ROCKINGHAM, NC, October 19, 2008:  Pete Berner and the Quarter-Max.com Pontiac Motorsports team captured the 2008 Pro Stock World Championship today in a battle that went down to the wire. The win comes after an intense season long battle. It appeared that Berner and competitor Jeff Dobbins would be nemesis at the beginning of the ’08 season and the two battled it out all year long until the last possible moment at the season’s end in Rockingham, with Berner emerging victorious. The nerves and excitement of the day erupted with the news of Berner’s Championship clinch. An excited Berner could simply repeat “Unbelievable!” over and over amid shouts and handshakes of congratulations.

“Words simply can’t describe this feeling,” exclaims Berner. “Everyone’s put so much hard work into this program and the competition has been pretty intense, especially in the last half of the season. I don’t think it’s truly sunk in yet. It’s pretty unbelievable.”

Berner, also the 2006 Pro Stock World Champion, is no stranger to excruciating point’s battles played out at the final moment. Finishing on top in 2006 and second in points in 2007, Berner has had a string of Championship chases. Still, the nerves and excitement of those final moments never get easier, and the 2008 chase was no different. A mere 28 points (less than two rounds) separated Berner and Dobbins once qualifying was completed at the World Finals.  A tricky track and great atmospheric conditions made for an interesting race day. Berner was paired against Elijah Morton in round one. Both cars moved around quite a bit on the launch, but Morton was able to recover to take the win. Dobbins took out Matt Hartford in round one to come within eight points of taking the Championship. It all came down to one round as Dobbins faced new world record holder Frank Gugliotta in round two. The drivers were nearly identical on reaction times, but Gugliotta had Dobbins by more than two hundredths at the stripe, taking the round win and ensuring Berner as the 2008 World Champion.

“I almost thought I had lost the Championship after round one,” tells Berner, “but I knew Frankie [Gugliotta] was on a roll this weekend and if anyone could take out Jeff, it would be him. Jeff is a great competitor and the battle between the two of us all year has been a lot of fun. This weekend has been a little nerve-wrecking with things coming down to the wire like they have, but that’s one of the reasons I love this sport so much. Congratulations to Jeff and his whole team for such a great year and a hard fought battle. And congratulations to Frank Gugliotta for resetting the world record this weekend.

“I really can’t thank my team enough. Pat Norcia, Randy Douthitt, Mike Vinezeano, Eric Flemming, and Doug Schriefer have put so much of themselves into this car. I am thrilled to win this Championship with them. They’re the best in the business. Rick [Jones, owner of Quarter-Max] was able to be here to support us this weekend, and many thanks go out to him and the entire Quarter-Max and RJ Race Cars crew. I just can’t say enough for all the people I have supporting me in chasing this dream. My wife Cheryl is always right by my side and I couldn’t do this without her. Her love and support means the world to me.”

Pete Berner and the Quarter-Max.com Pontiac Motorsports team would also like to thank for their support and friendship Fred Simmonds with GM Motorsports, Pat Norcia and the team at Ram Clutches, Jerry Janota and Mike Slaviero at Janota Racing Engines, Dave Braswell and Doug Schriefer with Braswell Carburetors, the IHRA crew and staff, Bob and Jeff Stange with Strange Engineering, Brian Browell and Browell Bellhousings, Don Ness with GMM, Donnie Winget with Dewco Drive Line Components, John Waldie, Kyle Sickler and Steve Matusek at Aeromotive Engineering, Eric at Penske Racing Shocks, and Kelly Campbell with TEK Headers. Thank you for your support of Pete Berner in becoming the 2008 Pro Stock World Champion.