BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM LEADS TOP FUEL QUALIFYING FIELD IN MEMPHIS ;GAINS GROUND IN SEASON STANDINGS WITH FINAL FOUR SHOWING
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/b_bernstein.jpg" alt="b_bernstein" align="right"borders="0"/>
MEMPHIS (Sept. 29) –At the O’Reilly Midsouth Nationals, Brandon Bernstein drove to his 13th career No. 1 qualifying position, his second of the season, with a 3.825-second elapsed time at 313.88 miles per hour. For the second consecutive week, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team earned the NHRA Full Throttle award for excellence and consistency in qualifying.
“It seemed like Tim (Richards) had the car on a string,” said Bernstein. “We were consistent and strong in every single qualifying attempt and we held the No. 1 qualifying slot from the first qualifying pass to the last. The team did an awesome job!”
It was consistency on Friday and Saturday that led to the team’s high spirits for Sunday’s eliminations at Memphis Motorsports Park .
In the opening round, Bernstein defeated Pat Dakin, 3.884/308.78 to Dakin’s respectable 3.967/301.60.
“It’s very important that we go rounds today,” said Bernstein. “Here’s one in the bank, now if we can only get three more.”
In the quarterfinals, Bernstein faced off against Larry Dixon. It was an even leave out of the gate, but Dixon dropped a cylinder and lost traction. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team took the win with low elapsed time of the round, 3.880/297.09 to Dixon ’s 4.541/174.59.
“Larry and his team are tough customers,” said Bernstein. “Tim had a handle on what the track would hold and made another impressive tuning call.”
Bernstein transferred to the semifinals to face Doug Herbert. It was a great side-by-side battle but Herbert was first to the win light, winning by about two feet, taking a hole shot victory.
“That was a crusher,” said Bernstein. “We were so close. I feel like I let the team down on this one. If I had just a little better reaction time we might have gotten by hi m. ”
It was the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team’s second consecutive final four showing, and at the end of the day they held low elapsed time (3.825) and top speed (313.88) of the O’Reilly Midsouth Nationals.
Though Bernstein remains sixth in Top Fuel standings, he has significantly closed the gap between himself and second place. He is only 10 points out of fifth place, 11 points out of fourth place, and 35 points (less than two rounds) out of second place.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/b_bernstein.jpg" alt="b_bernstein" align="right"borders="0"/>
MEMPHIS (Sept. 29) –At the O’Reilly Midsouth Nationals, Brandon Bernstein drove to his 13th career No. 1 qualifying position, his second of the season, with a 3.825-second elapsed time at 313.88 miles per hour. For the second consecutive week, the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team earned the NHRA Full Throttle award for excellence and consistency in qualifying.
“It seemed like Tim (Richards) had the car on a string,” said Bernstein. “We were consistent and strong in every single qualifying attempt and we held the No. 1 qualifying slot from the first qualifying pass to the last. The team did an awesome job!”
It was consistency on Friday and Saturday that led to the team’s high spirits for Sunday’s eliminations at Memphis Motorsports Park .
In the opening round, Bernstein defeated Pat Dakin, 3.884/308.78 to Dakin’s respectable 3.967/301.60.
“It’s very important that we go rounds today,” said Bernstein. “Here’s one in the bank, now if we can only get three more.”
In the quarterfinals, Bernstein faced off against Larry Dixon. It was an even leave out of the gate, but Dixon dropped a cylinder and lost traction. The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team took the win with low elapsed time of the round, 3.880/297.09 to Dixon ’s 4.541/174.59.
“Larry and his team are tough customers,” said Bernstein. “Tim had a handle on what the track would hold and made another impressive tuning call.”
Bernstein transferred to the semifinals to face Doug Herbert. It was a great side-by-side battle but Herbert was first to the win light, winning by about two feet, taking a hole shot victory.
“That was a crusher,” said Bernstein. “We were so close. I feel like I let the team down on this one. If I had just a little better reaction time we might have gotten by hi m. ”
It was the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team’s second consecutive final four showing, and at the end of the day they held low elapsed time (3.825) and top speed (313.88) of the O’Reilly Midsouth Nationals.
Though Bernstein remains sixth in Top Fuel standings, he has significantly closed the gap between himself and second place. He is only 10 points out of fifth place, 11 points out of fourth place, and 35 points (less than two rounds) out of second place.
