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 and currently runs a Top Fuel dragster for his son Brandon. However, he has announced that he will return to racing in the Monster Energy Dodge Charger funny car starting in 2007.
[edit] Owner
Bernstein owned King Racing (derived from the name on his NHRA cars, "Budweiser King"), a NASCAR team in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is also the only owner to record victories in NASCAR, the NHRA, and Indy Car racing.
[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)
[edit] Trivia
- A 1991 NASCAR Racing Champions diecast car bears the name Kenny Bernstein on the collector card, but Kenny is the owner, not the driver. Brett Bodine was the driver at the time, although it was probably not known by Racing Champions.
[edit] External links
