BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM SETS TRACK SPEED RECORD IN DENVER

DENVER (July 17) – The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team shattered the speed record at Bandimere Speedway during qualifying for the NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals, before a bizarre circumstance eliminated the team in the first round on race day.

Before Friday’s qualifying sessions, a brief rain shower cooled the track considerably. Crew chief Tim Richards and the team were able to capitalize on the optimum conditions and during the evening qualifying session clocked an elapsed time of 4.596 seconds at a spectacular 330.88 miles per hour. The incredible speed in the high altitude eclipsed the previous track record set in 1999 by 12 mph. The elapsed time won driver Brandon Bernstein his eighth career Budweiser Shootout No. 1 qualifying effort, his second consecutive at Bandimere Speedway

“I never expected to see a 330 mile per hour run at this track today,” said team owner and six-time NHRA champion Kenny Bernstein. “That was an incredible tune-up by Tim (Richards).”

“I could tell it was a fast run,” said Brandon. “You can really tell when the car goes 330, 330 plus. There's a big difference in the way the finish line comes. I knew it was a really fast run, I just didn't know how fast.

“It was 101 degrees earlier today and the rain storm that came through here cooled everything down. As you know these cars run much better in the cool weather. We had cool weather for the first round and Tim got a good baseline. He was able to really go after it on the second run.”

Bernstein was scheduled to face Rob Passey in the first round of Sunday’s eliminations. Because of parts breakage, Passey was unable to present himself on the starting line which gave Bernstein a single run. As Bernstein began the burnout process, there was a loud pop and the car shuttered to a stop as the motor quite running. Because the car broke on the burnout and Bernstein was unable to stage and take the green light, he was eliminated from competition.

“Basically the Budweiser/Lucas Oil car was running through the water box,” explained Bernstein. “The track temperature was well above 130 (degrees) and I took it a little bit too far out on the track and it dried the tires up. We hit the throttle, and when we hit the throttle, it just brought the motor to its knees and didn’t turn the tires and backfired and quit.

“It was a very disappointing day.”

Bernstein remains sixth in NHRA POWERade point standings.

MORRISON, Colo. – Following a two-week break, the NHRA circuit heads into the Mopar Mile-High Nationals July 15-17. The Bandimere Speedway event is the first race in a three-in-a-row West Coast swing.

The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team comes into Denver riding the momentum from a victory at the previous event, the Sears Craftsman Nationals in St. Louis. The St. Louis win provided the breakthrough the Kenny Bernstein-owned team had been searching for this season.

“We hadn’t won an event since 2004 Memorial Day weekend in Topeka,” said second generation driver Brandon Bernstein.

“We had been fighting a variety of issues, sometimes on the mechanical side, sometimes on the driver’s side. The last four or five races we would have rounds where we were low elapsed time of the session, think for sure we were going to the finals, and then all of a sudden those dreams would come to an end. We felt like we just needed a little luck going our way to get a break,” continued the son of six-time champion Kenny.

“Sunday morning in St. Louis, Budweiser brand manager Bob Scheetz made a trip out to the Clydesdale farm and brought us back a horseshoe. He arrived just before the first round and we put the lucky horseshoe in our Suburban (tow vehicle). What do you know? We went right to the winner’s circle. Maybe it was a combination of the horseshoe mojo along with the brilliant tuning calls made by Tim and Kim (Richards) and the team.

“We were low elapsed time in three of four rounds in St. Louis so we were performing really well. The win couldn’t have come in a better place, right in Budweiser’s backyard.

“But there is something to be said for the horseshoe. In dad’s retirement tour year, 2002, Bob Scheetz got him a lucky horseshoe for the St. Louis race. Same scenario: Dad took the victory. The unanswered question is how much luck one of those big horseshoe holds,” said Bernstein, who celebrated his seventh career victory in St. Louis.

“Because of the altitude, Denver is a one-off tune-up, but we’ve got some momentum going and Tim (Richards) has a wealth of experience to draw upon,” said Bernstein. “We’re very optimistic going into the West Coast swing.”

2005 will mark Brandon’s second appearance in Denver as a driver. He was injured in 2003 and his father substituted for him. Last year, Brandon was the No. 1 qualifier and was eliminated in the semifinals.

Bernstein is sixth in NHRA POWERade Top Fuel point standings.

“There is no question of a doubt that competition is really tough this year,” said Bernstein. “But if we can keep up the head of steam we’ve got going, we might be able to make some significant strides up the point ladder.”

Nitro (Top Fuel and Funny Car) qualifying for the Mopar Mile-High Nationals begins Friday, July 15 at 5 p.m. with a second session at 8 p.m. There are two qualifying rounds scheduled Saturday, 3 and 6 p.m., with final eliminations set to begin at noon Sunday.

MOPAR MILE-HIGH NATIONALS
TELEVISION ADVISORY

Qualifying – July 16 – ESPN2
8 – 10 p.m. ET

Eliminations – July 17 – ESPN2
9 p.m. – 12 a.m. ET