Sun, 16 Mar 2003, 05:17 PM Top Fuel Final, Round 4 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Results of final, round 4 eliminations in Top Fuel at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 34th annual MAC Tools NHRA Gatornationals:

 Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   10 John Smith                              2 Brandon Bernstein
E4                   0.088  4.718 315.90     ****WINNER****  0.040  4.594 326.67
 Prior rounds:
E3    (D Baca      ) 0.066  5.121 270.27      (L Dixon Jr  ) 0.066  4.537 323.04
E2    (D Kalitta   ) 0.074  5.016 279.67      (C Mc Clenath) 0.058  4.594 324.55
E1    (R Hartman-Sm) 0.083  4.613 296.34      (A Cowin     ) 0.088  4.578 321.08
 Qualified:             #9  4.648 312.71                        #2  4.537 327.27

5:09 PM This is Smith's first final round appearance in NHRA Top Fuel competition, making his first Top Fuel start here in 1998. The Bernstein family has fond memories of Gainesville, it's the site of Kenny Bernstein's historic 300 mph run in 1992 and of Brandon's first Top Fuel test runs, last year, following the Gatornationals. One other note of interest - a driver named Smith has not defeated a driver named Bernstein since 1980, when John's father, Paul, defeated Kenny Bernstein at Baton Rouge.

It was Bernstein all the way, away first and pulling steadily away to win handily. Smith left second and his car slipped out of the groove, pretty much ending his chances early in the race. he muscled the car back to the groove, but Bernstein was long gone by then. Heady stuff, the rookie has won two of the first three events in the 2003 season, picking up where his father left off.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink



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