Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at [email protected] or (702) 259-4089.
Brandon Bernstein is proving that his brief NHRA Top Fuel rookie season was not a fluke.
Bernstein, who replaced his legendary father in the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster last year, won three of his first seven national events in 2003 before suffering a season-ending back injury in a crash in the eighth race of the year. Despite his abbreviated season, Bernstein was recognized as the NHRA's top rookie.
Bernstein returned to the cockpit this season and won in his second start, repeating as champion of the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals Feb. 29 at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Ariz. Bernstein is third in the Top Fuel standings, six points behind category leader Tony Schumacher, heading into this weekend's Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. -- an event he won last season.
"Gainesville is a very special place for dad and me," Bernstein said. "It was where dad became the first in NHRA history to break the 300-mph barrier 14 years ago and it was the site of my second career victory.
"We hope that the fact we were able to defend our Phoenix victory is a good omen for the Mac Tools race."
Considering the fact he has won four of the past nine national events in which he has competed, Bernstein would have to be listed as one of the favorites to win this weekend's Gatornationals and should prove to be one of the leading contenders to challenge two-time defending Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon for this year's title.
But Bernstein said he doesn't see this year's Top Fuel battle as strictly a two-car race.
"The past few years, it's seemed to be a battle of the beer cars," Bernstein said, referring to his Budweiser-sponsored ride and Dixon's Miller Lite-sponsored dragster. "The competition is heating up big time -- all the teams are playing hardball -- and there are going to be at least six of us really fighting hard for the championship, I'd predict.
"These are serious shark-infested waters; fins everywhere. Fortunately, our season is off to a pretty good start, but we've got a long way to go. The most consistent team with the most round wins will be standing on the podium with the trophy and the Powerade money at the end of the year."
Schumacher, who won the season-opening Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., leads Doug Kalitta by two points after two events, Bernstein is six points off the pace and David Grubnic, Darrell Russell David Baca, Cory McClenathan and Dixon all are within 100 points of the lead.
"It's early in the season and you don't want to look at the points too much," Worsham said. "But you also don't want to get too far behind. If you don't get points early, you won't be able to catch up and you won't be in the game late in the season when it really matters."
Worsham, 34, never has finished higher than third in the final Funny Car standings.
Tony Schumacher, Kurt Johnson, Del Worsham, Phil Burkart, Doug Herbert, Jim Yates, Jerry Toliver, David Baca, Terry Haddock and Tommy Johnson Jr. are among the drivers who have committed to attend the autograph session, which will be April 1 from 7 to 8 p.m.
In addition to an all-Mopar drag race, the event will feature a classic car show, swap meet, manufacturer's midway and several on-track exhibitions. Spectator gates open at 8 a.m. each day. A complete event schedule and admission information can be found at www.moparsatthestrip.com.
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