B. Bernstein

	K. Bernstein

Brandon Bernstein has a vested interest in the success or failure of his dad in this year's NHRA Powerade Top Fuel division.

After suffering serious injuries, including two broken vertebrae, in a crash on May 18 at Englishtown, N.J., Brandon's rookie year ended and Kenny Bernstein, who had retired and given up his seat to his son, got back in the Budweiser King dragster.

"The team did an excellent job putting together another car on short notice and we didn't miss an event," said the elder Bernstein, the first drag racer to exceed 300 mph and the only person to win championships in both the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions.

"Brandon and I have another goal we're working toward," Bernstein added. "When we were in Bristol (in April), we drove by a Nissan dealership and saw the new 300Z. I promised Brandon if he won the championship we'd buy him that car."

Since the points in the NHRA go with the driver, not the car, the championship dream is gone.

In the hospital in New Jersey, Brandon saw a Nissan ad on TV and said, "Oh, man!" His father heard and took action.

"I made Brandon a deal that if between the two of us we made enough points that we would have won the championship, I'd still buy him the car. So you see, we've still got a goal even thought we can't win the championship this year."

Brandon, who got off to a sensational start by winning three of the first eight events this season, would love to fool the doctors and get back in the car before the end of the 2003 season.

"We want to make it clear that the moment Brandon is cleared medically, he will be back in the cockpit," said the elder Bernstein, racing this weekend in Columbus, Ohio.