Bazemore Wins First Race for Dodge Stratus R/T Body

Mopar Motorsports
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park ­ Englishtown, N.J.
Elimination Notes & Quotes

Bazemore Wins First Race for Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car Body
Alderman Travels to First Pro Stock Final of 2003 NHRA Season

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. (May 18, 2003) -- Whit Bazemore made history for Dodge and
the new Stratus R/T Funny Car body during today¹s NHRA national event at Old
Bridge Township Raceway Park.

Bazemore won the first race for the new Stratus R/T body and a first for
Dodge since the 1998 NHRA event at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pa.
Bazemore finally broke through after posting seven semifinal or better
finishes to open the season. The 14-year-category veteran moved up to second
in the points after defeating Ron Capps in the final with a 4.869-second
elapsed time at 306.81 mph.

³We¹re contending for a championship stronger than we¹ve ever contended
before,² said a happy Bazemore in winner¹s circle. ³The aerodynamics of the
Stratus is very, very good. It¹s one of the main reasons we¹ve been so
successful this year. We¹re very excited and grateful to have Dodge
involved.

³I tested (teammate) Gary Scelzi¹s Dodge last weekend,² Bazemore added. ³And
we went 325 (mph) with a 40-mph crosswind. We had the spoiler in a full
downforce position. When they made the fastest Funny Car run ever today ­ we
weren¹t surprised. We¹re going to try and one-up those guys a little bit. We
know the potential of the car and when we¹re in good conditions again ­ it¹s
our every intention to go 327 (mph) or faster with these cars -- and we know
we can do it.²

Bazemore was impressive in his trek through the field. The Indianapolis
resident, outran Cruz Pedregon in round one, Del Worsham in round two and
Tony Pedregon in the semifinals. Bazemore clocked a 4.813-second elapsed
time at 324.59 mph in round two --the second fastest run of the weekend.

Gary Scelzi took his Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car body to new heights in his
first round victory today over Schumacher Racing teammate Scotty Cannon.
Scelzi and his Oakley-sponsored Dodge made a 326.95 mph pass ­- which is the
fastest run in NHRA Funny Car history. Unfortunately for Scelzi, tire smoke
ended his weekend against Tony Pedregon in round number two.

³All the work that has been done by (Mopar Aero Engineer) Terry DeKoninck
has really paid off,² Scelzi said. ³Mopar has a great wind tunnel and we¹ve
spent a lot of time and work on developing this body. It¹s really starting
to pay some dividends. It¹s unfortunate we lost lane choice today because
that¹s what got us.

³We get to playing these games on the starting line and you can get bit,²
said Scelzi, on his second round match with Pedregon. ³I deep-staged to
shorten the race track and it cost us today. I tried everything to disorient
Tony on the starting line by knocking that top light out. The kid was on his
game and he¹s tough to beat. I think we have something for them. Lane choice
was critical, because when we backed up, the concrete was sticking to the
wheels ­ and what do you do? You can¹t put the car by the wall. The rubber
was actually pulling the concrete up. Our car is acting like it was at the
beginning of the year. I¹m pretty happy with what we have right now. Tony
ran a 4.79 and weren¹t taking us lightly ­ we want them to know who¹s
parking next to them.²

Alderman Used A Little of His Englishtown Magic TodayŠ

Mopar Pro Stock standout Darrell Alderman maintained his love affair with
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park during this weekend¹s K&N Filters
SuperNationals.

The three-time POWERade NHRA Pro Stock World Champion drove to his fifth
final round at this facility. Alderman, who also made a semifinal round
appearance during the season-opening Winternationals at Pomona (Calif.)
Raceway, logged a 6.747-second elapsed time at 205.38 mph in the final, but
it wasn¹t enough as Greg Anderson posted a 6.724-second lap at 205.98 mph.

³We never made great runs this weekend,² said Alderman, who has recorded
three victories in his career at Raceway Park. ³But, I¹m sure pleased with
the results. The car shook the tires pretty hard and the right lane wasn¹t
the best today. We never had lane choice today, but always ran just well
enough to win.²

Alderman advanced to the finals by defeating Mark Pawuk in round one and a
red-lighting Jim Yates in round two. Alderman clicked off a 6.734-second
elapsed time at a career-best 205.16 mph in the first round.

Alderman drilled defending Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin, Jr., on the
starting line in the semifinals. The 28-time NHRA national event winner
posted a .035 reaction time to Coughlin¹s .075. Alderman wound up running a
6.750-second elapsed time (quickest of the round) at 205.01 mph.

Allen Johnson drove his Hemi-powered Mopar Parts Dodge Neon R/T to the
second round of competition, before losing a close one to Kurt Johnson. The
Greeneville, Tenn., resident ran a career best 6.713-second elapsed time at
205.85 mph en route to a first round victory over Troy Coughlin. In round
two, A. Johnson narrowly missed the semifinals when he ran a 6.721/205.94
(career best speed) to KJ¹s 6.720/206.13 combination.

³I goofed up on the starting line,² said Johnson, who left behind K. Johnson
(.019-.045). ³When I staged, I went in too deep and was afraid I was going
to red light. So I backed off a little bit and had a forty light. That kind
of light just doesn¹t get it in Pro Stock these days. Little bitty lapsed
like that is what beats you in this category.

³The Hemi engines were really awesome this weekend,² Johnson added. ³We
think we could have run a 6.70 or 6.69 on that first run. It just wasn¹t our
day today.²

The red light flickered and ended Mopar driver Gene Wilson¹s Sunday early.
The Georgia resident qualified 15th and made the best runs the new Dodge
Stratus R/T body had made thus far this season.

³I¹m a little disappointed,² Wilson said. ³My reaction time was .011 red and
I just had the same trouble that everyone else has had. What are you going
to do ­ I¹ll just go out and adjust my driving style and slow the car down
on the starting line.

³We had a pretty nice run going until the car went through first gear,²
Wilson added. ³Then we were dealing with poor race track conditions. There
was nothing there as far as traction in that left lane. We got out in second
gear and it did nothing but spin the tires.²

Greg Stanfield, driver of the DBP Enterprises Dodge Neon R/T, fell in the
first round of competition to Greg Anderson. Stanfield, despite holding a
starting line advantage (.005-.014), was unable to hold off Anderson¹s
6.693-second elapsed time at 206.70 mph

³We have some work to do,² Stanfield said. ³I¹m happy with how we qualified
this weekend, but we need to improve the car a little bit. We have the
power, now we need to get it on the track.²