BRANDON BERNSTEIN TO PARTICIPATE IN NHRA CHARITY SOFTBALL CLASSIC BEFORE HEADING INTO TOYO TIRES NATIONALS
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READING, Pa. – Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel driver Brandon Bernstein’s goal this year is to complete the Toyo Tires Nationals August 15-17.
Last year, Bernstein never turned a tire at Maple Grove Raceway as he was plagued by a painful kidney stone. At mid-morning on Friday, he was transported and admitted to the Reading Hospital and Medical Center where ultimately, the kidney stone had to be surgically extracted.
Rit Pustari was called to “pinch hit” for Bernstein while he was in the hospital. Ironically, with weather plaguing a good part of the weekend, Bernstein’s kidney stone received a lot of press mileage.
“That’s a weekend I’d like to forget,” said Bernstein. “I’ve been keeping a pretty close watch on the kidney stone proble m. My doctor is monitoring me and doing x-rays to hopefully keep this from happening again.
“This year at Maple Grove we’re concentrating on qualifying in the upper half of the field and going some rounds Sunday. With only two races remaining before the playoffs begin, it will be to our advantage to try to gain every position possible in NHRA point standings. Each position we gain is worth 10 points when the points are reset for the final six races in the Countdown to the Championship.
“Maple Grove Raceway is a quick, fast track, and our crew chief, Tim Richards, came from this neck of the woods.
“The three races on the West Coast Swing, Denver , Seattle , Sonoma , marked the first events where Top Fuel and Funny Car competitors raced to the 1000-foot mark. This shortened version was put in place for safety purposes while NHRA investigates other safety measures. In the first three races, Tim tuned us to three of the top ten Top Fuel elapsed times as well as three of the fastest miles per hour in the top ten.
“With all the oxygen in the air at Maple Grove, the engines breathe really well and can manufacture some quick e.t.s and fast speeds.”
Prior to the Toyo Tires Nationals, Bernstein will join other drivers and riders in the professional racing ranks for the NHRA Softball Classic to benefit Drag Racing Association of Women (DRAW).
In a sort of NHRA intramural softball game on Thursday, Aug. 14, fans will have the opportunity to watch coach Antron Brown’s “Burn Down Bombers” square off against Funny Car coach Gary Scelzi’s “Superchargers” at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading . Bernstein and Monster Energy Funny Car teammate Tommy Johnson, Jr. will be on Brown’s tea m.
“This is going to be a lot of fun,” said Bernstein, “but you can bet it will bring out every competitive gene in each one of the players on the teams. We’ve got a good group on our team and I think we’ve got the advantage. We’ll see!”
Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying begins Friday, Aug. 15 at 3:30 p. m. , followed by a second session at 6:30 p. m. There are two qualifying rounds Saturday, noon and 3 p. m. , with eliminations scheduled to begin at 11 a. m. Sunday.
NHRA Softball Classic: Aug. 14 at FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Reading Phillies ( Reading , Pa. ) Autograph session from 5- 6 p. m. , first pitch at 7 p. m. For directions, visit readingphillies.com. Contact FirstEnergy Stadium to purchase tickets. $8 adult general admission, $10 adult reserved admission (field level), $5 children. Proceeds will benefit Drag Racing Association of Women (DRAW). NHRA announcer Bob Frey will be joined by Bob Wilber, a team publicist, to call the action on the field.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/b_bernstein.jpg" alt="b_bernstein" align="right"borders="0"/>
READING, Pa. – Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel driver Brandon Bernstein’s goal this year is to complete the Toyo Tires Nationals August 15-17.
Last year, Bernstein never turned a tire at Maple Grove Raceway as he was plagued by a painful kidney stone. At mid-morning on Friday, he was transported and admitted to the Reading Hospital and Medical Center where ultimately, the kidney stone had to be surgically extracted.
Rit Pustari was called to “pinch hit” for Bernstein while he was in the hospital. Ironically, with weather plaguing a good part of the weekend, Bernstein’s kidney stone received a lot of press mileage.
“That’s a weekend I’d like to forget,” said Bernstein. “I’ve been keeping a pretty close watch on the kidney stone proble m. My doctor is monitoring me and doing x-rays to hopefully keep this from happening again.
“This year at Maple Grove we’re concentrating on qualifying in the upper half of the field and going some rounds Sunday. With only two races remaining before the playoffs begin, it will be to our advantage to try to gain every position possible in NHRA point standings. Each position we gain is worth 10 points when the points are reset for the final six races in the Countdown to the Championship.
“Maple Grove Raceway is a quick, fast track, and our crew chief, Tim Richards, came from this neck of the woods.
“The three races on the West Coast Swing, Denver , Seattle , Sonoma , marked the first events where Top Fuel and Funny Car competitors raced to the 1000-foot mark. This shortened version was put in place for safety purposes while NHRA investigates other safety measures. In the first three races, Tim tuned us to three of the top ten Top Fuel elapsed times as well as three of the fastest miles per hour in the top ten.
“With all the oxygen in the air at Maple Grove, the engines breathe really well and can manufacture some quick e.t.s and fast speeds.”
Prior to the Toyo Tires Nationals, Bernstein will join other drivers and riders in the professional racing ranks for the NHRA Softball Classic to benefit Drag Racing Association of Women (DRAW).
In a sort of NHRA intramural softball game on Thursday, Aug. 14, fans will have the opportunity to watch coach Antron Brown’s “Burn Down Bombers” square off against Funny Car coach Gary Scelzi’s “Superchargers” at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading . Bernstein and Monster Energy Funny Car teammate Tommy Johnson, Jr. will be on Brown’s tea m.
“This is going to be a lot of fun,” said Bernstein, “but you can bet it will bring out every competitive gene in each one of the players on the teams. We’ve got a good group on our team and I think we’ve got the advantage. We’ll see!”
Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying begins Friday, Aug. 15 at 3:30 p. m. , followed by a second session at 6:30 p. m. There are two qualifying rounds Saturday, noon and 3 p. m. , with eliminations scheduled to begin at 11 a. m. Sunday.
NHRA Softball Classic: Aug. 14 at FirstEnergy Stadium, home of the Reading Phillies ( Reading , Pa. ) Autograph session from 5- 6 p. m. , first pitch at 7 p. m. For directions, visit readingphillies.com. Contact FirstEnergy Stadium to purchase tickets. $8 adult general admission, $10 adult reserved admission (field level), $5 children. Proceeds will benefit Drag Racing Association of Women (DRAW). NHRA announcer Bob Frey will be joined by Bob Wilber, a team publicist, to call the action on the field.
