BRANDON BERNSTEIN CLINCHES SPOT IN NHRA COUNTDOWN TO EIGHT

SONOMA, Calif. (July 29) – What might have been an early birthday celebration for Brandon Bernstein turned out instead to be an early loss on the final leg of the grueling six-race-in-a-row NHRA tour at the Fram Autolite Nationals. But there was cause to celebrate that the Kenny Bernstein-owned Budweiser/Lucas Oil team has clinched a spot in the countdown to eight which begins at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend.

Bernstein qualified No. 7 (4.602-second elapsed time at 326.56 mph), the same starting berth that launched him to a runner-up finish last weekend in Seattle .

In the opening round of eliminations Sunday in Sonoma , Bernstein squared off against his friend J.R. Todd. It looked as if both drivers lost traction, but in fact, what appeared to be tire smoke pouring off the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster was in fact smoke caused by the friction of the bottom pulley bolts shearing off. Todd, who was on and off the throttle trying to get traction to the ground, crossed the finish line first, 5.327/240.68 to Bernstein’s 5.415/174.05.

“We had the edge to about the 1000-foot mark,” said Bernstein, “but by the time we got to that point, we were just out of power. J.R. blazed by us in the last few feet.”

At the end of the day, Bernstein joined the Medlen family and fellow members of the drag racing “Brat Pack” serving ice cream to the fans at Infineon Raceway for the Eric Medlen Ice Cream Social.

“It was nice to participate in a tribute to Eric,” said Bernstein. “This was the brainchild of the staff at Infineon and it was comforting for all of us Brat Packers to join Eric’s family at the Ice Cream Social. I know Eric would be smiling.”

Bernstein is third in Top Fuel point standings, 177 points out of the lead. He is assured of a starting position in the countdown to eight field which will be set after the next two events, Brainerd , Minn. and Reading , Pa.

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