Kenny Bernstein
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Kenny Bernstein (born September 6, 1944 in Clovis, New Mexico), is an American drag racing driver.
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[edit] Drag racing career
Bernstein won four consecutive NHRA Funny Car championships (1985-88) and two Top Fuel championships (1996 and 2001). He is one of only two drivers to win championships in both categories, the other being Gary Scelzi. In 1992 he became the first drag racer to exceed 300 mph in competition, and incidentally became known as the "King of Speed". He was an innovator of corporate sponsorship in drag racing, and his team's deal with Budweiser is the longest running sponsorship deal in motorsports history.
Bernstein retired in 2002, handing driving duties of the "Budweiser King" to his son, Brandon Bernstein. However, Bernstein returned to the car in June of 2003 after his son sufferend a season-ending broken back. Although he only raced in 15 events, Bernstein picked up right where he had left off, winning four straight Top Fuel events to close out the season, placing him sixth in season points. He returned to running his team after the season, but rumors began to persist that a comeback was in the works.
Near the end of 2006, Bernstein announced that he would return to racing in the Monster Energy Dodge Charger Funny Car in 2007. His return to active competition was not a good one to start, as he failed to qualify for the opening two events in the 2007 season, earning the minimum 10 points each driver gets for making at least one qualifying run. His third race saw him qualify towards the end of the field, but Bernstein advanced to the semi-finals of the event in Gainesville, Florida, falling to eventual race winner Ron Capps. Bernstein sits 18th in points after three events, with 91.
[edit] Owner
Bernstein owned King Racing, a NASCAR team in the late 1980s and early 1990s. At the same he operated the IndyCar team King Motorsports. Bernstein is the only team owner to record victories in all three categories.
[edit] Awards
- Named sixth on the National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000
- Kenny is the second race car driver to be elected into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. (2006) Jody Scheckter was elected in 1983.
[edit] Trivia
- A 1991 NASCAR Racing Champions diecast car bears the name Kenny Bernstein on the collector card, but Bernstein is the owner, not the driver. Brett Bodine was the driver at the time, although it was probably not known by Racing Champions before press time.
- Bernstein was the last driver to face the late Eric Medlen in competition, at the 2007 Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida.
