Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Force’s victory wasn’t so funny to Top Fuel drivers

Friday, July 7, 2000 | 9:38 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand's motor sports notebook appears Friday. Reach him at bh@lasvegassun.com or 259-4089.

John Force's victory in last year's Winston Showdown, which pits the NHRA's Funny Cars against the Top Fuel Dragsters, didn't sit too well with the Top Fuel brethren.

When drag racing's all-star event fires up this weekend at Bristol Dragway, five-time NHRA champion Kenny Bernstein expects his Top Fuel category to be more closely knit when the Nitro qualifying begins.

"None of us Top Fuel drivers wants to see the Funny Car guys take the overall victory so we all root for each other," Bernstein said. "We're all concerned about our own performance, too, and each of us is after the $200,000 pot of gold. But the bottom line is Top Fuel cars are the kings of the sport, and we don't want to be outshone by the Funny Cars.

"Last year, John Force took the victory, this year the Top Fuel category is out for revenge."

Bernstein said the key for the Top Fuel drivers against the Funny Cars will be to not get overeager at the start.

"Concentration will play a key role in the success of the Top Fuel drivers because the Funny Cars get a calculated (handicap) head start which theoretically makes the categories even," Bernstein said.

"All drag racing competitors are taught to be quick on the tree, and when you see a Funny Car move, your instinct is to hit the gas pedal. We have to be careful not to redlight."

Bernstein, who scored an emotional victory in Top Fuel at the inaugural SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in April, is coming off his third final-round appearance of the season at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis.

"Our Bud King team just finished a good showing at St. Louis and we think we're going to be in the middle of the dogfight at Bristol," he said. "We were runner-up at St. Louis, so we're looking for victory circle at the Winston Showdown."

Gaughan, who qualified 17th, led for 40 laps before surrendering the lead to eventual race winner Jeff Jefferson on lap 170. Gaughan now has finished in the top four in six of his seven Winston West starts this season and continues to lead the series points standings. ...

Steve Grissom will drive the NASCAR Winston Cup Hot Wheels Racing Pontiac in place of Kyle Petty at this weekend's Jiffy Lube 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Petty elected not to return to the track where his son, Adam, was killed in an accident during practice for a Busch Series race earlier this year.

"I believe everyone can understand Kyle's feelings right now and I'm glad I can help out again," said Grissom, who drives the Richard Petty-owned Dodge in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

"All I want to do is help out as best I can. The guys and I have talked, and we're going to work hard to make Kyle and Hot Wheels proud of us."

The announcement effectively puts an end to Las Vegas Motor Speedway's bid to land a CART race in 2001. But LVMS general manager Chris Powell said he remains confident that his facility will host a CART race in 2002.

Both Texas Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway are owned by Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports, Inc. ...

Two-time CART champion Alex Zanardi will test Mo Nunn Racing's Reynard/Mercedes this weekend at Sebring, Fla., in a private session.

Nunn's regular driver, Tony Kanaan, is recovering from a broken arm. Bryan Herta filled in for Kanaan last weekend in Cleveland.

Fisher, 19, turned the fastest lap of the test, 218.517 mph, on Saturday and also had the fastest lap (217.832) on Sunday.

Sam Hornish Jr. was second fastest at 216.881 and Tyce Carlson was third at 216.167. Alex Barron, Eddie Cheever Jr., Buzz Calkins, Robbie Buhl and J.J. Yeley also took part in the test on the 1.5-mile oval, which will host the Indy Racing Northern Light Series on Aug. 27. ...

Yeley has replaced Robby Unser as driver for the Jonathan Byrd-McCormack Motorsports entry in the IRL. ...

CART veteran Barron and IRL rookie Hornish tested for Pennzoil Panther Racing at Kentucky. With regular driver Scott Goodyear leaving the team at the end of this season, team manager John Barnes said he hopes to field a two-car team next season, with Barron and Hornish the leading candidates to fill the seats.

Mike Dunn, who finished fourth last season in the final NHRA Top Fuel points standings, will fill in for Amato. Dunn has not raced this season due to lack of sponsorship following Mopar's decision to step away from primary Top Fuel sponsorship. With a combined 70 national event victories between them, the Amato-Dunn team is one of the most experienced operations in the Winston Showdown.

"I'm sure I'll be a little rusty at first," Dunn said. "But in the past when I've sat out any time, it takes me one or two runs to get it all back. I'm sure we'll be all right."

LVMS general manager Chris Powell also said that LVMS would add 4,000 permanent seats as well as permanent concession stands and restrooms in time for the 2001 short-track season opener.

Monday's racing card at The Bullring, which featured NASCAR Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Legends, a fireworks display, demolition derby and a limousine jump, drew a crowd estimated at 6,500, according to LVMS spokesman Jeff Motley. ...

The NASCAR Weekly Racing Series returns to The Bullring Saturday night with competition in NASCAR Late Models, Grand American Modifieds, Legends, Chargers, Mini Stocks and Bandoleros. ...

The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will host High School and Import E.T. Bracket racing tonight. Gates open at 5 p.m. ...

Las Vegan Brian Collins will be among an estimated 175 competitors taking part in the Nevada 2000 off-road desert race Sunday through Friday.

The Nevada 2000 will be a lap of the state that starts in Las Vegas, continues to Reno (via Mesquite, Ely and Elko) and finishes back in Las Vegas (via Tonopah). The 1,871-mile race is the largest ever permitted by the Bureau of Land Management.

"This is definitely going to be a true challenge and an awesome adventure," said Collins, who will field his Chevrolet Trophy Truck for only the second time this year. "It is going to be a tough, tough event."

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