NHRA FINALS PREVIEW: A TOP FUEL FINALE.Byline: Steve Ramirez Staff WriterPOMONA - The day of reckoning for Kenny Bernstein Kenny Bernstein (born September 6 1944 in Clovis, New Mexico), is an American drag racing driver. Drag racing career Bernstein first became a full-time professional Funny Car driver in 1979, although he had participated in a few events in preceding years. and Larry Dixon This article is about the novelist and fantasy artist. For the senator from Alabama, see Larry Dixon (politician). For the professional racer, see Larry Dixon (drag racer). Larry Dixon (b. July 28, 1966) is a fantasy artist and novelist. has arrived. The National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) veterans will conclude their battle for the Top Fuel title at this weekend's Auto Club of Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, NHRA NHRA National Hot Rod Association NHRA Northland Human Resource Association NHRA National Human Resources Association NHRA Nursing Home Reform Act NHRA National Hospice Regatta Alliance NHRA National Heritage Resources Act (South Africa) Finals, scheduled today through Sunday at Pomona Fairplex. Pro qualifying begins today at 1:45 p.m. There will be no sense of urgency this weekend for either driver, however. ``The game plan is to go out there and continue to do what we've done all season long,'' said Bernstein, who brings a comfortable 54-point advantage over second-place Dixon into the event. ``Whatever the conditions will bring us, we have to attack it as hard as we can and make the Bud King go as quick and fast as possible. ``We will be very offensive-minded. We won't be in a defensive mode. We just need to run it as hard as we can under the conditions. It's down to one race now, so anything can happen.'' It's the same for Dixon, who needs help to capture his first Top Fuel title. Dixon either must set a national elapsed-time record and win the event and hope Bernstein doesn't advance to the final round, or he can become the champ if he wins the event and Bernstein doesn't advance to the semifinals. ``We just have to qualify the best we can and win the event,'' said Dixon, who has won a career-best six events this season. ``That's our game plan. I wouldn't think a national record is out of the question, either. At the last (event), we ran a (4.50) flat, and that was at high elevation. This is a real good race track, so I think if we don't set a national record, someone else will.'' Dixon said because of Saturday's special Budweiser Shootout The Budweiser Shootout is an annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. It began as the Busch Clash and was a fifty-mile "all-out sprint. Top Fuel race, his Miller Lite Miller Lite is the name of a popular pilsner beer sold by Miller Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a 4.2% ABV. Sibling beers include Miller Genuine Draft and Miller High Life. team won't shuffle their qualifying efforts in hopes of being matched up against Bernstein in the first or second round Sunday. ``You can't to that because we're racing the shootout Shootout Venture capital jargon. Refers to two or more venture capital firms fighting for the startup. on Saturday and those elimination runs count towards qualifying runs for Sunday's race,'' Dixon said. ``So if you want to win that race, you'd better run good. You can throw that (idea) out. That might have been involved if we didn't have the shootout, but its not a factor now. ``We just have to run hard and let the best team win. That's what it's all about. The championship is awarded to the best team throughout the season. Sunday night we will know who that is.'' Series championships in Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle Pro Stock Motorcycle, formerly known as Pro Stock Bike is a drag racing class that is the two-wheeled equivalent of Pro Stock. It has been a feature of NHRA drag racing since the 1980s when it was added to the professional class structure and has since spread around the and Pro Stock Truck are also on the line at this weekend's event, which marks the Southern California return of NHRA legend ``Big Daddy'' Don Garlits. Five-time champion Warren Johnson, who leads second-place Jim Yates by 103 points, can clinch in Pro Stock either by qualifying second or better, or winning the first round. Angelle Savoie can wrap up her second Pro Stock Bike title by advancing to the semifinals. AT A GLANCE What: Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals When: Today-Sunday Where: Pomona Fairplex CAPTION(S): box Box: AT A GLANCE (see text) |
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