Brandon Bernstein aims take his new blue-based Copart color scheme to victory at the AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals this weekend at Gateway International Raceway located just across the stateline from St. Louis in Illinois.

Courtesy: NHRA Media Relations

Madison, Illinois-The Kenny Bernstein Copart/Lucas Oil team hopes to capitalize on their 2009 runner-up finish when they compete at the AAA Insurance Midwest Nationals April 30-May 2.

Driver Brandon Bernstein has been to the final round at Gateway three times since he began his professional driving career in 2003.  He won the event in 2005, a victory the family was able to share with Brandon’s grandfather and Kenny’s father, Bert Bernstein, shortly before he succumbed to cancer.  Bernstein was runner-up in 2006 and again last year.

“We had a crew chief and assistant crew chief personnel switch after the third race of this season,” said the second-generation driver. “We have had a slower start than we had hoped, but at the last event in Las Vegas, we feel the team made some significant performance gains that took us to the final four. 

“The more runs we make, the more data Todd (Smith, crew chief) and Donnie (Bender, assistant crew chief) can retrieve to continue to fine-tune the combination. We are getting a little bolder and better each step of the way.”

“We are definitely ready for a final round appearance,” said the popular driver.

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