KENNY BERNSTEIN HOPES PAST SUCCESS AT GATEWAY INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY IS SIGN OF THINGS TO COME

MADISON , Ill. – Six-time champion Kenny Bernstein has a stellar performance record at Gateway International Raceway, making four final round appearances in seven NHRA national events, all behind the wheel of the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster. Bernstein won the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals in 2002, the year he celebrated his “Forever Red” retirement tour.

This season, Bernstein has come out of retirement and is back in black, piloting the Monster Energy/Lucas Oil Funny Car, and is looking forward to competition May 4-6 at Gateway International Raceway.

“There was a part of me that was never comfortable outside the cockpit standing on the starting line as a spectator,” said Bernstein. “On the other hand, I was no longer actively soliciting sponsorship, but suddenly the Monster Energy opportunity arose and I was fortunate enough to secure a multi-year association. Monster Energy drinks are distributed by Anheuser-Busch, so the deal continued to keep us in the A-B family. It was the perfect scenario.

“The Funny Car commands a different style of “seat of the pants” driving versus the finesse of steering a Top Fuel car. The Funny Car category is pretty spectacular this season and I think fans and competitors alike are biting their fingernails in the final Saturday qualifying session. At each event this season, it’s been a battle of drivers being knocked out of the field, battling their way back into the field, only to be bumped out again. It’s great for the fans, but the drivers and crew chiefs are on edge and they have to be on the top of their game.

“This season we’re competing in much cooler conditions at Gateway and we’re hoping that the success we enjoyed at this track during our Top Fuel career will transfer as we make our Funny Car debut at this track.”

Funny Car and professional category competitors are battling for a berth in the countdown to eight, the first stage that sets up this year’s new countdown to the championship.

Bernstein made a semifinal showing in Gainesville , Fla. in March and is looking to add to the 30 career Funny Car victories he has scored.

Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals begins Friday, May 4 at 5 p.m. with a second round at 7:30 p.m. There are two qualifying rounds Saturday, 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. , with final eliminations beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday.

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