Mechanical glitch puts Bazemore out in first round in Chicago

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 20 of 23
Ameriquest Mortgage NHRA Nationals
Route 66 Raceway
Joliet, Ill.
Race Dates: Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net

MECHANICAL GLITCH PUTS BAZEMORE OUT IN FIRST ROUND IN CHICAGO

JOLIET, Ill. (Oct. 2, 2005) - Whit Bazemore looked like he was en route to a
strong performance at this weekend's Ameriquest Mortgage Nationals at Route
66 Raceway after posting for good runs to qualify seventh.

But a mechanical problem in his first-round match-up against title contender
Eric Medlen put the driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus R/T
Funny Car on the sidelines for the rest of the event.

Bazemore launched .025 of a second ahead of the John Force Racing driver and
was in front at half-track when the problem occurred, resulting in a small
fire which caused him to slow to a 4.962/261.32 pass while Medlen crossed
the finish line first with a 4.811/323.81.

"It broke an exhaust rocker arm," he explained. "Drove it a while, because
we were ahead and what happens then is it just gives the motor way too much
boost, makes it very, very lean and cylinder pressure goes sky high, and it
didn't like that.

"So, it blew up and we didn't win the race.

"Cars are always replaceable. You always hurt stuff; it's irrelevant. We
don't care about hurting the car, it's about winning the round and
continuing to improve our team - we've come a long way - and try to make our
team as perfect as we can.

"The hardest thing for us to take is not winning the rounds."

Next up is the re-scheduled O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals in Dallas, Texas,
Oct. 7-9, 2005.

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. Gary Scelzi, 1326
2. John Force, 1283
3. Ron Capps, 1281
4. Robert Hight, 1256
5. Eric Medlen, 1226
6. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1135
7. Whit Bazemore, 1075
8. Tony Pedregon, 1054/1074
9. Del Worsham, 1032
10. Cruz Pedregon, 931

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