NOTES FROM THE TUCSON TESTING

Words by Susan Wade. Photos by James Drew

Clay Millican took the Werner Enterprises-backed dragster out for some shake-down runs and turned a 4.645/318.77 on Sunday.

BUD PRINCE HAS TO WAIT ON KING

Brandon Bernstein is used to waiting. So what was one more weekend? He's preparing for his second season in a Top Alcohol Dragster, marking time until dad Kenny completes his "Forever Red: A Run To Remember" farewell tour this year and hands over the car keys to the Budweiser King Top Fuel Dragster.

Kenny Bernstein said if all had gone as planned, Brandon would make three to five passes during the Tucson testing session. But his crew, like every other, was struggling somewhat with the newly mandated Goodyear tire. And it was a situation in which he was needed for any runs the car might make.

STRATUS-FEAR FOR FUNNY CAR FIELD?

The way Dean Skuza has it figured, his showing in the 2002 Funny Car NHRA POWERade points chase will be hard to predict.

"When you make a prediction, you base things on previous performance," said the proud new owner of a smooth-styled Dodge Stratus R/T body. "And that's going to be impossible to do. We were racing a brick last year."

Skuza said the Stratus, a step up from his aerodynamically inferior Dodge Avenger, is the first Funny Car body that has made the jump "from computer screen to reality."

He said Mopar engineers have waited a year and a half, until NHRA officials refined the sanctioning body's specs, to move forward with the project. Roush Engineering did the molding for the eye-catching and efficient body. And Skuza said two Daimler-Chrysler engineers remain with his Team Mopar crew, trying to resolve what he called "structural issues."

Skuza said he's excited because "we have 3,000 more pounds of downforce." On the other hand, the Brecksville, Ohio, resident knows that puts his driving abilities under the microscope.

"Can a one-car team win the championship? Absolutely," he said. "It's not David and Goliath. Funding always could be better . . . but our funding is adequate. There areas where we have to be smart shoppers. But we never have raced so that if we had had more money we would have done better. That car is always prepared when it comes to the starting line."

THANKS, JOHN

Even Force expressed his excitement about the Stratus. "I'm really excited for the new Chrysler product. Cute little car. Love it. I thought it was Bernstein's (1980s) Buick."

EPLER IN THE BOOTH?

Jim Epler's tentative Bass Pro deal wriggled off the hook, along with a possible NAPA sponsorship. That leaves the accomplished Funny Car driver without a ride for the first time in 10 years.

But the Phoenix resident might buckle himself into a seat in the broadcast booth. He's been talking with Fox about providing commentary for the NHRA segment of that network's Fast Track TV program.

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