Second-generation driver Brandon Bernstein raced to the Top Fuel victory Sunday
at Atlanta Dragway and moved into first place in the POWERade Series standings.
The son of NHRA legend Kenny Bernstein has won the last two races and 14 in his
brief career.

Bernstein was joined in the winner's circle at the Summit Racing Equipment
NHRA Southern Nationals by Robert Hight, who claimed the Funny Car title over
Mike Ashley, Pro Stock points leader Greg Anderson, and Karen Stoffer, who won
her second race of the year in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Bernstein posted a 4.662 at 305.01 in his his Budweiser/Lucas Oil dragster to
claim the Top Fuel victory over Doug Herbert, who posted a 4.714 at 297.02 in
his Snap-on Tools dragster.

Sunday's final results from the 27th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA
Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway. The race is the sixth of 23 in the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series:

Final round-by-round results from the 27th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA
Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, the sixth of 23 events in the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series:

Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 27th
annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway, the
sixth of 23 events in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series

Team owner Don Schumacher
dispelled rumors that Jack Beckman is headed back to Top Fuel in 2007. This denial
comes after he confirmed that Beckman has been fitted for a dragster and will
test the day after the St. Louis
national event. 

“There’s no plan to have
him leave Funny Car,” Schumacher said. “Jack is renewing his license so he can
drive a dragster the day after St.
Louis. As soon as we can get the car and all of the
equipment … and it is almost ready … we’ll have him make a few runs in the
dragster. We just want him to have his license up and active and we’ll go from
there.”

“There is no plan for Jack
to leave the MTS Funny Car and put him in a dragster. It’s just the right move
for Jack in the long term.”

We can't help but wonder if this would have happened with the mono-strut wing. Hot Rod Fuller brought the David Powers dragster to a safe stop after the pilot chute became intertwined in the wing bracing. (Les Welch photo)

Brut Revolution Funny Car driver Ron Capps enjoyed a somewhat nerve racking time
last weekend. Capps' younger brother, Jon, qualified No. 1 and reached the final
round at the IHRA event in North Carolina in just his third race in a fuel Funny
Car. His older brother was on pins and needles all weekend as he kept track of
his brother on the Internet and by cell phone.

"I was a nervous wreck at home," said Capps, "my mom and dad
were visiting and we were surfing all the drag racing websites trying to get as
many quick updates as we could. I was waiting for his phone call but I had
people text messaging me from the track. I tried to stay back and not be a
distraction. I was going to go to his first race in San Antonio and I said 'you
know I need to stay back and let him do his deal.' I've had to stay home and
it's not been fun. I really look forward to going to another race. He's
qualified No. 1 and been to a final. So now I can go hang out and be Jon's
brother."

Tony Pedregon's No. 3 qualifying effort of 4.876 at 298.21 mph had a dramatic
ending. Pedregon experienced a wild ride at the top end which virtually made his
new Q Power-sponsored Chevy Impala body unusable.

"It was our first run with the new Impala body," said
Pedregon, who is currently third in the POWERade point chase. "Visually I was
very comfortable and it went straight as an arrow. The problem occurred with the
mounting of the body. We didn't really have the conditions to test it anywhere.
We had planned on running it a couple of races ago but just didn't have the
right circumstances. So we felt that we would be able to put it on here and it
wouldn't be a big issue. But what happened was the body collapsed in the front
end," explained Pedregon.

Lucas Oil Funny Car driver Tony Bartone is one of many drivers who is making
changes inside his driver compartment following Eric Medlen's incident last
month.

"We've beefed up the head support padding with the Butler
System," said Bartone, "and we're working on a new style of Crow Enterprises
seat belts to try and give the driver some more stability in the seat. We're
also in the process of adding the shield to the rear of the roll cage to protect
the driver's head. The changes have not impaired me or made me uncomfortable in
any manner, shape or form."