Who was the first drag racer to exceed 300 mph?

Kenny Bernstein was the first drag racer to exceed 300 mph in competition.

He reached 301.70 mph during qualifying at Gainesville Raceway in Florida on March 20, 1992, driving the Budweiser King Top Fuel dragster. The run broke a psychological and technical barrier that had defined top-level drag racing for decades. Bernstein’s pass also earned a $50,000 bonus offered for the first driver to surpass 300 mph.

The achievement came during a period of rapid development in Top Fuel machinery. Bernstein’s team, led by crew chief Dale Armstrong, refined the engine, clutch, aerodynamics, and data-driven tuning needed to make the historic run possible. Bernstein later became known as the “King of Speed.”

A common mix-up is confusing this milestone with earlier land-speed records or with later 300-mph runs in other classes. Bernstein’s distinction concerns a standing-start quarter-mile drag-racing run in NHRA competition.