NHRA News: Bernstein was a media darling in 2001 (12/31/2001)

Bernstein was a media darling in 2001

By Phil Burgess, NHRA.com
12/31/2001

Kenny Bernstein

The package arrived with a satisfying thump on the desks of editors just before Christmas, postmarked from the Budweiser King team, hefty enough to contain several diecast cars or perhaps a case of Bud Lite, a thank you for a season spent covering Kenny Bernstein's run to a sixth NHRA championship.

It contained not swag nor suds but instead four two-inch-thick folders, packed with photocopies of articles from publications far and wide, chronicling chapter and verse the Bud King's run to the 2001 Top Fuel championship, a staggering compendium of clippings confirming that "King of Speed" also remains the "king of interviews."

Bernstein's to-the-wire title battle with Larry Dixon did more than pack NHRA venues from Pomona to Pennsylvania; it also resulted in an unprecedented windfall of publicity for Bernstein and his backers in the penultimate year before his retirement from the cockpit.

The combination of the title chase, Bernstein's pending retirement, and the success of Bernstein's son, Brandon, the heir apparent to the throne, spawned 14,236 separate newspaper and magazine articles spanning local, syndicated, and affiliate publications and gave race fans ample news about the King's cup quest for glory.

Additionally, Bernstein took part in or was featured in 4,378 television interviews or reports, 2,720 radio interviews, more than 250 online reports, and 144 special appearances. The grand total of appearances -- 21,739 -- more than doubled the already impressive number of 10,498 generated by Bernstein in 2000.

At the season-opening Winternationals, for example, Bernstein was covered on 30 different television channels, from local stations to national powerhouses ESPN, ESPN2, TNN, and CNN.

Eight local newspaper and magazines covered his efforts and he participated in live radio interviews on two stations.

Bernstein also made six special appearances surrounding the event, including Budweiser wholesaler receptions and events, press conferences, and autograph sessions at the Budweiser King souvenir trailer.

Through the year, Bernstein made scores of appearances at special functions for his sponsors, including conventions, dinners, "meet and greets," autograph sessions, golf outings, restaurant appearances, press conferences, open houses, and the popular "Race the Bud King" promotion at the track, in which local media personalities raced -- and seldom beat -- Bernstein in matching street cars. He also appeared at numerous NHRA press functions, including the 50th Anniversary celebrations in downtown Los Angeles and the State Capitol in Topeka, Kan., as well as the NHRA Winston Awards Ceremony and the Car Craft All-Star Banquet.

In St. Louis, hometown of Budweiser, he attended a Cardinals baseball game and visited the Anheuser-Busch Golf Invitational and its Welcome Center; in Seattle, the motorcycle enthusiast took part in a Harley-Davidson cruise and hosted an Honorary Crewmember. He took part in an online chat at ESPN.com, hosted in his pit a television shoot for Hot Rod Television, attended a Las Vegas Motor Speedway legislation meeting, and was presented with an Honorary Captaincy by the State of Tennessee's Department of Safety.

The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the biggest and most prestigious event on the calendar, naturally produced the most publicity for Bernstein, who was covered on 47 television channels, five radio stations, and numerous newspapers, not the least of which was a colorful feature on his team and car in USA Today. A surprising close second was the Pontiac Excitement Nationals, which generated appearances on 42 television stations, in 10 print publications, and on three radio stations.

Bernstein's activities were chronicled in publications ranging from specialties publications such as National DRAGSTER, Drag Racer, and Car Craft to automotive kingpins such as Motor Trend and Auto Week and titles such as Popular Mechanics and Collectible Automobile; from national daily powerhouses like USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune (each with more than 1 million readers) all the way down to the 18,044 readers of the Brainerd Daily Dispatch, Bernstein was covered far and wide.

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