GIVE IT A BRAKE : BERNSTEIN SAYS DRAG RACING WILL BE BETTER IF SPEEDS COME DOWN

Kenny Bernstein, the first drag racer to reach 300 mph and holder of the fastest quarter-mile run in history, 318.69 mph, says speeds are too high.

“We’re going too fast, plain and simple,� Bernstein said. “There is no need for anyone to run 320. To create the speeds we’re running, we’re truly sitting on a bomb. We’ve pushed our equipment clearly past the limit.�

Until new rules are made to slow down the volatile nitro-burning top-fuel and funny cars, however, Bernstein said that he and others will continue to search for more speed.

“There’s no need to go faster,� Bernstein said. “The crowds come to see the superstars run and anything approaching 300 mph makes them happy. But as long as the rules allow it, the speeds will escalate. If we don’t do it, someone else will, so we must continue development of our equipment.

On the eve of the National Hot Rod Assn. season opener at the Pomona Raceway, Bernstein said the NHRA should take steps to reduce speeds.

“We need one man, like Bill France in NASCAR, to stand up, say, ‘This is the way it’s going to be,’ � Bernstein said. “When Mr. France made his mind up to slow down Winston Cup cars, he got input from the teams, but he was the one who made the decision. That’s what drag racing needs.�

Bernstein also has the third-best elapsed time, 4.598 seconds, in the NHRA record books.

Dale Armstrong, Bernstein’s crew chief and the man given much of the credit for the team’s 300-mph breakthrough, believes a reduction in speed to around 300 would bring the elapsed times down to the mid-4.70s and would relieve much of the stress on the cars.

“It’s only a 10th of a second, but the difference is immeasurable in saving equipment,� Armstrong said. “A car could run all day at 4.70 and not hurt the engine. Having to run in the 4.5s and close to 320 has pushed the expense and the speed way out of control.�

Carl Olson, NHRA technical director, said his organization is concerned about escalating performances, particularly concerned about when speeds might outstrip the facilities where they race, or outstrip components, such as tires, clutches and wings.

However, he said, most teams favor current rules and reject the idea of limiting performance.

“Last year, the NHRA called together a task force of crew chiefs, five from top fuel and five from funny cars, and held three meetings to get their views on whether performance limitations were advisable, and if so, how to implement them,� Olson said.

“The vast majority were not in favor of any changes, preferring to leave the rules pretty much as they are. This, in effect, isolated the feelings of Bernstein and Armstrong.�

Bernstein’s reaction: “Trying to get a bunch of drivers and mechanics to agree on anything is ridiculous. If we were standing out in the rain, in the middle of a thunderstorm, at least a couple would say the sun was shining. The leadership has to make a stand, and I don’t know if the NHRA is ready to do that.�

NHRA

The National Hot Rod Assn. season doesn’t officially start for two weeks, but nearly every nitro-burning team will be at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Ariz., this weekend to make final preparations for the Chief Auto Parts Winternationals, Jan. 30-Feb. 2, at Pomona.

What is thought of as testing will be more significant for Randy Anderson, two-time top-alcohol funny car champion and older brother of top-fuel driver Shelly Anderson. He will be seeking a license to drive a nitro funny car in the Winston series.

“It’ll be strange, going to the line to get approval after having raced in the NHRA for five years, but it’ll be different,� Anderson said. “I won’t know how much harder it is until I get in it.�

CART

Jimmy Vasser, the defending PPG Cup champion, apparently is not planning to rest on his laurels. Driving one of Chip Ganassi’s Reynard-Hondas, he has completed 750 miles in a pair of tests in Florida--350 on Homestead’s 1.5-mile oval and 400 on Sebring’s road circuit.

The season will start March 2 with the Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead.

IRL

With the Indy Racing League season opener only a week away--Jan. 25 at Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando, Fla.--and all new equipment to be tested, drivers and crews were running at every opportunity this week, between rain drops.

Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier took his first practice laps Thursday in a Dallara-Nissan and did 12 laps checking out the systems in the new engine. Mike Groff is the only Nissan driver to have tested, posting a fast lap of 159.645 mph.

Tony Stewart has the fastest speed for Oldsmobile Aurora-powered cars, reaching 169.795 mph. The Auroras have been testing for more than a month.

NASCAR

The Craftsman Truck series will open the season Sunday at Walt Disney World Speedway, with Ron Hornaday of Palmdale defending his championship in a Chevrolet pickup owned by Dale Earnhardt’s wife, Teresa. The $525,955 race will be 200 miles and will be shown live on ESPN at 9:15 a.m.

“We have a brand new truck, but we’ve got a lot of different people racing here,� Hornaday said. “We’ll really have to fight for the top 24 positions.�

Entries include Michael Waltrip, Jimmy Hensley and Joe Ruttman, as well as USAC midget champion Kenny Irwin Jr., World of Outlaws sprint-car champion Mark Kinser and veteran road racer Darin Brassfield.

FORMULA ONE

The return of Jackie Stewart to the Grand Prix circuit--as an owner--has stimulated interest in the Formula One season. The three-time world champion will campaign a pair of Ford V-10s, driven by Rubens Barrichello and Jan Magnussen and managed by Stewart’s son, Paul. Magnussen drove three CART races last year for the Hogan Penske team.

“Two or three years ago I called up Jeff Gordon to see if he was interested in coming over [to Europe] to drive . . . because I had watched him and I thought the boy must have something special, which has been clearly proven true,� Stewart said. “If he ever came this way, it would do the idea of having a Grand Prix in America all the good in the world.�