Kenny Bernstein's legacy begins at 300 mph.
Drag racing's King of Speed -- the first driver in his sport to
reach that magic number on the quarter-mile -- will hang up his
fireproof driving suit for good after this weekend's National Hot
Rod Association Finals in Pomona, Calif.
It's not easy for Bernstein to give up the bone-rattling rush of
cannonballing down the nation's fastest drag strips at speeds once
dreamed about only on the vast salt flats in Bonneville, Utah,
where land speed records are recorded.
Still, the 59-year-old Bernstein has few more worlds to conquer
after 23 years of being slowed down only by a parachute deploying
at the end of a run.
"I just knew we couldn't drag it out. I made the decision a
couple of years ago,'' said Bernstein, who came up a little short
of retiring with his seventh NHRA championship. He dueled with
Larry Dixon for the Top Fuel title throughout the season, but Dixon
relegated Bernstein to second place two weeks ago in Las Vegas.
"I'll miss getting in the car, but I've never been one to look
back,'' said Bernstein, who will stay in the sport as owner of the
Budweiser King Dragster.
Making the decision to step aside somewhat easier is the fact
that Bernstein's 29-year-old son, Brandon, is ready to move into
the driver's seat.
Brandon burst into the headlines in 2001 when, driving an
alcohol dragster, he got his first win in Las Vegas on the same day
his dad won the Top Fuel division.
"Brandon seems to have a bit of natural talent, and he proved
that last year in the alcohol car,'' the elder Bernstein said.
"With this team, he'll be able to win -- if he can do the job.''
Brandon is going to have to be something special to even come
close to equaling his father's success.
Kenny, who once owned CART and NASCAR Winston Cup teams, remains
the only driver to win championships in both Top Fuel and Funny Car
-- NHRA's glamour divisions. He also became the first driver to
surpass 300 mph -- a mark most people considered unreachable until a
few years ago -- and has 65 race wins to go with his four Funny Car
and two Top Fuel titles.
Asked his most special moment in racing, Bernstein said,
"Actually, there's two. The 300 mile per hour run on March 20,
1992, in Gainesville (Fla.) gets the edge. I actually know the
exact date on that one because it was such a phenomenal
accomplishment by the team.
"It will probably be the last great barrier to be broken in
drag racing history.''
The other top moment was the day father and son won in Las
Vegas.
"It was his first win and it was the first time in NHRA history
a father and son had won at the same event,'' Bernstein said. "Add
in the fact that my father was there -- his grandfather -- and it
really makes it special.''
Joe Amato, another of the all-time greats in drag racing with a
record five Top Fuel championships, knows what his good friend
faces. Amato was forced to get out of his Top Fuel car two years
ago because of a recurring torn retina that threatened his sight if
he did not stop racing.
Amato, who also stayed on as a team owner, said, "At first, I
missed it. The first year I went to the races, that's where I
wanted to be -- driving. Even now, my mind still wants to drive.
"The thing is, though, there is so much more to this sport than
driving the car. As a team owner, the responsibility really keeps
you busy with the press, the sponsors, the fans. It wears you out,
but it makes it easier not to drive. I'm sure Kenny will find the
same thing.''
After the finals Sunday, Bernstein's focus will turn to getting
Brandon, who recently earned his Funny Car license on his first
try, ready for 2003.
When Brandon started showing real interest in the team,
Bernstein began grooming his son for the job, letting him get the
feel of his surroundings at first by sweeping floors and running
errands. Brandon stepped into his first car two years ago and knew
immediately how to go fast.
"When I first went to one of his races, the nitro, the sound,
to have a father who had such a successful career, just added to
it. I knew then I wanted to be a driver and own a team, like my
dad,'' the younger Bernstein said.
"I know I can teach Brandon quite a bit,'' Bernstein said.
"We've spent hours on the phone or together talking about the
things that happen out there. He'll have to learn a lot of it for
himself, of course.''
"He'll be learning as he goes. We'll test in January in Phoenix
and Texas and he'll get four to five runs at each test. That
doesn't seem like a big number, but 15 to 20 runs can be equivalent
to three or four races.''
Meanwhile, Bernstein has one more race to run. His competitive
fire still burns, and there is a measure of disappointment in not
being able to go out with another title.
"The only thing that comes close to my expectations is
winning,'' Bernstein said. "The championship is the only thing
that matters for me. We didn't get it totally accomplished.
"But, we were able to win last year and be competitive at this
level this year, and that is certainly a satisfying way to finish.
Winning in Pomona would make it even sweeter.''