BERNSTEIN NO.1 QUALIFIER IN SEATTLE; SETS LOW ELAPSED TIME AND TOP SPEED OF EVENT

KENT, Wash. (July 23) – The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team consistently clocked competitive times in qualifying sessions for the NHRA Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals, capturing the No. 1 spot with a 4.555-second elapsed time at 327.11 mph, low elapsed time and top speed of the event.

It was driver Brandon Bernstein’s 11th career No. 1 qualifying honor, his third of the season and his first at Pacific Raceways.

The Kenny Bernstein-owned team was awarded the Budweiser Shootout low qualifying check for $4000 and the $3000 Full Throttle bonus for performance and consistency during qualifying.

“We were performing great on both hot and cooler tracks,” said Bernstein. “In the evening session and on an overcast track, we were running great numbers and those were the conditions under which we went quickest. In the heat, we still ran well. We thought we had the bases covered for whatever the weather gods brought us for race day.”

Sunday’s eliminations began in hot, sunny conditions. Bernstein faced off against Alan Bradshaw in the opening round and both drivers lost traction and struggled to get to the finish line.

Bernstein had a slight lead, but Bradshaw crossed the finish line first.

“The car left and then it quivered,” explained Bernstein. “Then it got to smoking the tires, and I tried to pedal it a couple of times. The last time I pedaled it, it blew the burst panels (of the engine) out. We were just kind of sitting ducks. I knew Alan was probably having troubles, I heard him next to me pedaling it, but he came around me at the end.

“This is definitely a humbling sport.”

Bernstein remains third in POWERade Top Fuel point standings.