NHRA NEWS: Final Qualifying Story/Results, K&N Supernationals

[CONTACT: Michael Padian, 626-278-0312]
 
 
AP PHOTOS: Brandon Bernstein and Tony Bartone
 
BRANDON BERNSTEIN EARNS 10TH CAREER NO. 1 QUALIFIER; SEEKS FIRST
ROUND-WIN AT OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP RACEWAY PARK
Tony Bartone, Allen Johnson and Chip Ellis round out No. 1 qualifiers at
37th K&N Filters NHRA Supernationals
 
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- Brandon Bernstein earned his 10th career No. 1
qualifier Saturday and he enters Sunday's final eliminations at the 37th
annual K&N Filters Supernationals with plenty of motivation.

 

His father, NHRA legend Kenny Bernstein, has won a career-high seven
races at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, but Brandon has yet to even
win a round at the historic track that was the site of the spectacular
accident that ended his 2003 Rookie of the Year season. 

 

The other No. 1 qualifiers at the $1.8 million race, the 11th of 23 on
the $50 million POWERade tour, were hometown favorite Tony Bartone
(Funny Car) of Long Island, Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Chip Ellis
(Pro Stock Motorcycle).

 

The Bud Prince shaved five thousandths of a second off his leading time
from Friday night to stay in front of Top Fuel with a 4.534 at 330.72
mph. It is the second No. 1 qualifying effort of the season and the 10th
of his career.

 

"We're going to try to keep this racecar as consistent as it's been all
weekend," said Bernstein, who's currently in third place in the POWERade
Series points race with 608 points behind Melanie Troxel (748) and Doug
Kalitta (652). 

 

"We smoked the tires in Round 1 like everyone else. Then we ran two
4.53s and a 4.57. I'd say Tim (Richards, crew chief) has a good hot
weather tune-up, which gives us a lot of confidence going into the races
we have ahead of us."

 

Tony Schumacher went from out-of-the-field to third place in his U.S.
Army dragster with a 4.561. Earlier in the day the three-time champ ran
a 4.563. 

 

Season-long Top Fuel points leader Melanie Troxel qualified 11th in her
Skull Shine/Torco Race Fuels Top Fuel dragster and will open final
eliminations against No. 6 qualifier Larry Dixon, who will be seeking
his sixth consecutive Father's Day win.

 

Bartone and team owner Jim Dunn elected not to run their Lucas Oil Monte
Carlo in the final qualifying session due to the hot conditions but they
still stayed out front with the 4.787 at 324.36 mph Bartone carded
Friday evening. The pass remained the only 4.7-second run of the
weekend.

 

"Right now I have goosebumps," Bartone said of the first career No. 1
qualifying effort of his 10-year career (first race, Phoenix 1996).
"This is a career highlight for me and it's awesome to do this here at
home. I'm a New York boy through and through and this track has been
very, very good to me over the years. This is a special moment and it
hasn't set in yet."

 

Funny Car points leader Ron Capps is 14th best with a 4.866 in his Dodge
Charger and he will open final eliminations against Jim Head. John Force
will open with Whit Bazemore.

 

Ellis's 6.997-second top-qualifying pass in his Drag Specialities S&S
Buell V-Twin was just the fourth six-second Pro Stock Motorcycle pass in
history. Of the four six-second Pro Stock Motorcycle runs in the books,
Ellis has two, the same number carded by two-time and defending POWERade
Series champion Andrew Hines. Now Ellis will try to parlay his third
straight No. 1 qualifying effort into his first win of the year.

 

"We've built 29 engines and we're still using No. 7," Ellis said. "It's
one of the older ones but it's still living. I don't know what makes it
so good but we're gonna keep running it."

 

POWERade Series points leader Angelle Sampey has struggled this weekend
but she did find a spot for her U.S. Suzuki. Her best of 7.102 at 188.12
mph placed her 14th overall.

 

After not earning a No. 1 qualifying spot for the first 10 and a half
years of his career, Pro Stock leader Johnson has now earned two in the
last four races. The Mopar Dodge Stratus R/T driver used a career-best
run of 6.645 at 207.43 mph in Round 3 to get the job done. His elapsed
time set a track record.

 

"It's a big deal to lead the quickest field ever," Johnson said. "It
means you're one of the best of the best, and there are probably
10-to-12 cars out here that could be considered the best. Dad (Roy
Johnson) is doing a great job building these engines and it's gonna be a
good Father's Day starting as the No. 1 qualifier. I can't think of
anything that would be better than winning the race for him."

 

Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. Sunday.

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------

                  A G A T E 
----------------------------------------------------------
 
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. -- First-round pairings for professional eliminations
Sunday for the 37th annual K&N Filters SuperNationals presented by
Strauss Auto at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, the 11th of 23 events
in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on
results in qualifying, which ended Saturday.

Top Fuel -- 1. Brandon Bernstein, 4.534 seconds, 330.72 mph vs. 16. Rit
Pustari, 4.713, 313.44; 2. Bob Vandergriff, 4.546, 328.46 vs. 15.
Hillary Will, 4.641, 319.45; 3. Tony Schumacher, 4.561, 324.83 vs. 14.
David Grubnic, 4.641, 325.14; 4. Doug Kalitta, 4.564, 329.91 vs. 13.
Morgan Lucas, 4.636, 313.66; 5. Rod Fuller, 4.570, 327.82 vs. 12. Clay
Millican, 4.626, 328.30; 6. Larry Dixon, 4.574, 327.98 vs. 11. Melanie
Troxel, 4.608, 320.58; 7. Doug Herbert, 4.575, 324.51 vs. 10. J.R. Todd,
4.585, 320.05; 8. David Baca, 4.582, 329.10 vs. 9. Cory McClenathan,
4.584, 327.74.

Funny Car -- 1. Tony Bartone, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.787, 324.36 vs. 16.
Bob Gilbertson, Dodge Stratus, 4.878, 314.09; 2. Robert Hight, Ford
Mustang, 4.801, 322.34 vs. 15. Tim Wilkerson, Monte Carlo, 4.867,
320.20; 3. Jim Head, Stratus, 4.804, 325.22 vs. 14. Ron Capps, Dodge
Charger, 4.866, 319.14; 4. Gary Scelzi, Charger, 4.811, 323.66 vs. 13.
Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 4.854, 314.46; 5. Tony Pedregon, Monte
Carlo, 4.812, 320.58 vs. 12. Scott Kalitta, Monte Carlo, 4.853, 322.04;
6. Eric Medlen, Mustang, 4.816, 318.17 vs. 11. Phil Burkart, Monte
Carlo, 4.839, 320.43; 7. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo, 4.827, 324.05 vs. 10.
Tommy Johnson Jr., Monte Carlo, 4.836, 321.73; 8. John Force, Mustang,
4.833, 319.07 vs. 9. Whit Bazemore, Charger, 4.835, 324.59. 

Pro Stock -- 1. Allen Johnson, Dodge Stratus, 6.645, 207.53 vs. 16. Mark
Pawuk, Chevy Cobalt, 6.686, 206.99; 2. Greg Anderson, Pontiac GTO,
6.650, 208.01 vs. 15. Warren Johnson, GTO, 6.680, 207.88; 3. Jim Yates,
GTO, 6.655, 208.17 vs. 14. Ron Krisher, Cobalt, 6.679, 207.15; 4. Mike
Edwards, GTO, 6.661, 207.85 vs. 13. Rickie Smith, GTO, 6.679, 207.40; 5.
Jason Line, GTO, 6.663, 207.85 vs. 12. Greg Stanfield, GTO, 6.675,
206.80; 6. Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.663, 207.40 vs. 11. Larry Morgan,
Stratus, 6.672, 207.27; 7. Dave Connolly, Cobalt, 6.665, 207.94 vs. 10.
V. Gaines, Stratus, 6.671, 207.02; 8. Dave Howard, Cobalt, 6.667, 207.91
vs. 9. Richie Stevens, Stratus, 6.668, 207.72. 

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Chip Ellis, Buell, 6.997, 189.73 vs. 16.
Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.107, 186.64; 2. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.023,
191.54 vs. 15. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.107, 188.33; 3. Craig Treble,
Suzuki, 7.027, 192.11 vs. 14. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.102, 188.65; 4.
Matt Smith, Buell, 7.030, 190.08 vs. 13. Michael Phillips, Suzuki,
7.101, 190.51; 5. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.034, 191.38 vs. 12. Joe
DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.091, 192.71; 6. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.036, 187.70
vs. 11. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson, 7.085, 189.95; 7. Andrew Hines,
Harley-Davidson, 7.045, 190.06 vs. 10. Ryan Schnitz, Buell, 7.076,
187.55; 8. Paul Gast, Suzuki, 7.060, 194.83 vs. 9. Tom Bradford, Buell,
7.061, 189.39.