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Sunday, June 16, 2002

By Chris Dolack, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

HEBRON, Ohio -- Leaving one job for another is never easy. Friendships and business relationships often are forced to take a backseat for the greater good of a career.

Kenny Bernstein has been through that before, and he is going through it again. One of the most successful drivers in drag racing history, he will retire at the end of this season.

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How successful is Bernstein? His farewell tour, which has stopped at National Trail Raceway for the Pontiac Excitement Nationals, has a name: "Forever Red, A Run to Remember." The red is in reference to his fire-engine red Bud King dragster.

Bernstein, 57, started his professional career in 1966, winning titles in three different series. He was the dominant Funny Car driver in the late '80s when he decided to switch to the Top Fuel division, where he won titles in 1996 and last season.

He was a team owner of cars in not only the NHRA, but also NASCAR Winston Cup and IndyCar. He remains the only owner with victories in each of those series.

He has 63 victories in the NHRA -- 33 in the Top Fuel division -- where he qualified No. 1 for today's elimination round. His track-record quarter-mile run of 323.81 mph in 4.586 seconds Friday night held up against all qualifiers yesterday.

Imagine getting behind the wheel of a car and going 323.81 mph.

"It's just a lot of G-forces against your body, both coming and going," said Bernstein, a New Mexico native who lives in Lake Forest, Calif. "Leaving the starting line and the parachute opening on the other end ... it really feels like slow motion. It seems like it takes longer than it does. Everything's moving at a real slow rate of speed in your brain and the car. It's pretty much under-control chaos. That's the best way to describe it."

His qualifying runs are an indication he's not ready to quit yet. He's 203 points behind Larry Dixon, who qualified sixth going into the eliminations today.

"We're more interested in winning races and trying to win a championship, so all that sentimental junk hasn't hit me yet," Bernstein said. "I just don't think about it because we're in a battle and all I care about is winning. It hasn't really affected me as far as being sentimental. As long as we're competitive right now I want to win races. That's all I care about."

Bernstein lost to Dixon, 35, in this event last year as the rivalry was budding.

"It's been a killer," Bernstein said. "It's been a great rivalry since the middle of last year and all of this year. It was down to the last two rounds last year. That's a heck of a rivalry. We hate losing to [him] and he hates losing to us. There's a lot at stake, but it's been a lot of fun and it's created a lot of excitement."

Bernstein isn't going to be too far from the scene next year. His son, Brandon, will climb behind the wheel of the Bud King dragster. Last season, the Bernsteins became the first father and son in the NHRA's 50-year history to win at the same national event -- and they did it twice, at Las Vegas and Joliet, Ill., with Kenny in the Top Fuel dragster and Brandon behind the wheel of an alcohol-fueled dragster. Brandon is not racing this year to spend time as a member of his father's crew.

Pushed to reflect on his career, Bernstein pointed to a run in the Gatornationals as the highlight.

"The 300-mph barrier March 20, 1992," he said. "That's the one that's always remembered by everybody and certainly by us. Championships are important, and there's been a lot of good stuff, but 300 would be the top of the list."

Whit Bazemore continued his recent success by qualifying first in the Funny Car division at 320.36 mph in 4.798 seconds. John Force, an 11-time division champion, qualified third, setting up a potential final between the two rivals.

Jim Yates led the Pro Stock qualifying and Matt Hines led the Pro Stock Motorcycle division.

Smoking the field

Ron Smoker of North Boston, N.Y. won the BRP Modified Tour feature Friday night at Lernerville Speedway. Other winners included Gary Kriess in sprints, Gary Lyle in late models and Joe Kelley in pure stocks.