To some, the heat that comes with the Texas territory this time of year draws a groan. On the other hand, Extreme Pro Stock driver Pete Berner is welcoming it with open arms. The Summit Motorsports driver is taking the opposite attitude of perhaps some heading into the ADRL Inaugural Texas Drags, which takes place July 23-24 at what will surely be a warm Houston Raceway Park.“We’re making good runs and the crew is making exceptional calls in these conditions,” Berner said.He was referring to the conditions at Heartland Park Topeka, where the track got as hot as 135 degrees at the ADRL Hardee’s Independence Drags IV. That is a scenario that will probably be repeated at HRP, but it doesn’t seem to mind Berner and his ‘09 GXP.“It seems like we go fast when the conditions are tricky and hot,” Berner said. “I’ve got a great car that makes run after run. That’s real big in the heat, just making consistent run after consistent run.”Berner did that in Topeka, advancing to the second round in XPS before the rain came. He ran a 4.14 to become the top qualifier after the first day, going 173.54 miles per hour to put him in position for his first career win.The rain didn’t allow it to happen, but Berner will have two opportunities in scorching Houston. The ADRL Universal Technical Institute Dragpalooza VI presented by Safety-Kleen will be completed on Friday, followed by the Inaugural Texas Drags.Berner will have momentum, too, after advancing to the semifinals in Michigan in June before his strong rain-abbreviated showing in Topeka. “We had (four) great runs and hopefully we’ll keep it going,” Berner said of his weekend in Topeka. “One of these days, we want to get one of those trophies. Hopefully it is soon. In this class, things are so close and you have to be on your game for every run.”
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Berner Welcomes Texas Heat
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