NHRA Gatornationals on Bazemore's hit list

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
NHRA GATORNATIONALS
GAINESVILLE (Fla.) RACEWAY
EVENT DATE: March 14-16, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GATORNATIONALS ON TOP OF BAZEMORE'S HIT LIST

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 10, 2003) -- Whit Bazemore, driver of the Matco
Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing,
heads to Gainesville Raceway this weekend with the Gatornationals high on
his hit list. He's fourth in the NHRA Funny Car point standings, just one
point out of third, and is encouraged by a successful test session at
Firebird Raceway the day after the Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals there.

"The Gatornationals is one of the premier races on the NHRA circuit," said
Bazemore, two-time U.S. Nationals champion. "The U.S. Nationals in Indy is
the granddaddy of them all, and we've been fortunate to have a couple of
wins there, but races like the Winternationals (Pomona, Calif.), the Matco
Tools Supernationals (Englishtown, N.J.), Columbus (Ohio) and the
Gatornationals are, in my opinion, the four big races other than Indy. I
haven't had the ultimate success at any one of those. It's really a huge
desire for me to get a win at the Gatornationals. And I think that this
season represents possibly the best opportunity that I've had in my career
this early in the season to be successful there."

Bazemore and his teammate Gary Scelzi, who drives the Oakley Dodge Stratus
R/T, topped the charts during testing at Firebird, with Bazemore surpassing
the track record with a 4.77-second pass, while Scelzi bested the top speed
record with a 323-mph lap. "Gary and I both feel extremely confident and
extremely hungry to get our Matco Tools and Oakley Funny Cars to the very
front of the points race. And we need to start doing that right now."

Weather conditions in Gainesville can be iffy and teams have to be prepared
for anything. "Gainesville is a good track," said Bazemore. "If it's on the
cool side and overcast, it could be really stellar. If it's warm and hot it
could be a little tricky. But at this time of year you never know down
there. Either way I think we'll be prepared. We prefer it to be cool and
overcast and have it turn into a horsepower contest, because our Matco Tools
team makes a ton of horsepower. So does Gary's team. That would work in our
favor."

The comfort and confidence quotient is high at Don Schumacher Racing after
two races of the 23-event series, especially in Bazemore's camp. "I think we
will be fairly strong right out of the trailer in Gainesville," added
Bazemore, who defeated his rival John Force in the second round of
eliminations at Firebird. "I think we have an excellent chance to qualify in
the top two or three, certainly the top five, and that's our goal. Then on
Sunday, as always, it'll be take one round at a time, and be careful not to
make any mistakes."

Pro qualifying for the Gatornationals begins on Friday, March 14, at 11 a.m.
and 2:30 p.m. Pro qualifying on Saturday, March 15, will repeat Friday's 11
a.m. and 2:30 p.m. schedule. Final eliminations on Sunday, March 16
will start at 11 a.m. Qualifying will air on ESPN on March 16 at 3:00-4:30
a.m. ET. Eliminations will also air on March 16, from 9:00-11:30 p.m. on
ESPN2.

WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS:

GAINESVILLE RECORD:
* Advanced to semifinal once ('95)
* Advanced five times to quarterfinals ('89, '92, '93, '99, 02)
* DNQ twice ('91, '97)
* No. 1 qualifier once ('99)

2002 GAINESVILLE RECORD:
* Qualified No. 2, lost in quarterfinal


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