Brandon Bernstein believes the Copart/Lucas Oil team cleared a major hurdle six races ago. During first day qualifying at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Bernstein offered the proof.

Bernstein claimed the provisional Top Fuel pole position with a 3.846 elapsed time at 309.24 putting nearly .04 on second quickest qualifier Cory McClenathan.

“Six races ago we started to get that confidence that we could go down the track and make the big runs and not smoke the tires,” Bernstein explained. “We’ve got that confidence and hopefully we keep it.”

Brandon Bernstein believes the Copart/Lucas Oil team cleared a major hurdle six races ago. During first day qualifying at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., Bernstein offered the proof.

Bernstein claimed the provisional Top Fuel pole position with a 3.846 elapsed time at 309.24 putting nearly .04 on second quickest qualifier Cory McClenathan.

“Six races ago we started to get that confidence that we could go down the track and make the big runs and not smoke the tires,” Bernstein explained. “We’ve got that confidence and hopefully we keep it.”

If the run holds, it will be the 14th pole of his career and the first of the 2010 season.

Bernstein admittedly had a terrible start to the season before adding the tuning duo of Todd Smith and Donnie Bender, who guided Spencer Massey to NHRA Rookie of the Year honors last season before Don Prudhomme parked his Top Fuel operation due to lack of major sponsorship.

“I think they needed some time to gel,” explained Bernstein. “We made a lot of changes to the race car to get it to the point that Donnie and Todd were comfortable. They are really gelling together. No mistakes are being made, knock on wood. Everything is going good and they are making the right calls.”

Friday’s qualifying was limited to just one run due to persistent rain showers. Sportsman qualifying was interrupted by rain but the skies cleared and the NHRA was able to get in both Pro Stock divisions before the skies opened, delaying competition by nearly two hours.

“It’s a distraction. As a driver, you are pumped up and ready to go, you want two runs. Unfortunately, we only got one run. You just try and stay concentrated. Whatever it is, it is. We can’t dictate the weather.”

For Bernstein, he found a way to turn negative into positive.

“With just one run and a lot of rain on the racing surface [today], the conditions were optimal,” said Bernstein. “We figured we could run a good number but I don’t know that we figured we could run a [3].84. It was a great run and the car left really hard.”

As great as the run started, it had the potential to get real ugly.

“At about half track, the car started moving towards the center-line,” Bernstein explained. “I tried to get it back but it didn’t feel like the front wing had enough [downforce] on it to keep it on the ground. We tried to get it to respond and it just barely made it to the finish line. It was headed straight for the cones.”

Bernstein has been around this sport long enough to understand championships are won when bad situations still turn good like Friday’s near disqualified run. Headed into the Countdown to 1 gaining this kind of favor from Lady Luck bodes well for a team gaining momentum at the right time.

“This is a great race for our Copart/Lucas Oil team to really come on,” said Bernstein. “We felt like we’ve been there in the last four to six races. We have really been in the thick of everything. To be peaking is perfect. Right before Indy, this is the place you really want to charge on. Hopefully, this is going to be an indication that we are going to be at the top and run for the championship.”

He doesn’t mind not being the current center of attention in the race for the 2010 title.

“Being a considered a dark horse is fine with me,” Bernstein admitted. “Everyone knows that we can run with the best. This lets the leaders know there’s another team in there capable of running the numbers.”

And on Friday in Brainerd, Bernstein proved that.