NHRA: Bazemore Determined to Deliver in Dallas
17 October 2000
Putnam, Conn., October 17, 2000 - It is a good thing that Whit Bazemore's chosen profession is drag racing and not card playing, because he certainly does not have a "poker face." Throughout his career, he has been known not only for his fierce sense of competition, but also for his candid displays of emotion. It can be easily argued that no one is more driven to cross the finish line first or takes defeats any harder. However, as he comes to Dallas for this weekend's O'Reilly Fall Nationals, the Kendall Motor Oil/Matco Tools Camaro Z28 driver has added motivation for reaching the winner's circle. With only three races left in his tenure with the Chuck Etchells Racing team, Bazemore is determined to go out on a winning note. "Since we will be parting company at the end of the year, it is it even more imperative that we win another race, and more than one if possible" explained Bazemore. "Chuck (team owner Etchells) gave me a great opportunity last season to join his team, and I'd really like to get him another trophy or two before I leave. "There are other reasons as well. We've had a lot of changes on the Kendall/Matco Camaro team this year, including losing a couple of crewmembers after Reading, which really hurt us. Therefore, it's important for everyone involved to show that we can still get the job done at the top level. We came close in Memphis, and it wasn't easy. To get to the final, we had to overcome a lot of adversity in the form of mechanical failures. To be able to do that and run so well shows the true strength of this Etchells Racing team. We just need to finish the job." Coming off an event that saw teams battling unusually cold temperatures while recording some of the quickest runs of the season, the Etchells crew knows they will have their hands full preparing for the upcoming races. Even before leaving the Tennessee track, they spent long hours servicing their race car and repairing some of the damage done in Memphis. Returning to their shop in Michigan, the work continued, and included restoring their primary carbon-fiber body to race-ready condition. Finally, the team transporter will be stocked with fresh parts and supplies, as once it departs, it will not return home until after the season. Their first stop will be in Ennis, where the Texas Motorplex and its unique concrete racing surface will offer its own challenge to all competitors. "The Texas Motorplex is one of the true 'supertracks' on the NHRA circuit, and the way this Kendall/Matco Camaro is running, I can't wait to get there," declared Bazemore. "We saw some good numbers in Memphis, but those were more due to the incredible atmospheric conditions than the race track. On the concrete track in Dallas, however, the opportunity could be there to set your career best elapsed time. If the temperatures are around 70-75 degrees, it would be perfect, and I would expect five or six cars, including ours, could challenge for low e.t. of the year. "I feel good going into Dallas, because this Etchells team has what it takes to win. I think the world of Terry Manzer. He has done a great job since taking over as crew chief. He has gotten the Kendall/Matco Camaro running consistently, knows where he is with the tune-up and has it responding to the changes he makes. That puts us in a position to win every time we race. If we do things right, there's a good chance we could be right back in the final. It would be nice to do that at the Motorplex." Quick Whits: This will be Whit Bazemore's 13th appearance at the Texas Motorplex, where he looks to improve on his semi-final finishes from 1998 & 1999 … Whit's previous best qualifying performance in Ennis was 2nd, which he accomplished in the spring of this year… One year ago, Whit qualified 6th at this event… Bazemore is currently 7th in the Winston Drag Racing Series season's points standings. Fast Facts WHAT: 15th Annual O'Reilly Fall Nationals, the twenty-first event on the 23-race 2000 NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series Schedule. WHEN: October 19-22, 2000 WHERE: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas SCHEDULE: Professional qualifying begins with two sessions on Friday, October 20 at 2:30 and 6:30 p.m., and concludes with two additional attempts at noon & 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 21. Final eliminations begin at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 22. TV: ESPN2 will air two shows on Sunday, October 22. They will air two hours of first-round coverage from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., followed by two hours of highlights from the semi-final and final rounds from 6 - 8:00 p.m. (Times given are Eastern. As always, please check your local listings.)