Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Bernstein 2-for-3 in Top Fuel dragster

Thursday, March 20, 2003 | 10:54 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 apparently has a thing or two to learn about driving the Budweiser Top Fuel dragster.

After winning in only his second start since replacing his father in the dragster, Bernstein cautioned the media about having lofty expectations.

"Coming out and winning the second race, it doesn't mean that it is going to be like that every weekend," the younger Bernstein said last week.

Then Bernstein went out and won his second consecutive race, the Mac Tools Gatornationals, last weekend in Gainesville, Fla.

"I have to pinch myself now," Bernstein said after his victory at Gainesville. "The first win was amazing and now to win back-to-back, that says a lot. It's a tough deal to win these races and we're fortunate enough to be there.

"We just try to do the best we can out there. Hopefully we'll be there in the end for the NHRA Powerade championship. But right now the championship isn't in my perspective. We just have to go day by day, round by round."

Bernstein may not be focusing on the championship, but his victory Sunday left him only 17 points behind front-running Larry Dixon going into the April 3-6 NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Bernstein beat Dixon in one semifinal Sunday before defeating John Smith in the final.

"Dixon's team is running very good," Bernstein said of his rival, who is sponsored by Miller Lite. "This year seems to be shaping up into another beer battle. That was a big round win for us; we really wanted to step on it to get by Larry."

"I'd like to thank the schedulers for that one," Starcher said. "What a way to be introduced into the NHRA. I was just glad I didn't get in his way.

"The whole time up there I was thinking that if someone gets a picture of the two of us lined up side-by-side, it would be great because I could show it to all my friends and prove it actually happened. Man, how cool was that?"

Garlits got the better of it, running a 4.778 at 291.45 mph. Starcher had to abort his pass just past half-track.

The race weekend marks the first two points-paying events of the 2003 Jerry's Nugget Championship Drag Racing Series for the Outlaw Eliminator division, formerly known as the Super Quick division. Weekend action also includes a $250-to-win wheelstand contest and $250-to-win burnout competition.

Gates open at 6 a.m. both days. Racing will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.