Brandon Bernstein Returns to Winner’s Circle at Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals

Ron Capps, Kurt Johnson and Angelle Sampey win their categories

MADISON, Ill. – Brandon Bernstein ended a 26-race Top Fuel drought Sunday when he turned in a 4.553-second pass at 324.59 mph to beat Morgan Lucas in the final round of the Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals at Gateway Raceway.

The other winners Sunday were Ron Capps in Funny Car (4.862, 321.04), Kurt Johnson in Pro Stock (6.729, 205.19) and Angelle Sampey in Pro Stock Motorcycle (7.237, 186.02).

Before winning the Sears Craftsman Nationals, the 12th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Series, Bernstein last won and last reached a final round in his Budweiser dragster at the O’Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka in May, 2004.

“That’s definitely true, the monkey’s off our back,” said Bernstein, who improved to 7-1 in final rounds. “It had been over a year since we had won a race. Hopefully this is a snowball thing.”

The importance of the win was two-fold for Bernstein, who drives with the Budweiser paint job on his dragster. Racing in the hometown of Anheuser-Busch is exciting, but also carries with it a lot of pressure.

“It’s very special to win here,” Bernstein said. “You come in with a lot of obligations for Budweiser and we have a lot of friends at Budweiser that come out and you want to perform as well as possible in front of them. They realize that this is racing and things happen, but it’s just great to be able to win in St. Louis. They get to go back to their office Monday morning and say, ‘Hey, Bernstein won.’

Capps’ win in his Brut Dodge Stratus over Tim Wilkerson’s Levi, Ray and Shoup Chevy Monte Carlo was his first since the Checker Schuck’s Kragen Nationals in February of 2003.

“I knew the win was coming, I was just hoping it would get here soon,” said Capps, who improved to fourth in the POWERade Series Funny Car standings. The top two Funny Car drivers, John Force and Gary Scelzi, were each beaten in the first round.

Wilkerson, who is from nearby Springfield, Ill., was a favorite of the fans and quite a sentimental favorite of his fellow drivers after the death of his mother earlier in the weekend.

“In the staging lanes, I went over to give him a hug and he had tears in his eyes before we got suited up,” Capps said. “I was sitting in my car and thinking of my mom and if she died and what it would be like to get in the race car and drive. I was tearing up.”

“I would have been okay losing to him,” Capps said. “It was that kind of day.”

Johnson’s win was the 29th of his career, but just his first in 10 final round appearances over reigning Driver of the Year Greg Anderson.

“In 2003 and 2004, we felt like we were making good runs, I felt like I had beaten him (before), just not to the finish line,” Johnson said.

It extends Johnson’s streak of at least one win per season to 11. It was his first win since the Checker Schuck’s Kragens Nationals in Phoenix in February 2004.

“I don’t want to win on a red light (Anderson red-lighted), but you take the wins when you can get them,” Johnson said.

Sampey’s win over U.S. Army teammate Antron Brown – who won last weekend at the K&N Filters Supernationals in Englishtown – was her first since the 2004 season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals and it moved her all the way to third in the POWERade Series Pro Stock Motorcycle standings (from ninth).

“It’s totally awesome,” said an elated Sampey. “Antron won last weekend and now I get to go to victory lane. This U.S. Army team is bad to the bone. I feel so happy that we were able to deliver a second straight win for all of our soldiers.”

The victory was her third at Gateway Raceway – more than any other rider in Pro Stock Motorcycle – and it was the 36th win of her decorated career, most by a female in NHRA history.

MADISON, Ill. -- Final finish order (1-16) for professional categories at the ninth annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals at Gateway International Raceway. The 1.8 million race is the 12th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.

TOP FUEL:

1. Brandon Bernstein; 2. Morgan Lucas; 3. Doug Herbert; 4. David Grubnic; 5. Tony Schumacher; 6. Rod Fuller; 7. Scott Weis; 8. Mike Strasburg; 9. T.J. Zizzo; 10. Larry Dixon; 11. Doug Kalitta; 12. Bobby Lagana Jr.; 13. Mitch King; 14. Cory McClenathan; 15. Tim Gibson; 16. Scott Kalitta.

FUNNY CAR:

1. Ron Capps, Dodge Stratus; 2. Tim Wilkerson, Chevy Monte Carlo; 3. Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo; 4. Gary Densham, Monte Carlo; 5. Robert Hight, Ford Mustang; 6. Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo; 7. Terry Haddock, Chevy Camaro; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo; 9. Phil Burkart, Toyota Celica; 10. Tommy Johnson Jr., Monte Carlo; 11. John Force, Mustang; 12. Whit Bazemore, Stratus; 13. Eric Medlen, Mustang; 14. Gary Scelzi, Stratus; 15. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo; 16. Jeff Arend, Monte Carlo.

PRO STOCK:

1. Kurt Johnson, Chevy Cobalt; 2. Greg Anderson, Pontiac Grand Am; 3. Dave Connolly, Cobalt; 4. Jason Line, Grand Am; 5. Warren Johnson, Grand Am; 6. Jeg Coughlin, Dodge Stratus; 7. Allen Johnson, Stratus; 8. Greg Stanfield, Chevy Cavalier; 9. Richie Stevens, Stratus; 10. V. Gaines, Stratus; 11. Jim Yates, Grand Am; 12. Rickie Smith, Cavalier; 13. Kenny Koretsky, Stratus; 14. Larry Morgan, Stratus; 15. Ron Krisher, Cobalt; 16. Dave Howard, Cobalt.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

1. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki; 2. Antron Brown, Suzuki; 3. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson; 4. GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson; 5. Ryan Schnitz; 6. Chris Rivas; 7. Craig Treble, Suzuki; 8. Michael Phillips, Suzuki; 9. Chip Ellis; 10. Shawn Gann, Suzuki; 11. Matt Smith, Suzuki; 12. Mike

Berry, Suzuki; 13. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki; 14. Geno Scali, Suzuki; 15. Hector Arana, Suzuki; 16. Steve Johnson, Suzuki.

PRO MODIFIED:

1. Glen Kerunsky, Chevy Bel Air; 2. Zach Barklage, Chevy; 3. Doug Palmer, Chevy Corvette; 4. Thomas Patterson, Willys; 5. Joshua Hernandez, Bel Air; 6. Kirk Kuhns, Dodge Viper; 7. Frankie Taylor, Corvette; 8. Jay Payne, Dodge Stratus; 9. Steve Engel, Corvette; 10. Brian Daniels, Corvette; 11. Rick Stivers, Corvette; 12. Bill Hill, Corvette; 13. Troy Critchley, Willys; 14. Joey Martin, Willys; 15. Troy Coughlin, Ford Mustang; 16. Chip King, Dodge Avenger.

MADISON, Ill. -- Sunday's final results from the Ninth annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals at Gateway International Raceway. The 1.8 million race is the 12th of 23 in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:

Top Fuel -- Brandon Bernstein, 4.553 seconds, 324.59 mph def. Morgan Lucas, 4.793 seconds, 314.31 mph.

Funny Car -- Ron Capps, Dodge Stratus, 4.862, 321.04 def. Tim Wilkerson, Chevy Monte Carlo, 7.808, 112.65.

Pro Stock -- Kurt Johnson, Chevy Cobalt, 6.729, 205.19 def. Greg Anderson, Pontiac Grand Am, foul.

Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.237, 186.02 def. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.240, 182.06.

Competition Eliminator -- Joey Tanksley, Dragster, 7.168, 147.26 def. David Rampy, Roadster, foul.

Super Stock -- Chad Voges, Chevy Nova, 10.383, 126.79 def. Jeff Strickland, Chevy Camaro, 10.690, 122.66.

Super Comp -- Timothy Hutcherson, Dragster, 8.916, 155.42 def. Scott Richardson, Dragster, 8.925, 148.62.

Super Gas -- Robert Coleman, '27-T Ford, 9.907, 144.98 def. Lanny Maples, Pontiac Trans Am, 9.832, 136.93.

MADISON, Ill. -- Final round-by-round results from the Ninth annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals at Gateway International Raceway, the 12th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series:

TOP FUEL:

ROUND ONE -- Doug Herbert, 5.886, 243.28 def. Scott Kalitta, 13.087, 71.96; David Grubnic, 6.361, 286.92 def. Cory McClenathan, 9.754, 63.84; Rod Fuller, 5.122, 276.80 def. Bobby Lagana Jr., 5.929, 267.16; Brandon Bernstein, 4.823, 308.43 def. T.J. Zizzo, 4.916, 283.01; Scott Weis, 4.793, 310.84 def. Larry Dixon, 4.918, 289.63; Morgan Lucas, 4.738, 308.07 def. Mitch King, 6.777, 121.55; Tony Schumacher, 5.196, 288.03 def. Tim Gibson, 11.954, 76.30; Mike Strasburg, 5.044, 290.57 def. Doug Kalitta, 5.105, 283.85;
QUARTERFINALS -- Grubnic, 4.690, 319.14 def. Schumacher, 4.696, 322.11; Herbert, 4.696, 311.92 def. Strasburg, 5.207, 228.89; Bernstein, 4.625, 323.04 def. Weis, 5.180, 207.56; Lucas, 4.688, 314.53 def. Fuller, 4.745, 309.98;
SEMIFINALS -- Lucas, 4.744, 310.70 def. Grubnic, 6.437, 170.11; Bernstein, 4.603, 326.79 def. Herbert, 4.684, 312.64;
FINAL -- Bernstein, 4.553, 324.59 def. Lucas, 4.793, 314.31.

FUNNY CAR:

ROUND ONE -- Tim Wilkerson, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.076, 292.90 def. Tommy Johnson Jr., Monte Carlo, 5.133, 291.89; Tony Bartone, Monte Carlo, 5.243, 268.76 def. Del Worsham, Monte Carlo, 5.921, 207.88; Cruz Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 5.172, 299.06 def. Jeff Arend, Monte Carlo, 6.068, 188.57; Tony Pedregon, Monte Carlo, 5.331, 272.17 def. Whit Bazemore, Dodge Stratus, 5.334, 292.65; Gary Densham, Monte Carlo, 5.201, 278.86 def. Eric Medlen, Ford Mustang, 5.488, 223.50; Ron Capps, Stratus, 5.034, 297.35 def. John Force, Mustang, 5.176, 281.89; Robert Hight, Mustang, 5.012, 312.86 def. Phil Burkart, Toyota Celica, 5.015, 305.29; Terry Haddock, Chevy Camaro, 5.482, 206.51 def. Gary Scelzi, Stratus, 5.720, 180.48;
QUARTERFINALS -- Wilkerson, 4.943, 304.32 def. Haddock, broke; Densham, 6.147, 228.38 def. C. Pedregon, broke; Capps, 4.909, 318.39 def. Bartone, 9.397, 87.31; T. Pedregon, 5.086, 296.24 def. Hight, 8.750, 99.80;
SEMIFINALS -- Wilkerson, 4.871, 316.67 def. Densham, 5.006, 308.64; Capps, 4.953, 295.21 def. T. Pedregon, 4.951, 312.93;
FINAL -- Capps, 4.862, 321.04 def. Wilkerson, 7.808, 112.65.

PRO STOCK:

ROUND ONE -- Allen Johnson, Dodge Stratus, 6.867, 199.79 def. Ron Krisher, Chevy Cobalt, 6.888,201.16; Jeg Coughlin, Stratus, 6.823, 203.03 def. V. Gaines, Stratus, 6.805, 203.28; Dave Connolly, Cobalt, 6.796, 203.03 def. Rickie Smith, Chevy Cavalier, 6.835, 203.12; Greg Stanfield, Cavalier, 6.812, 202.73 def. Richie Stevens, Stratus, 6.802, 203.58; Jason Line, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.791, 203.46 def. Dave Howard, Cobalt, 7.706, 127.93; Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 6.777, 204.17 def. Larry Morgan, Stratus, 6.843, 202.55; Greg Anderson, Grand Am, 6.781, 203.68 def. Jim Yates, Grand Am, 6.807, 202.12; Kurt Johnson, Cobalt, 6.748, 204.76 def. Kenny Koretsky, Stratus, 6.838, 201.85;
QUARTERFINALS -- Line, 6.784, 203.28 def. Stanfield, foul; Anderson, 6.782, 203.58 def. Coughlin, 6.813, 202.48; Connolly, 6.793, 203.31 def. W. Johnson, 6.744, 204.23; K. Johnson, 6.738, 204.60 def. A. Johnson, 6.822, 202.42;
SEMIFINALS -- Anderson, 6.757, 203.98 def. Connolly, 6.770, 203.68; K. Johnson, 6.754, 204.45 def. Line, foul;
FINAL -- K. Johnson, 6.729, 205.19 def. Anderson, foul.

PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:

ROUND ONE -- Chris Rivas, 7.299, 180.28 def. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, broke; Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.306, 183.49 def. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, foul; Angelle Sampey, Suzuki, 7.213, 185.59 def. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 7.299, 181.84; Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.278, 184.65 def. Chip Ellis, foul; GT Tonglet, Harley-Davidson, 7.173, 186.28 def. Geno Scali, Suzuki, 7.411, 182.18; Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.162, 188.15 def. Hector Arana, Suzuki, foul; Ryan Schnitz, 7.213, 185.18 def. Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.340, 181.01; Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 7.139, 188.28 def. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 7.394, 178.90;
QUARTERFINALS -- Sampey, 7.232, 184.60 def. Phillips, 7.338, 181.94; Tonglet, 7.216, 184.40 def. Schnitz, foul; Brown, 7.231, 182.97 def. Rivas, 7.229, 190.22; Hines, 7.210, 185.18 def. Treble, 7.255, 185.46;
SEMIFINALS -- Brown, 7.266, 182.67 def. Tonglet, 7.368, 168.66; Sampey, 7.150, 186.98 def. Hines, 7.172, 187.65;
FINAL -- Sampey, 7.237, 186.02 def. Brown, 7.240, 182.06.

MADISON, Ill. -- Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the Ninth annual Sears Craftsman NHRA Nationals at Gateway International Raceway, the 12th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series -

Top Fuel

1. Doug Kalitta, 891; 2. Tony Schumacher, 848; 3. Larry Dixon, 820; 4. David Grubnic, 792; 5. Morgan Lucas, 741; 6. Brandon Bernstein, 710; 7. Scott Kalitta, 643; 8. Doug Herbert, 615; 9. Cory McClenathan, 580; 10. Scott Weis, 457.

Funny Car

1. John Force, 837; 2. Gary Scelzi, 782; 3. Robert Hight, 775; 4. Ron Capps, 756; 5. Tommy Johnson Jr., 679; 6. Cruz Pedregon, 664; 7. Whit Bazemore, 632; 8. Eric Medlen, 624; 9. Del Worsham, 579; 10. Tony Pedregon, 564.

Pro Stock

1. Greg Anderson, 941; 2. Jason Line, 926; 3. Warren Johnson, 913; 4. Dave Connolly, 807; 5. Kurt Johnson, 763; 6. Richie Stevens, 596; 7. Jeg Coughlin, 570; 8. Greg Stanfield, 563; 9. Ron Krisher, 558; 10. Jim Yates, 528.

Pro Stock Motorcycle

1. GT Tonglet, 511; 2. Antron Brown, 472; 3. Angelle Sampey, 455; 4. Andrew Hines, 439; 5. Karen Stoffer, 421; 6. Chip Ellis, 402; 7. Ryan Schnitz, 400; 8. Geno Scali, 393; 9. (tie) Steve Johnson, 387; Craig Treble, 387.