Throttle Top Fuel standings, 24 points out of the lead and 6 points out of second place.
