Mon, 12 Nov 2001, 04:25 PM Bernstein Wins Sixth NHRA Winston Championship and Season Finale

Courtesy of Susie Arnold

POMONA, Calif. -- Kenny Bernstein and the Budweiser King team have been battling for half the season for the Top Fuel championship. As the cliché goes, there was – finally – much joy in “Budville” as they clinched their sixth NHRA Winston championship and their eighth victory of the season at the Automobile Club of Southern California Finals Nov. 8-11.

Kenny Bernstein

“It has been a tremendous year, and the success we’ve enjoyed this year has given me a lot of energy,” said Bernstein. “The last six or seven races have been sudden death, and fittingly it had to go down to three complete rounds before it was all over. It’s been a very hard game since September, since the U.S. Nationals.

“This championship is very special because of where we came from in the last couple of years, really not being a car that you’d expect to do much more than win a race every now and then. Just think about the turnaround that crew chief Tim Richards made for this race team. If you go back and look at the records over the last two or three years and look at what he accomplished with this team, you’ll be amazed. It’s an unbelievable turnaround in a program.” Bernstein also applauded the efforts of Larry Dixon and crew chief Dick LaHaie.

“They put up a great fight and together the two teams went blow for blow,” said Bernstein.

The Bud King team captured their ninth qualifying “pole” for the season-ending event with a track record elapsed time of 4.498 seconds at 327.59 miles per hour.

In the opening round of race action, Bernstein defeated Robert Reehl, 4.564/324.83 vs. 4.714/304.25.

In the quarterfinals, Bernstein faced off against Darrell Russell, who eliminated the “King of Speed” in the first round of Saturday’s Bud Shootout competition. Bernstein was holding an I.O.U. from that round and was ready to collect on Sunday. And he did. Bernstein clocked 4.560/322.42 to overpower Russell’s 4.786/258.81.

According to the math, Bernstein needed to win the semifinals to clinch the championship. Bernstein pulled to the starting line against opponent Clay Millican. Bernstein ran another consistent 4.548/321.35, while Millican suffered a mechanical problem, slowing to a 4.996/204.82.

“It was a lot of relief after the semifinals when we clinched the championship,” said Bernstein, “and when we got our ‘victory lap’ on the Clydesdale hitch, that was great.”

To add the event trophy to his newly won Top Fuel championship trophy, Bernstein had to take on Mike Dunn. Both cars were tuned to run very quick elapsed times, but instead both cars smoked the tires. In a pedaling duel between the drivers, it was Bernstein who recovered more quickly to take the win light with a 5.500/30046. vs. Dunn’s 10.397/88.45

“We got lucky in the final,” said Bernstein. “I guess it was just our day. We’re having a blast winning. Winning is something you never get tired of doing.

“It was so nice to have so many of our sponsors with us to share victory circle ceremonies. We owe so much to Budweiser, Mac Tools, LaPaz products, and all the sponsors who have been with us for so many years.

“And we want to pay tribute to Winston for the 27 years they’ve been involved with our sport. We’re going to miss them, but we’re honored to represent them as the last NHRA Winston Top Fuel champion.

“We’re ready for a break now, but we’ll be prepared to kick off the Forever Red farewell tour in February.”

Bernstein enjoyed one of the most successful seasons of his career. He set the NHRA record for single season Top Fuel final round appearances (12), won 61 rounds of competition, the most NHRA Top Fuel rounds won in one season, and captured eight event victories, the most wins in one season in his career.

The victory Nov. 11 marked his 61st career victory, his 31st in Top Fuel. He ends the season holding both ends of the record book. In Chicago in June he set a national elapsed time record of 4.477 seconds, the quickest run in NHRA history. In Reading, Pa., Oct. 7, he set a 332.18 mph national speed record.

Bernstein and his son Brandon made NHRA history at Las Vegas April 8, becoming the first father/son duo to win their categories at the same national event and accomplished the feat again in June in Chicago. They also became the first father and son in NHRA history to win championships. Brandon captured the Federal-Mogul dragster Division 7 championship this season.

Bernstein is the only driver in NHRA history to win championships in Funny Car (1985-1988) and Top Fuel (1996 and 2001). He capped the season with a 95-point victory over second place Larry Dixon.