Bernstein Aiming To Defend Gainesville Top Fuel Victory
Written by Josh Katinger · March 11, 2004
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - There’s a Budweiser Racing print ad campaign that pictures the “race faces” of Brandon Bernstein and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. It reads:
“When you’re born with the last names Earnhardt and Bernstein, you’re bound to grow up fast.”
That ad seems particularly prophetic and on target when it comes to Gainesville Raceway, home of the March 19-21 Mac Tools Gatornationals.
“Gainesville is a very special place for Dad and me,” said Brandon Bernstein. “It was where Dad became the first in NHRA history to break the 300 miles-per-hour barrier 14 years ago, and it was the site of my second career victory.”
Six-time champion and NHRA legend Kenny Bernstein broke the barrier March 20, 1992 with a 301.70 miles-per-hour run.
In keeping with the Bernstein tradition of speed at this race course, Brandon set the Top Fuel track speed record last year, 327.27 mph.
Brandon and the Budweiser/Lucas Oil team are riding the momentum of a March 7 victory at Phoenix, Brandon’s fourth career victory. Also the site of Brandon’s first career win, he is undefeated in Phoenix.
“We hope that the fact we were able to defend our Phoenix victory is a good omen for the Mac Tools race,” said Brandon. Brandon is third in NHRA POWERade Top Fuel point standings going into the Florida event, four points out of second place and six points out of the lead. “The past few years it’s seemed to be a battle of the beer cars,” said Brandon. “The competition is heating up big time, all the teams are playing hardball, and there are going to be at least six of us really fighting hard for the championship I’d predict. These are serious shark-infested waters. Fins everywhere.
“Fortunately our season is off to a pretty good start, but we’ve got a long way to go. The most consistent team with the most round wins will be standing on the podium with the trophy and the POWERade money at the end of the year.”
Notable: Brandon won 3 events in 2003 before an injury May 18 sidelined him for the season. Kenny Bernstein finished the season driving the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster winning the last four of five events. With Brandon’s victory March 7 at Phoenix, the team is 8-0 in final round appearances. The team has also won the last 5 of 7 events. (This includes Kenny’s four event wins in ‘03).
This year marks the celebration of 25 years of Budweiser sponsorship with the Bernstein family, the longest current racer family/sponsor association in all of motorsports.
Nitro Qualifying: Friday, March 19 at noon and 3:30 p.m.;
Saturday at noon and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations at 11 a.m. Sunday.
MAC TOOLS GATORNATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY
Qualifying - March 21 - ESPN2 2:30 - 4:30 a.m. ET
Eliminations - March 21 - ESPN2 11:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m. ET
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