BUDWEISER/LUCAS OIL TEAM FIGHTING FOR SECOND PLACE
IN POINT STANDINGS DESPITE SECOND ROUND LOSS IN READING

READING, Pa. (Oct. 10) – The rescheduled Lucas Oil Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway proved to be a tough outing for the Budweiser/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team. Though the championship was decided, driver Brandon Bernstein is still well within grasp of second place in the final point standings.

Bernstein qualified fifth for the Lucas Oil Nationals with a 4.545-second elapsed time at 327.03 mph.

The Budweiser/Lucas Oil team’s consistency scored them a first round victory against John Smith. Bernstein clocked 4.565/327.59 to defeat Smith’s 8.472/113.35.

Bernstein advanced to the quarterfinals and a pivotal match with Tony Schumacher. Should Bernstein win the round, his championship hopes would stay alive. Should Schumacher win the round, he would win the title. The duo left in tandem, but the tune-up on the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster was a bit too aggressive. Bernstein was on and off the throttle in an effort to drive through tire smoke and put the power back to the ground, but Schumacher had a flawless run and won the round and the championship.

“We would like to have dragged the suspense out for another race or so,” said Bernstein. “But that’s a good team and they’ve had a great season.

“Tim (Richards, crew chief), Kim (Richards) and our whole team are now focused on trying to gain second place. We’re 49 points out going into the next to the last race in Vegas. We can do it, but it isn’t going to be easy.

“We’re looking forward to the Bud Shootout at Vegas, too,” said Bernstein. “We’ve got two shots at a win at The Strip and a pretty good history at that track, though we don’t gain championship points for the Bud Shootout.

We’re going to hang on to all the positive mojo we can muster.”

Bernstein is third in POWERade point standings, having led the point standings for one race early in the year, and holding second place for seven events.

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