Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Accident KO’s Bernstein from Top Fuel race

Thursday, June 19, 2003 | 9:57 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Brandon Bernstein's hopes of winning the NHRA Top Fuel championship ended last month when he was involved in a serious accident at the national event in Englishtown, N.J.

Bernstein, 30, will be out of action for at least another two months. He still is looking to cash in at the end of his rookie season -- with his father's help.

Drag-racing legend Kenny Bernstein has taken over driving duties of the Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster in his son's absence and is hoping to score enough points as a relief driver to deliver on a promise he made to Brandon a couple weeks before the accident.

"When we were in Bristol, we drove by a Nissan dealership and saw the new 300Z," Kenny said. "I promised Brandon if he won the championship, we'd buy him that car.

"So one of the first days when Brandon (was) laid up in the hospital in New Jersey following his accident, I heard Brandon say, 'Oh, man!' I turned around and a Nissan ad was on the television and he knew that his hopes of getting the 300Z were down the drain because points stay with the driver, not the car.

"So I made Brandon a deal that if between the two of us we made enough points to win the championship, I'd still buy him the car. So you see, we've still got a goal even though we can't win the championship this year."

Brandon had accumulated 629 points before his accident and Kenny has 143 points in his three races as a relief driver. The Bernsteins trail Top Fuel points leader Larry Dixon by 281 points after 11 of 23 events.

Kalitta, 41, will drive the Mac Tools/Jesse James dragster, which will debut Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Nationals. He will compete the remainder of the 2003 season.

Doug Kalitta, Scott's cousin, trails Dixon by 268 points in the Top Fuel standings.

Force had teammate Tony Pedregon beaten in the final, but Force lost traction and slid across the centerline, resulting in an automatic disqualification.

Force moved up to sixth in the Funny Car standings and trails Pedregon by 419 points.

Gates will open at 7 p.m. and the event will include a rave party with DJ Prism, a $500-to-win bikini contest, Insanevideos.com model search and a burnout contest. Euro Phi Psi also will sponsor a cruise night, featuring 21 car and motorcycle award categories.

Admission is $10 to race and $5 for spectators.