Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Sears Point Raceway modernizing its drag strip

Thursday, Aug. 9, 2001 | 10:18 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at bh@lasvegassun.com or 259-4089.

Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., began the second phase of its $35 million modernization plan Sunday with the help of NHRA drivers John Force and Gary Scelzi.

Force and Scelzi got behind the controls of a pair of 100,000-pound bulldozers and began ripping up the concrete on the 32-year-old drag strip following final-round eliminations of the FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals. Renovations to the drag strip began in earnest on Monday and will be completed in time for next year's NHRA national event.

In addition to repaving the drag strip, a 15,000-seat permanent grandstand will be erected and a 660-foot concrete launching pad will be constructed which, according to Sears Point general manager Steve Page, could make the refurbished drag strip one of the fastest tracks in the country.

"The Sears Point drag strip has been around for 32 years and I doubt if any of the drivers out here had any feelings of nostalgia watching this track get ripped up," Page said. "The new track gives us the potential for the best racing Sears Point has ever seen."

Sears Point Raceway is owned by Bruton Smith's Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which also owns Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has received rave reviews from competitors since it opened last year.

"It's great to be a part of Bruton Smith's master plan for this track," Force said. "You can bet it will be a super track once they're through with it. I can't wait to get out here next year."

Scelzi agreed.

"I think this place is going to be great," Scelzi said. "It's a typical Bruton Smith deal: no expense spared."

Among the improvements already completed at Sears Point include 30,000 terrace seats on the hillsides in turns 2-4 of the road course, a new entrance gate to the facility and access roads throughout the complex.

Ashley, a freshman at Cal State Fullerton, earned her Super Comp license earlier this year after completing the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School in Pomona, Calif.

"I promised her mother that she wouldn't drive (full time) until she graduated," the elder Force said in a recent interview.

Ashley said she would like to follow in her father's footsteps and one day drive a Funny Car at the professional level.

Bernstein was the top qualifier, set low elapsed time and top speed and then won last weekend's FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Sears Point Raceway. The 56-year-old Bernstein also ran the table at the SummitRacing.com Nationals in Las Vegas in April.

It was Bernstein's 48th career victory (28th in Top Fuel) and fifth of the season, but the first time he had won a race at Sears Point in 13 NHRA national events.

"This track has beat us up pretty good through the years," Bernstein said. "We were in the final round in 1994 and 1996 and got knocked out.

"It was a great win and it put us in better shape in the point standings but, believe me, the championship chase is a long way from over. There's a lot of hot-weather racing left and we think there will be many lead changes before the season is over."

Bernstein now has won a national event at every track on the current NHRA schedule with the exception of Gateway International Raceway and Bristol Dragway (which held its first national event this year).

With the win, Bernstein increased his lead in the Top Fuel standings to 76 points over Larry Dixon.