DRAG RACING: NHRA Weekend Begins Tonight In Bristol

BY ALLEN GREGORY
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
BRISTOL, Tenn. – It’s been a year of transition in the National Hot Rod Association.

New alliances have been formed, old rivalries have flared and longtime competitors have been sidelined.

While fans and competitors continue to deal with the sluggish economy, the drag racing world will look for some peace in the Valley today.

For the past eight years, attendance has grown for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. There were near overflow crowds for the first two days of qualifying last year, and Bristol Motor Speedway vice president of public affairs Kevin Triplett anticipates another strong turnout this weekend despite the grim economic news.

The first round of pro qualifying is set for today at 5 p.m.

“I absolutely see this event growing,” Triplett said. “Given two to three years of momentum, we feel that we can have a premier event on the circuit.
“People like fast cars, and you don’t get any faster than these guys.”

Eighteen NHRA drivers and crew chiefs got the weekend off to an early start on Thursday, when they gathered at the Country of Club of Bristol for the sixth annual Bristol Dragway
Celebrity Golf Benefit for the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.

Some drivers, such as two-time Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon, are hoping for a landmark victory this weekend.

Meanwhile, drivers such as Top Fuel veteran Melanie Troxel and former Pro Stock title contender Dave Connolly are simply hoping for rides. Troxel and Connolly both won at Bristol last season, but have not competed this year due to financial woes.

“Everybody is struggling with the economy,” Connolly said. “We’ve just been very fortunate to get to race the last five years like we have.”

Connolly is actually entered in the Super Comp and Super Gas sportsman categories this weekend. For the Ohio resident, it’s all about making an impression.

“Hopefully I can do something in the sportsman categories that will help me find the right funding to get back out there in the Pro Stock car,” Connolly said. “I’ve been keeping the phone lines busy and working on some deals. It’s just a matter of signing on the dotted line.”

Dixon was involved in one of the biggest off-season deals in motorsports, when he reached an agreement to drive for the new team formed by famed crew chief Alan Johnson with Sheik Khalid Bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar.

“Alan is obviously a very smart individual and great businessman,” Dixon said. “You can thank ESPN and the NHRA for marketing our sport and giving it a global presence. I hope more people from the Mideast get involved in drag racing.”

Dixon won this season’s third national event at Gainesville but is not content with his sixth-place spot in Top Fuel points.

“We’re probably not doing as well as everybody wants, but you have to be a realist about it,” Dixon said. “This is a long-term program and we’re building for the future.”
Dixon said he has circled five-time defending Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher as his primary rival. The fact that Johnson is the former crew chief for Schumacher on the U.S.
Army dragster just adds to the intrigue.

“Whatever guy is wearing the No. 1 plate on their car, that’s always who I put as a rival,” Dixon said. “Right now it’s Tony. Before that, it was guys like [Kenny] Bernstein and Scott Kalitta.
“You have to bring your ‘A’ game every week out here.”

The other big story in NHRA involves Bernstein and his son, Brandon. After a 30-year sponsorsorship, the longest in motorsports, Budweiser is leaving the Bernstein team after this year.

“Obviously, it’s unfortunate to lose someone you have been with for 30 years, but we will move on,” said Brandon Bernstein, currently third in Top Fuel points. “It’s not the easiest time to find a major sponsor right now. We’re struggling a little bit, but hopefully we will get something for 2010 and beyond.”

Brandon Bernstein is hoping to add to his resume at Bristol, where he won in 2003 and 2007.

“I love this venue,” he said. “This is a great event which continues to grow. It really seems like a lot of people gravitate towards this race track. We’ve had success here, and we’re looking for more.’

There was good news Thursday for one Bristol Dragway favorite, as Doug Herbert announced that he will make his season debut this weekend.

Herbert, a six-time Bristol winner, is another driver who lost his sponsor in the off season. He will receive help from Food City and zMax this weekend.

“Drag racing is what I love doing,” Herbert said in a press release. “I can’t tell you how excited I am to be able to run at Bristol again; I love that track.”

agregory@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2544