BERNSTEINS CONNECT WITH NASCAR FRIENDS AT INAUGURAL CAROLINAS NATIONALS AT STATE-OF-THE –ART ZMAX DRAGWAY
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 14) – On the 19th NHRA tour stop at the Carolinas Nationals, competitors finally got an opportunity to see the highly-touted new Bruton Smith-owned zMAX Dragway@ Concord. Known as the “Bellagio of drag strips”, all agreed it was aptly named. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team joined with the teams praising the facility.
“This facility raises the bar,” said driver Brandon Bernstein. “It is a beautiful venue and it’s even more remarkable when you think it was built in a mere six months.
“The race was sold out on Saturday and Sunday. It was a knock-out crowd!
“And we were able to see some of our NASCAR friends in Charlotte before they headed out to New Hampshire to race. We enjoyed spending time with Kasey Kahne who made a couple of laps on the drag strip Tuesday night during an NHRA/NASCAR party at zMAX.”
For team owner Kenny Bernstein, it was his first trip back to Charlotte since he sold his NASCAR racing team operation in 1995. Ricky Rudd who drove Bernstein’s team colors to victory at Watkins Glen in 1988 and at Sears Point in 1989, came to zMAX on Friday as did Richard Broom and several of the team members who worked for Bernstein during the years he owned a NASCAR team.
“It was a blast to catch up with so many of the guys,” said Bernstein. “We hadn’t seen Ricky in years so it was fun to reminisce with him.”
At the inaugural Carolinas Nationals, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team qualified No. 7 with a 3.875/309.49.
In the opening round of eliminations, Bernstein faced off against friend and fellow “Brat Pack” member J.R. Todd. Bernstein lost traction and hazed the tires down track, and Todd crossed the finish line first with a 4.335/236.55.
“It seems we have come up against J.R. far too often in the first round this year,” said Bernstein.
“He’s our buddy and we don’t like it when one of us has to go home early.
“Needless to say, the first round of the playoffs didn’t go as we planned, but we’ve got five more
to go so we’ll have to get after it to gain some ground.”
Bernstein is eighth in NHRA Top Fuel point standings.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/b_bernstein.jpg" alt="b_bernstein" align="right"borders="0"/>
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Sept. 14) – On the 19th NHRA tour stop at the Carolinas Nationals, competitors finally got an opportunity to see the highly-touted new Bruton Smith-owned zMAX Dragway@ Concord. Known as the “Bellagio of drag strips”, all agreed it was aptly named. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team joined with the teams praising the facility.
“This facility raises the bar,” said driver Brandon Bernstein. “It is a beautiful venue and it’s even more remarkable when you think it was built in a mere six months.
“The race was sold out on Saturday and Sunday. It was a knock-out crowd!
“And we were able to see some of our NASCAR friends in Charlotte before they headed out to New Hampshire to race. We enjoyed spending time with Kasey Kahne who made a couple of laps on the drag strip Tuesday night during an NHRA/NASCAR party at zMAX.”
For team owner Kenny Bernstein, it was his first trip back to Charlotte since he sold his NASCAR racing team operation in 1995. Ricky Rudd who drove Bernstein’s team colors to victory at Watkins Glen in 1988 and at Sears Point in 1989, came to zMAX on Friday as did Richard Broom and several of the team members who worked for Bernstein during the years he owned a NASCAR team.
“It was a blast to catch up with so many of the guys,” said Bernstein. “We hadn’t seen Ricky in years so it was fun to reminisce with him.”
At the inaugural Carolinas Nationals, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team qualified No. 7 with a 3.875/309.49.
In the opening round of eliminations, Bernstein faced off against friend and fellow “Brat Pack” member J.R. Todd. Bernstein lost traction and hazed the tires down track, and Todd crossed the finish line first with a 4.335/236.55.
“It seems we have come up against J.R. far too often in the first round this year,” said Bernstein.
“He’s our buddy and we don’t like it when one of us has to go home early.
“Needless to say, the first round of the playoffs didn’t go as we planned, but we’ve got five more
to go so we’ll have to get after it to gain some ground.”
Bernstein is eighth in NHRA Top Fuel point standings.
