NHRA NEWS -- Qualifying at Denver complete, ladders set for Sunday's eliminations

BERNSTEIN, HIGHT, ANDERSON AND HINES ARE NO. 1 QUALIFIERS FOR THE

MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS AT BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY

 

 MORRISON, Colo. - Brandon Bernstein earned his second No. 1 qualifying
position of the season Saturday at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at
Bandimere Speedway outside of Denver.

            Robert Hight, Greg Anderson and Andrew Hines also were the
top qualifiers in their respective categories at the $1.8 million race,
the 13th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series.

            Bernstein became the first driver ever at the scenic
mountain-side drag strip to record a 330-plus speed when he shut the
clocks off in his Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster in 4.596 seconds at a
track record pace of 330.88 mph, earning him the top qualifying spot for
the eighth time in his career.

It has been more than six years (Feb. 1999) since Tony Schumacher became
the first in NHRA history to eclipse the 330-mph barrier (330.23),
demonstrating the challenges the atmospheric conditions at Bandimere
Speedway present for crew chiefs and drivers alike. The track record for
E.T. in the Top Fuel category is one of the oldest on the tour, a 4.584
run made by NHRA legend Joe Amato in 1999.

            "No one expected the conditions to be the way they were (on
Friday night)," said the 32-year-old Bernstein. "Today we knew it was
going to be warmer and the weather conditions were going to be similar
to what they will be for eliminations tomorrow. We smoked the tires
during our first run today, but (crew chief) Tim Richards wanted to
gather some information for tomorrow."

Bernstein, who ended a winless streak of 26 events with a victory at St.
Louis a few weeks ago, will face No. 16 qualifier Rob Passey in the
opening round of eliminations. A victory for Bernstein on Sunday would
catapult the native Southern Californian. higher in point standings in
the race towards the 2005 POWERade world championship.

"It would be very nice to get back-to-back wins for the Budweiser/Lucas
Oil team, especially after going without a win for so long" Bernstein
said. "Winning at St. Louis was huge for our team. I think it gives us a
little bit of an edge and it definitely gives us the confidence we need.
We know we can win, but our performance lately makes us remember how to
win these races."

            Hight, a rookie Funny Car driver and the leading contender
for Rookie of the Year honors, established track records for time and
speed when he steered the John Force-owned Auto Club Ford Mustang down
the quarter-mile in 4.796 at 319.82, giving the 35-year-old Southern
California native a category-best total of five No. 1 qualifying
efforts. The three Force-owned Mustangs qualified first, sixth (Force)
and 10th (Eric Medlen) for tomorrow's eliminations.

            "All three of us on the team want to do better than everyone
else but there isn't that much competition among the three of us," Hight
said. "If we finished one-two-three, and I was third, I would be fine
with that. I do know that we want one of our Ford Mustangs to win this
Mopar event."

            Hight has a special place in his heart for Bandimere
Speedway. In 1995, Hight's first race ever as an employee for Force was
at Bandimere Speedway, a race Force eventually went on to win. Following
the victory, Hight's future-father-in-law gave him the 'Wally' trophy
given to event winners and now Hight wants to repay his boss.

"I was his clutch specialist back in '95 and John gave me his Wally
after the win," Hight said. "This time, I want to give John the trophy
if I win here."

Anderson, the two-time defending NHRA Pro Stock world champion and
defending event winner, debuted a Pontiac GTO and recorded a track
record time of 7.106 at 194.07 for his third top qualifying spot of the
season and the 36th of his career. Anderson, who led the point standings
entering the Denver race, will line drive his Summit Racing GTO to the
starting line Sunday to meet Mike Edwards in the opening round of
eliminations.

Defending POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Hines rode his
Vance & Hines Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson to the top of the
two-wheel category for the fifth time this season and the 13th time of
his career. Hines, formerly a Colorado resident, reset the track record
that provisional No. 1 qualifier Ryan Schnitz established last night.
Hines will face Matt Smith in the first round of eliminations.

            Professional eliminations begin Sunday at noon.

 

MORRISON, Colo. -- First-round pairings for Sunday's eliminations for
the 26th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway,
the 13th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series.

TOP FUEL -- 1. Brandon Bernstein, 4.596 seconds, 330.88 mph vs. 16. Rob
Passey, 6.571, 158.30; 2. Tony Schumacher, 4.601, 325.85 vs. 15. Don
Sosenka, 5.890, 244.83; 3. Larry Dixon, 4.609, 317.34 vs. 14. Mitch
King, 5.170, 228.58; 4. Morgan Lucas, 4.634, 315.05 vs. 13. Scott Weis,
4.982, 245.76; 5. Doug Kalitta, 4.650, 316.30 vs. 12. Mike Strasburg,
4.924, 282.13; 6. Cory McClenathan, 4.682, 312.78 vs. 11. John Smith,
4.900, 288.46; 7. Doug Herbert, 4.687, 304.46 vs. 10. Melanie Troxel,
4.847, 281.19; 8. Scott Kalitta, 4.690, 314.53 vs. 9. David Grubnic,
4.800, 272.01. 

FUNNY CAR -- 1. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.796, 322.58 vs. 16. Jeff
Arend, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.081, 279.50; 2. Whit Bazemore, Dodge
Stratus, 4.821, 318.39 vs. 15. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo, 5.047,
285.35; 3. Ron Capps, Stratus, 4.832, 318.84 vs. 14. Gary Densham, Monte
Carlo, 5.034, 303.43; 4. Gary Scelzi, Stratus, 4.835, 322.11 vs. 13.
Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 5.033, 295.08; 5. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo,
4.866, 320.43 vs. 12. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 4.958, 301.00; 6. John
Force, Mustang, 4.877, 317.27 vs. 11. Phil Burkart, Toyota Celica,
4.948, 306.81; 7. Tim Wilkerson, Monte Carlo, 4.908, 313.95 vs. 10. Eric
Medlen, Mustang, 4.946, 317.64; 8. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo, 4.939,
310.48 vs. 9. Tommy Johnson Jr., Monte Carlo, 4.945, 310.84. 

PRO STOCK -- 1. Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO, 7.106, 194.07 vs. 16. Mike
Edwards, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.210, 191.40; 2. Warren Johnson, Grand Am,
7.112, 194.24 vs. 15. Erica Enders, Chevy Cobalt, 7.199, 192.28; 3.
Jason Line, Grand Am, 7.117, 193.52 vs. 14. Jim Yates, Grand Am, 7.177,
191.89; 4. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 7.134, 194.04 vs. 13. Ben Watson, Chevy
Cavalier, 7.172, 191.95; 5. Richie Stevens, Dodge Stratus, 7.135, 193.16
vs. 12. Jeg Coughlin, Stratus, 7.163, 192.93; 6. V. Gaines, Stratus,
7.137, 193.40 vs. 11. Allen Johnson, Stratus, 7.161, 192.93; 7. Ron
Krisher, Cobalt, 7.142, 193.16 vs. 10. Greg Stanfield, Cavalier, 7.154,
193.79; 8. Mike Thomas, Stratus, 7.145, 193.13 vs. 9. Dave Connolly,
Cobalt, 7.150, 192.91. 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE -- 1. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.436, 181.96
vs. 16. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 7.682, 172.17; 2. Chip Ellis, Buell, 7.441,
183.99 vs. 15. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.621, 175.68; 3. Ryan Schnitz,
Buell, 7.453, 186.54 vs. 14. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.608, 177.11; 4.
Chris Rivas, Buell, 7.470, 175.37 vs. 13. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.604,
176.03; 5. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.486, 179.59 vs. 12. Geno Scali,
Suzuki, 7.604, 177.14; 6. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson, 7.494, 179.47 vs.
11. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.559, 175.21; 7. Matt Guidera, Buell,
7.508, 175.52 vs. 10. Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.545, 178.80; 8. Karen
Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.515, 185.38 vs. 9. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.521,
177.28.