NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series

Top Fuel Dragster

Questions and story by Dwight Drum
Photos by Gary Larsen and Rich Barry
Web work by Gary Larsen

"I miss the speed man, I miss out here competing. It's so much fun out here at the track. It's just so much fun. That's all I can say."

"If it's in your genes and you love speed and you can drive a race car, it's a part of you. There are a lot of second and third generation drivers out there."

"Well I had an aspiration of it when I was in high school, and then went to college. I came to my dad and said I think I could make a career out of this. I wanted to be a driver. He said, 'Well let's get you through college and we'll go from there and see if you like it.'"

"I guess the desire and the competition inside of me that I get from my dad. We're both very competitive and there are some things you can say about genes. If it's in your genes you love speed and you can drive a race car. There's a lot of second and third generation drivers out there."

"The desire of drive is in me, as far as driving these race cars. They are so much fun to drive. I want to be out here every weekend if I could. As I said before, it's probably inherited, in my genes, from my father. I've always been competitive, even as a little kid, and for me to be out here competing against these other guys…it's great."

"That I'm just a down home guy. I'm just a regular "Joe" out there. I don't get wrapped up in this lime light or spot light. I'm easy to talk to if anyone wants to come up and talk to me I'd be willing to talk to them all day."

"I've had some early success, and I guess that's kind of a nice shinning light for me…to get that out of the way and just concentrate on driving these race cars and trying to be competitive."

"Yeah, obviously the physical side of it. I have a physiology background. You need to keep your body in tune with the mental side of it. You just try to stay focused. These cars are going 330mph in four and a half seconds, so you've got to stay really mentally focused on the starting line, and through out the run."

"Thanks to everybody out there! The fans are the greatest and all we care about is being out there for these guys. They're the backbone of the sport and we love them."

We include photos by Rich Barry of Brandon Bernstein's New Jersey crash that occurred after this interview. We are relieved that Brandon Bernstein survived the crash with no major injuries and we wish him a quick recovery from the trauma to his back. Below we also provide a press release from Budweiser about Brandon's condition.

May 21, 2003

Brandon Bernstein, who was injured in a first round accident in Englishtown, N.J., May 18, continues to improve while hospitalized in New Brunswick, N.J.

Kenny Bernstein reports that Brandon was able to take a short walk around his hospital room today in the brace he will be wearing for the next two months that was designed to support his head and neck and immobilize his upper back.

The IVs have been removed.

"Brandon has made great strides since Sunday," reported Kenny Bernstein. "However, we are still waiting for him to become more comfortable and more mobile before we move him. Right now we are taking everything on a day-by-day basis.

"We certainly want to thank the fans, media, NHRA, and sponsors for all the wonderful emails, flowers, cards, gift baskets….the outpouring from the racing fraternity is truly humbling. We are most grateful.

"We would ask that all the well-wishers refrain from sending anything else to the hospital until we're able to move him. The hospital is inundated at this time.

"The hospital staff has been excellent and we are confident that Brandon is receiving the best care possible."

Cards can be sent to Brandon at
Budweiser King Racing
26231 Dimension
Lake Forest, Ca. 92620