By Wes Holtsclaw (wholtsclaw@starhq.com)
BRISTOL — Even Brandon Bernstein will admit it. His Budweiser Lucas Oil team has struggled this season.
“Our team has struggled a little bit,” the second generation driver said last week at the Troutdale Dining Room. “We haven’t gotten a win yet. We got to the finals in Gainesville. As of late, the last couple of races, we’ve gone out early in the first round. The consistency of the race car is not really there yet. We’ve been struggling with that but it seems like (crew chief) Tim Richards is going to get a handle on that soon.”
He’s hoping to break that spell of bad luck this weekend.
Bernstein returns to Bristol Dragway as the defending Top Fuel champion of the O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals.
If there’s any place Bernstein can get back on the right track, it’s Bristol.
Bernstein has two wins at Thunder Valley (2003, 2007) and has twice qualified in the number one post.
“Bristol is a track where we’ve had pretty good success,” Bernstein said “The fact that we’ve performed well here in the past helps build confidence going into this year’s event. We know we are capable of winning.”
Last year before reaching Bristol, Bernstein had won two events. This year, he’s reached the final round just one time.
After the win at Thunder Valley a year ago, Bernstein finished the season with a career high five wins in seven final round appearances. He also finished third in the inaugural Countdown to the Championship, tying his previous best finish in the NHRA POWERade Top Fuel points standings.
“I guess the main thing I remember is that pedalfest we did a couple of times,” Bernstein recalled of last year’s win. “I think I had two smoke the tires runs there. When you win those kind of round and you go on and win the race, it’s something really kind of special. It was a good weekend. It was a great weekend for us and hopefully we can duplicate that.”
The biggest key to this weekend for the Budweiser Lucas Oil team is getting a handle on the little things.
“I think right now, the nitro methane percentage — we’re able to run 90 percent now, but we haven’t gone to that yet. We’re still at 85 percent,” he said. “We see cars that have gone to it are running a lot quicker numbers. We’re going to have to make that move. Tim’s trying to make that move in motion. Also the weight, the fifteen pounds, on these racecars have thrown us a little bit of a loop. The car reacts differently. He just hasn’t gotten a real handle on it yet.”
Of course, Bernstein hopes his team can get a handle on things in advance of this year’s Countdown.
A slight change in the format, increasing the opening number of participants to ten cars, surely will work out in Bernstein’s advantage.
“Once you get into that playoff format, since we have six races instead of two races to have a championship, it gives you a little bit of a playing field in case you do have a mistake in one race,” Bernstein said. “We saw that last year in funny car. The guys all went out in the first round in Vegas and Tony goes onto win the race and pretty much locks it up. This way, in case you have a hiccup, nobody’s locked it up.
“To be honest, I hated the way the last format was with two races and four cars going at it. I think the top ten cars should be able to race, not the top eight. I think it’s a lot better for us as far as racers go and everything. You’re still going to see great racing down the stretch. Six races and ten cars going at it. It’s going to come down to Pomona again. It’s going to come down to the last race or the last two races to decide the championship.”
First, though, to make a serious run Bernstein’s team is going to need some momentum.
Judging by the upcoming NHRA schedule, there’s not a better place for the team than Bristol.
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