<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/R_Pustari.jpg" alt="R_Pustari" align="right"borders="0"/>
READING , Pa. (Aug. 19) – Last week Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team celebrated their fifth victory of the season at Brainerd , Minn. This weekend a scenario unfolded at the Toyo Tires Nationals that wasn’t on anybody’s radar screen.
Before Bernstein left his hotel room to drive to Maple Grove Raceway Friday morning, he was experiencing excruciating pain which he suspected might be associated with a kidney stone.
Bernstein called his father who drove him to The Reading Hospital and Medical Center where he was admitted to the emergency room. Diagnostic tests proved he did indeed have a kidney stone.
The initial course of action recommended by the attending urologist was to wait to see if the stone could be expelled with intravenous fluids and rest, without a surgical procedure. If the stone would pass Friday or Friday night, there was a strong possibility that Bernstein could at least make one run to qualify the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster and gain points.
Bernstein spent a painful day and night in emergency, and by Saturday morning another set of x-rays showed that the stone had not made any forward progress. The urologist quickly arranged for Bernstein to be sent to pre-op and then performed a procedure to retrieve the stone. The surgery went well and Bernstein was released Saturday afternoon and spent the rest of the weekend recovering at the hotel where he was staying race weekend.
Saturday morning, after the determination was made to operate on Brandon , Kenny Bernstein named Rit Pustari as the weekend’s substitute driver for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster. Because NHRA rules state that points go with the driver, not the team, it meant that Brandon would earn no points at the Toyo Tires Nationals.
“We have an obligation to Budweiser and our other sponsors to field this race car,” said Kenny. “ Brandon is naturally very disappointed that he can’t drive this weekend, but he’s a total supporter of putting Rit in the car and giving the team the opportunity to make some runs.”
“We’re lucky we’re seeded in the countdown to eight,” said Brandon . “If this had happened at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indy, we would be in trouble since that race starts the countdown to four. I’ll be good to go by Indy and we’ll put this behind us.”
Pustari, a part-time independent race driver, made his first professional Top Fuel qualifying attempt at Maple Grove Raceway in 1997. Ironically Pustari happened to be in Reading visiting friends when the opportunity of a lifetime arose to drive the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster.
Pustari made two Saturday qualifying runs, and was seeded 13th in the Top Fuel field with a 4.607/323.35.
In the first round of Sunday’s eliminations, Pustari fouled with a red light start and opponent David Grubnic transferred to the second round.
“We appreciated Rit stepping in for us,” said Kenny.
“Based on past experience, it has taken about five to six days to get through the post surgery process,” said Brandon . “I expect to be in good form for the first qualifying session at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals August 31,” said Brandon . “We’re excited about the debut of our new Elvis paint scheme for that race.”
Bernstein is fourth in the NHRA point standings.
Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at Kenny Bernstein Racing. Please visit our sponsors at Budweiser, Lucas Oil, Initializing...., AlphaTrade.com - digital media and marketing company specializing in creating networking opportunities to build your brand, sell more products, increase your web traffic and gain more attention for your company (OTCBB:APTD) and AlphaTrade Finance - Free stock quotes, stock market news & personal finance..
KIDNEY STONE KOs BRANDON BERNSTEIN AT READING; RIT PUSTARI SUBSTITUTES
READING , Pa. (Aug. 19) – Last week Brandon Bernstein and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team celebrated their fifth victory of the season at Brainerd , Minn. This weekend a scenario unfolded at the Toyo Tires Nationals that wasn’t on anybody’s radar screen.
Before Bernstein left his hotel room to drive to Maple Grove Raceway Friday morning, he was experiencing excruciating pain which he suspected might be associated with a kidney stone.
Bernstein called his father who drove him to The Reading Hospital and Medical Center where he was admitted to the emergency room. Diagnostic tests proved he did indeed have a kidney stone.
The initial course of action recommended by the attending urologist was to wait to see if the stone could be expelled with intravenous fluids and rest, without a surgical procedure. If the stone would pass Friday or Friday night, there was a strong possibility that Bernstein could at least make one run to qualify the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster and gain points.
Bernstein spent a painful day and night in emergency, and by Saturday morning another set of x-rays showed that the stone had not made any forward progress. The urologist quickly arranged for Bernstein to be sent to pre-op and then performed a procedure to retrieve the stone. The surgery went well and Bernstein was released Saturday afternoon and spent the rest of the weekend recovering at the hotel where he was staying race weekend.
Saturday morning, after the determination was made to operate on Brandon , Kenny Bernstein named Rit Pustari as the weekend’s substitute driver for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster. Because NHRA rules state that points go with the driver, not the team, it meant that Brandon would earn no points at the Toyo Tires Nationals.
“We have an obligation to Budweiser and our other sponsors to field this race car,” said Kenny. “ Brandon is naturally very disappointed that he can’t drive this weekend, but he’s a total supporter of putting Rit in the car and giving the team the opportunity to make some runs.”
“We’re lucky we’re seeded in the countdown to eight,” said Brandon . “If this had happened at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indy, we would be in trouble since that race starts the countdown to four. I’ll be good to go by Indy and we’ll put this behind us.”
Pustari, a part-time independent race driver, made his first professional Top Fuel qualifying attempt at Maple Grove Raceway in 1997. Ironically Pustari happened to be in Reading visiting friends when the opportunity of a lifetime arose to drive the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster.
Pustari made two Saturday qualifying runs, and was seeded 13th in the Top Fuel field with a 4.607/323.35.
In the first round of Sunday’s eliminations, Pustari fouled with a red light start and opponent David Grubnic transferred to the second round.
“We appreciated Rit stepping in for us,” said Kenny.
“Based on past experience, it has taken about five to six days to get through the post surgery process,” said Brandon . “I expect to be in good form for the first qualifying session at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals August 31,” said Brandon . “We’re excited about the debut of our new Elvis paint scheme for that race.”
Bernstein is fourth in the NHRA point standings.
Follow the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team at Kenny Bernstein Racing. Please visit our sponsors at Budweiser, Lucas Oil, Initializing...., AlphaTrade.com - digital media and marketing company specializing in creating networking opportunities to build your brand, sell more products, increase your web traffic and gain more attention for your company (OTCBB:APTD) and AlphaTrade Finance - Free stock quotes, stock market news & personal finance..
