NHRA NEWS -- Bernstein blisters Denver quarter-mile, leads qualifying after day one

BERNSTEIN, HIGHT, ANDERSON & SCHNITZ PROVISIONAL LEADERS AT MOPAR
MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS

AT SCENIC BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY

 

            MORRISON, Colo. - Brandon Bernstein was the provisional Top
Fuel qualifier Friday at the Mopar Mile-High Nationals at scenic
Bandimere Speedway.

            Bernstein blasted the Budweiser dragster down the
quarter-mile in 4.596 seconds at a track record speed of 330.88 mph to
lead all competitors with Tony Schumacher and Larry Dixon following
Bernsteing in the qualifying order.

            "It's a pretty amazing feat to run a 330 up here in this
altitude," said Bernstein, who won the NHRA's last event outside of St.
Louis. "It would have gone quicker but the car was all over the place. I
saw Tony make his run and thought that was amazing, but they are such a
good team over there. Then we were able to run a speed of almost 331,
that was impressive and it is all because of (crew chief) Tim (Richards)
and (wife) Kim (Richards)."

            Prior to the first round of professional qualifying, a heavy
storm moved in and soaked the racing surface, dropping the temperature
of the race track to a temperature that was considerably cooler than
expected.

"The rain we had earlier today was huge," Bernstein said. "It cooled off
the track so much and made it much better for racing."

            Robert Hight, Greg Anderson and Ryan Schnitz also led their
respective categories after the first day of qualifying for the $1.8
million race, the 13th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade
Drag Racing Series.

            Funny Car rookie Hight set both ends of the track record in
his Auto Club Ford Mustang, crossing the finish line in 4.796 at 322.58
to pace the 16-car field. Hight was followed in the qualifying order by
Whit Bazemore and Ron Capps.

            Anderson, the two-time defending NHRA POWERade Pro Stock
world champion and current points leader, covered the distance in a
track record time of 7.106 at 194.07 in his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO.
Anderson, who was competing in the new GTO for the first time, edged out
former employer and No. 2 qualifier Warren Johnson and teammate Jason
Line for the top spot, with Line qualifying his Pontiac Grand Am third.

            Schnitz shut off the clocks atop his Team Muzzy Buell in a
track record time of 7.453 at a track record speed of 186.54 to lead the
two-wheel category. The 23-year-old Schnitz was followed in the
qualifying order by defending POWERade world champion Andrew Hines and
Craig Treble, respectively.

            Professional qualifying continues Saturday at 10 a.m.

 

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

TOP FUEL --  1. Brandon Bernstein, 4.596 seconds, 330.88 mph; 2. Tony
Schumacher, 4.601, 325.85; 3. Larry Dixon, 4.609, 317.34; 4. Morgan
Lucas, 4.634, 312.42; 5. Doug Kalitta, 4.650, 316.30; 6. Cory
McClenathan, 4.682, 308.21; 7. Scott Kalitta, 4.690, 314.53; 8. Doug
Herbert, 4.732, 304.46; 9. David Grubnic, 4.800, 272.01; 10. John Smith,
4.900, 288.46; 11. Mike Strasburg, 4.924, 282.13; 12. Scott Weis, 4.982,
245.76; 13. Mitch King, 5.170, 228.58; 14. Melanie Troxel, 5.855,
158.80; 15. Marshall Topping, broke. 

FUNNY CAR -- 1. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang, 4.796, 322.58; 2. Whit
Bazemore, Dodge Stratus, 4.821, 318.39; 3. Ron Capps, Stratus, 4.832,
318.84; 4. Del Worsham, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.866, 320.43; 5. John Force,
Mustang, 4.877, 317.27; 6. Gary Scelzi, Stratus, 4.888, 313.29; 7. Tim
Wilkerson, Monte Carlo, 4.908, 313.95; 8. Tommy Johnson Jr., Monte
Carlo, 4.945, 310.84; 9. Eric Medlen, Mustang, 4.946, 317.64; 10. Phil
Burkart, Toyota Celica, 4.950, 306.81; 11. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo,
4.958, 289.32; 12. Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 5.033, 295.08; 13. Gary
Densham, Monte Carlo, 5.034, 303.43; 14. Bob Gilbertson, Monte Carlo,
5.047, 285.35; 15. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo, 5.064, 305.22; 16. Jeff
Arend, Monte Carlo, 5.081, 279.50. 

PRO STOCK -- 1. Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO, 7.106, 194.07; 2. Warren
Johnson, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.112, 194.24; 3. Jason Line, Grand Am,
7.117, 193.52; 4. Kurt Johnson, Chevy Cobalt, 7.134, 194.04; 5. Richie
Stevens, Dodge Stratus, 7.135, 193.16; 6. V. Gaines, Stratus, 7.137,
193.18; 7.Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 7.142, 193.16; 8. Mike Thomas, Stratus,
7.145, 193.13; 9. Dave Connolly, Cobalt, 7.150, 192.91; 10. Greg
Stanfield, Chevy Cavalier, 7.154, 193.79; 11. Allen Johnson, Stratus,
7.161, 192.93; 12. Jeg Coughlin, Stratus, 7.163, 192.77; 13. Ben Watson,
Cavalier, 7.172, 191.59; 14. Jim Yates, Grand Am, 7.177, 191.89; 15.
Erica Enders, Cobalt, 7.199, 192.28; 16. Mike Edwards, Grand Am, 7.210,
191.40. 

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE -- 1. Ryan Schnitz, Buell, 7.453, 186.54; 2. Andrew
Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.478, 181.96; 3. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.486,
179.52; 4. Chip Ellis, Buell, 7.493, 174.17; 5. GT Tonglet,
Harley-Davidson, 7.501, 179.33; 6. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.508, 172.61;
7. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.515, 185.38; 8. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.540,
177.28; 9. Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.545, 178.80; 10. Michael Phillips,
Suzuki, 7.608, 177.11; 11. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.621, 175.64; 12.
Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.621, 171.99; 13. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.625,
176.03; 14. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.637, 177.14; 15. Matt Smith, Suzuki,
7.682, 172.06; 16. Buddy Robinson, Suzuki, 7.699, 178.02.