NHRA: One mission for Bernstein: Win a sixth Winston Championship
28 July 1999
KENT, Wash. - As far as Kenny Bernstein is concerned there is only one mission.The focus is clear: he wants to win a sixth NHRA Winston championship.
However, he knows the key to winning a drag racing championship is patience. He put the great virtue to use in 1996 when he won his first Top Fuel title. He dominated Funny Car competition in the mid-1980s, winning four straight championships by managing to keep his emotions in check.
Midway through the 1999 season and Bernstein is in the thick of the championship hunt once again, sitting second in the Winston point standings. Unlike his past championship runs, this one has been quite unique. After 12 events, Bernstein is still looking for his first victory of the season. However, remember the keyword here: patience, patience, patience.
"We need a win," said Bernstein, who has posted runner-up finishes during events at Phoenix and Chicago. "We've been consistent all season and have made it to a couple of final rounds. It's just like in any other sport, if you're consistent, success is eventually going to come. It's just a matter of time. We feel confident that we're going to get a trophy here pretty soon."
Bernstein hopes that trophy comes at the 12th annual Prolong Super Lubricants Northwest Nationals presented by Al's Auto Supply, July 30-Aug. 1, at Seattle International Raceway. The $1.3 million race is the 13th of 22 events in the $40 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series. Despite his absence from the winner's circle, Bernstein is within a little over two rounds of passing three-time winner and points leader Mike Dunn in the Winston point standings.
"We've had some excellent opportunities to move into first in the Winston point standings," Bernstein said. "We just haven't been able to grab it. At Denver we had severe tire shake and smoked the tires after we knocked 'em loose in the second round. We really don't have an answer why, because everything on the computer looked the way it should have been. Mike (Dunn) lost in the first round and we could have moved into the spot that he's held all year. That's where we want to be, No. 1."
That alone keeps Bernstein, 54, going.
"We're only 44 points away from the lead and that's incentive enough to keep the momentum going," Bernstein said. "Our crew chief, Lee Beard, and the Bud King team have their work cut out for them at Seattle International Raceway. That place has been tricky for us over the years. I've won in Funny Car there (1988), but never in Top Fuel. We hope to change that stat this season."
A season that has been arguably one of the most competitive for Top Fuel in NHRA history.
"You look down the list of the Winston top 10 and everybody is a contender," Bernstein said. "There's no freebies in this game. It's going to be a real fight to get that championship. There's still half a season remaining on the schedule and a lot of hungry teams out there."
Editors Note: For hundreds of hot racing photos and racing art, be sure to visit The Racing ImageGalleries and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.