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BAYTOWN , Texas (April 1) – Defending O’Reilly Spring Nationals Top Fuel champion Brandon Bernstein was hoping to bring home a victory for his friend Eric Medlen this weekend.
Medlen died March 23 from injuries suffered in a Funny Car in a testing accident in Gainesville , Fla. March 19. Bernstein was competing with a photo of himself with best friends Eric Medlen and J.R. Todd taped to the inside of his cockpit, just to keep Eric’s spirit close at hand.
“The photo makes me feel that Eric is onboard, riding with me,” said Bernstein.
With two of four qualifying sessions rained out, Bernstein qualified 12th for the O’Reilly Spring Nationals with a 4.649-second elapsed time at 310.34 mph. Ironically the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team qualified 12th last year when they won their second race at Houston Raceway Park .
In the rain-delayed opening round of eliminations, Bernstein rolled into the staging beams to face Tony Schumacher. Bernstein, with a spectacular .034 reaction time, was first to the finish line with a holeshot victory, 4.553/322.58, to defeat Schumacher who posted what proved to be low elapsed time of the round, 4.540 at 309.42 mph.
“I had some help with that reaction time from my guardian angel Eric,” said Bernstein
In the quarterfinals against David Grubnic, it appeared that Bernstein was home free when Grubnic lost traction early in the run. But when an engine burst pane ruptured, it stopped all forward motion on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster and Grubnic drove by Bernstein for the round win.
“We were digging deep for Eric,” said a disappointed Bernstein. “I so wanted to win for him today. I still see him in my mind’s eye at the top end of the drag strip. We’ll have to win one for him another day.”
Bernstein is eighth in the NHRA Top Fuel point standings in this season’s new “countdown to eight” format for the championship chase.
Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at Kenny Bernstein Sponsors for 2006. Please visit our sponsors at Budweiser, Lucas Oil, Initializing...., AlphaTrade.com - Get real time stock quotes, charts, market news, level 2, portfolios and more (OTCBB:APTD) and AlphaTrade FN - Free stock quotes, stock market news & personal finance..
BRANDON BERNSTEIN DIGS DEEP FOR FALLEN COMRADE
BAYTOWN , Texas (April 1) – Defending O’Reilly Spring Nationals Top Fuel champion Brandon Bernstein was hoping to bring home a victory for his friend Eric Medlen this weekend.
Medlen died March 23 from injuries suffered in a Funny Car in a testing accident in Gainesville , Fla. March 19. Bernstein was competing with a photo of himself with best friends Eric Medlen and J.R. Todd taped to the inside of his cockpit, just to keep Eric’s spirit close at hand.
“The photo makes me feel that Eric is onboard, riding with me,” said Bernstein.
With two of four qualifying sessions rained out, Bernstein qualified 12th for the O’Reilly Spring Nationals with a 4.649-second elapsed time at 310.34 mph. Ironically the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team qualified 12th last year when they won their second race at Houston Raceway Park .
In the rain-delayed opening round of eliminations, Bernstein rolled into the staging beams to face Tony Schumacher. Bernstein, with a spectacular .034 reaction time, was first to the finish line with a holeshot victory, 4.553/322.58, to defeat Schumacher who posted what proved to be low elapsed time of the round, 4.540 at 309.42 mph.
“I had some help with that reaction time from my guardian angel Eric,” said Bernstein
In the quarterfinals against David Grubnic, it appeared that Bernstein was home free when Grubnic lost traction early in the run. But when an engine burst pane ruptured, it stopped all forward motion on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster and Grubnic drove by Bernstein for the round win.
“We were digging deep for Eric,” said a disappointed Bernstein. “I so wanted to win for him today. I still see him in my mind’s eye at the top end of the drag strip. We’ll have to win one for him another day.”
Bernstein is eighth in the NHRA Top Fuel point standings in this season’s new “countdown to eight” format for the championship chase.
Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at Kenny Bernstein Sponsors for 2006. Please visit our sponsors at Budweiser, Lucas Oil, Initializing...., AlphaTrade.com - Get real time stock quotes, charts, market news, level 2, portfolios and more (OTCBB:APTD) and AlphaTrade FN - Free stock quotes, stock market news & personal finance..
