National Dragster: One Night Stand

Little B and Little E's

Brandon Bernstein, Dale Earnhardt Jr. team up to inform, entertain at Budweiser convention

Two of the hottest young stars in motorsports, Top Fuel racer Brandon Bernstein and NASVAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr., recently participated in a Budweiser promotion called One Night Stand at the annual Anheuser-Busch sales convention in San Diego. Playing before a packed house, Bernstein and Earnhardt were interviewed live by Katie Daryl. The following transcript reflects the evening.

Q: What's it like having Budweiser behind you?

Earnhardt: When I came to the first [Anheuser-Busch] convention, I was walking out on stage in front of everybody with my dad, and I was really nervous, but I knew that because I was with him, I was going to be okay. That's how I feel when I go to the racetrack with Budweiser on my car. I feel 10 feet tall and bulletproof. I feel like I have the best sponsor, the No. 1 sponsor in sports, aside from motorsports.

Bernstein: It's the ultimate feeling. You come into the race and know your equipment looks the best, and with Budweiser, it's also an amazing feeling to know we have the support of all the wholesalers across the country. It's really special.

Q: How much G force do you pull on the track?

Bernstein: We pull about 5 Gs off the starting line and about a negative 5 1/2 Gs when the chute comes out.

Earnhardt: It's nothing like that on our car; I was expecting to get outdone on that question. We get lateral Gs when we go into the corner, to the side, so probably 2 1/2 at the most.

Q: What's your discomfort level at that point?

Bernstein: You've got your helmet on; you're strapped in real tight. You feel it on your body, but the discomfort comes when the chute comes out. When it hits you, it hits you pretty hard. That's when you really feel it. The belts tighten up, and your neck kind of snaps back. It's a feeling like no other.

Q: Is it a feeling you eventually get used to?

Bernstein: You get used to it, but you feel it every time. It's part of the adrenaline rush.

Q: What do you eat, and do you work out and diet?

Bernstein: I work out about five times a week, and I watch what I eat.

Earnhardt: I always tell myself I'm gonna start; I just need to get over that first initial hill and I'll be okay. With the schedule we keep, it's hard to get into any routine and to have a place where you can work out. We run a lot on treadmills during the offseason just to stay in shape because if you don't do anything, you'll definitely be out of shape when you get back in the race car in February. I run a little bit during the off-season. I have a driveway that's about two miles long, so I just run up and down it.

Q: What was your dream car growing up?

Bernstein: A Mustang Cobra. I always loved them.

Q: Did you ever get one?

Bernstein: Yes, I did.

Earnhardt: When I was a little kid, all I ever wanted was a 4x4 S-IO piekup. That was my dream car. I eventually got it and ended up flipping it over.

Q: What kind of music do you like?

Bernstein: I'm an alternative-rock fan. I like Linkin Park; that's my band of choice right now. Earnhardt: I like alternative, too - Korn and some of those bands.

Q: Do you listen to music before you head to the track?

Earnhardt: I just got into the iPod thing.

Bernstein: I've got two of those. I love those things.

Q: What TV shows do you like to watch?

Bernstein: I'm into CST-type shows. I've really gotten into 24 this season. I have a TiVo, so I watch it whenever I come home.

Earnhardt: I have all of the Seinfeld stuff TiVo'd, Saturday Night Live. I've watched 24 a couple of times; it's a pretty good show. I watched something real funny the other night: Jeff Foxworthy's roast on a comedy channel. I think Ron White is the funniest guy I've ever heard in my life.

Q: How do you relax after a race?

Earnhardt: It's hard for me. I'm full of adrenaline after running for 3 1/2 hours. It takes hours to chill out. It's either I pass out or I'm up until 4 a.m.

Bernstein: Sometimes I'm all relaxed and I get back to the hotel room and I'm put. But sometimes my mind is still going, I'm still jazzed, still pumped up, and I want to go do something else.

Q: Is it hard to get to bed the night before a race?

Bernstein: Yes. I'm anxious; not nervous, anxious. I'm ready to get to Sunday and get to race day.

Earnhardt: Normally I get to sleep, but 1 wake up about 2 a.m. - gotta watch TV and get something to eat - and go back to bed about 4 a.m.

Q: How do you get pumped up for a race?

Bernstein: I sit in my trailer and mentally go through the procedure we do on the racetrack - especially the starting procedure because sometimes we win our races on the starting line. Mentally I'll keep going over and over and concentrate on catching that light and doing the best I can on the starting line.

Earnhardt: It's kind of the same thing with me. I guess not as pressure-packed as Brandon's deal, where he has a lot of things he has to have happen in a certain period of time. I can let the race come to me, where I bet he's a lot more mentally focused.

Bernstein: Our attention span is within milliseconds, then it's over.

Q: What is your favorite track?

Bernstein: I guess [The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway]. We've got some history there; my father and I were the first father and son to win together at that track. That's a real special track. But as far as a favorite one, I love racing them all.

Earnhardt: I think [Daytona Int'l Speedway]. When I was a little kid, I used to go there all of the time; I just couldn't wait for the July race to come around to go to Daytona. It has always been my place.

Q: You both race in Las Vegas. Anything special you like to play?

Bernstein: I'm a craps player.

Earnhardt: I like to play roulette; I like to scream and shout when I win. That's one of those games where you can get loud.

Q: What outside your job gives you the same sort of thrill?

Earnhardt: There are a lot of things I enjoy in life apart from racing. I like to do a little deer hunting every once in a while; that's a lot of fun for me. I think the coolest thing I've ever done was stand at the [Christmas] Tree when John Force and a couple of guys took off. That's the craziest feeling ever. It was like my whole body was about to implode, then explode after that. I don't think there's a feeling like it in the world. If you ever get a chance to stand at the Tree when these guys take off, keep your eyes closed because [it's like] they'll burn out of your skull.

Bernstein: Mainly golf. I let my mind go, but it's so frustrating.

Q: What about fan access in your sports?

Bernstein: Our fans are able to get right next to us in the pit area; that's part of our sport.

Earnhardt: You can get about the same access in our sport; we've got hot passes. We sign autographs up until we're ready to climb into the car for the race, but just not quite like Brandon's deal; you can buy a ticket and can literally go right up to his car. Our sport is growing so fast that they had to put a little clamp on it and slow things down a little bit. It's a lot of fun; fans get to see what's going on. If I had that access at a Formula One race to see Michael Schumacher, that'd be the coolest thing in the world. I know fans really enjoy it.