Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Bernstein looks forward to returning to LVMS

Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 | 10:58 a.m.

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

Kenny Bernstein is embroiled in the closest points battle in the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series, entering this weekend's O'Reilly Fall Nationals in Texas with a slim 58-point lead over Larry Dixon in the Top Fuel category.

In addition to his points lead, Bernstein holds an edge over Dixon with a 6-2 head-to-head elimination record going into Dallas. Bernstein said he feels he has another ace up his sleeve in his quest for a sixth NHRA championship.

The series makes its second stop of the season at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend -- a venue that has been kind to the 57-year-old Bernstein.

"With the championship battle so close, we're happy to be racing at Vegas," Bernstein said. "Tim (Richards, crew chief) certainly had a handle on the track earlier this year and we hope that data will play a key role in the race tune-up for this event.

"The Strip is one of the smoothest tracks we race on and we hope we can ride the coattails of our past success here. A win would be key going for the jackpot at the final event of the year at Pomona."

In the two spring national events held in Las Vegas, Bernstein has two poles and two wins. Earlier this year, Bernstein "ran the table" by qualifying first, setting the low elapsed time and top speed, and winning the race.

Bernstein has been to the final round 10 times this season and has a category-high seven wins. He has been the number-one qualifier eight times.

Although he has won five NHRA championships (four in Funny Car and one in Top Fuel), Bernstein said being in a championship battle remains as thrilling as his first, in 1985.

"Being in the battle for the championship is what you wish for," Bernstein said. "It's why we're out here competing every year. The wins, the poles, the chance to be competitive, well, we've just been having a ball.

"Now we're hoping all our efforts culminate in a sixth championship."

Force holds a 285-point lead over Whit Bazemore and could clinch his record 11th championship this weekend. Warren Johnson leads Jim Yates by 134 points in Pro Stock; Angelle Savoie leads Antron Brown by 89 points in Pro Stock Motorcycle; and Bob Panella Jr. is 65 points ahead of Randy Daniels in Pro Stock Truck.

The paint schemes are a promotional tie-in with Action Performance Companies, which produces collectable die-cast cars.

A spokesman for the NHRA would not confirm the rumor, but it would not be out of character for the series to use the SEMA show to make such an announcement because of the amount of automotive industry media that attends the convention.

In 1999, the NHRA used the SEMA show to announce that Tom Compton would replace Dallas Gardner as president of the series.

Winston announced this summer that it would not return as the series title sponsor due to the tobacco companies' settlement with the federal government.