NHRA: Bernstein, Densham, Allen among Friday's Qualifying Leaders at Bristol

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

April 28, 2001

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Kenny Bernstein led a parade of track record performances to open Friday's qualifying at the inaugural Mac Tools NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.

Gary Densham and Bruce Allen also were qualifying leaders at the $1.9 million race, the sixth of 24 events in the $50 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series during NHRA's 50th anniversary season.

Bernstein covered the Bristol Dragway quarter-mile in 4.574 seconds at 319.07 mph his Budweiser King dragster to lead the 16-car Top Fuel field. Bernstein just edged rival Gary Scelzi for the top spot. Scelzi posted an impressive 4.584 at 315.27 in his Team Winston dragster which held as the quickest run until Bernstein's category-topping run to close the session.

"There's so much that you can do to these cars now just before you run that it can be an advantage to being last in the order," Bernstein said. "It's going to be a shootout (for the No. 1 position) tomorrow because there's a lot of quality cars out there. We've been running well lately and it's a great credit to Tim (Richards, crew chief). They call him the 'General' and that's the way he runs things for the team."

Densham, who is looking to claim the first No. 1 qualifying award in his 38-year driving career, recorded a track-record 4.870 at 303.71 in his John Force-owned Ford Mustang to pace the Funny Car lineup.

"It was the perfect run," said Densham, a former shop teacher from Bellflower, Calif. "I've left the track twice on Friday as the No. 1 guy but it didn't hold either time. Those runs weren't near as fast as this run. It's hard to say if it'll hold. There are so many good cars that you just know can run better."

Allen led the Pro Stock order, clocking a track-record 6.934 at 198.47 in a Pontiac Grand Am.

Qualifying continues Saturday at 12:45 p.m.

Text provided by Anthony Vestal

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