Bazemore aims for third U.S. Nats title and lead in Funny Car championship

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 17 of 23
U.S. NATIONALS
INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK
Race Dates: Aug, 28-Sept. 1, 2003


THIRD U.S. NATIONALS TITLE AND CHAMPIONSHIP ON BAZEMORE'S LIST

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 25, 2003) - As the U.S. Nationals approaches this weekend
at Indianapolis Raceway Park, an event comparable to the Indy 500 or Daytona
500 for the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Whit Bazemore's emotions run
the gamut in his quest for a third U.S. Nationals title and his first NHRA
Funny Car championship as the strongest team this season to give the John
Force camp a run for its money.

The driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus has had a wide range
of results at the U.S. Nationals since he began his NHRA pro drag-racing
career in 1988. He's won it twice (1997, 2001), and was runner-up once
(2000). It's also the first NHRA race he ever saw as a fan in 1979. But it's
also where he was the victim of a spectacular fire early in his Funny Car
career, a frightening conflagration in 1990 which some have called the worst
ever in the history of Funny Cars. He also recalls another time as a
fledgling racer when he struggled to finally qualify for this most
prestigious race only to find himself with a car that was so used up that he
was unable to compete in final eliminations.

What bittersweet memories this event evokes for the 40-year-old who calls
Indianapolis his home, not the least of which is not qualifying here in
2002!

Why is this race so important, we asked Bazemore, ranked second in Funny Car
championship points behind Tony Pedregon, with a chance to take over the
lead at this event. "It's just the prestige of the U.S. Nationals, the
tradition," he says. "This is THE race and in some respects your career
isn't really complete if you haven't won this race. You can race and be very
successful and not win a championship and that may be a problem to a lot of
people. If you've won the U.S. Nationals that goes a long way. I'm not
saying that this race is more important than the championship, because it
isn't, but it's a very important race to win.

"I've had a lot of frustrating times here as well," he adds. "Those are the
things that test your resolve and make you hungrier than ever to be
successful. Having come back from those hardships and winning it twice and
being competitive here since has been rewarding. Lately it's been a good
track for me except for last year. Those things happen sometimes."

There's no question that winning his first NHRA Funny Car championship is
Bazemore's ambition, but for the driver who still holds the IRP Funny Car
track E.T. record of 4.756-seconds and the speed record of 325.69 mph (both
set in 2001) but who DNQ'd in 2002, the first objective is to make it into
the show.

"It doesn't matter how strong you are or how good you are or whatever your
situation is in the points, your first goal at any race is to qualify," he
says. "As we've seen this year sometimes it's hard to qualify and you really
have to have your act together every single run. The championship doesn't
concern me at all right now. We just have to go and make Friday night count
and get it in the show and if we have any problems we have to be strong on
Saturday and get it in the show Saturday night."

As a nine-time qualifier for the the Budweiser Shootout at Indianapolis but
never a winner, Bazemore would like to finally take home the $100,000 prize
for winning this special event held at the U.S. Nationals, but he'll take
whatever happens in stride. "In the years past I've put a big focus on it
and it's been a big priority," he says, "but this year my main focus going
into this race is to win the U.S. Nationals and I think the Budweiser
Shootout is a bonus. It is a very special race. It has a rich tradition,
there's a lot of money at stake, and it is the race for the top eight cars
in the country. It's really exciting to be a part of it again. If we do
well, great, and if we don't, hopefully we'll have learned something on
Sunday that will help us on Monday."