Cannon ready for Route 66

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Round 20 of 23
CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
Route 66 Raceway
Joliet, Ill.
Race Dates: Sept. 26-28, 2003

CANNON READY FOR CHICAGO

JOLIET, Ill. (Sept. 26, 2003) - Despite not qualifying for Memphis last
weekend, the first time since Englishtown 2001 that he hasn't made the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car field, Cannon is ready to attack Route
66 Raceway and the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals this weekend with a
plan.

"Our plan, as always," says Cannon, driver of the Oakley Funny Car," is to
get the car qualified and continue with the progress we were making before
Memphis, where we knew we had a car that could run a 4.70. Unfortunately, we
just went the wrong way with it in Memphis and didn't get in."

Cannon qualified fourth here last year and advanced to the semifinal round,
where he was defeated by Tony Pedregon. Earlier this year, in the first
event here, he qualified sixth. "We're going to focus on getting high into
the field on Friday evening, and then work on our setup to try to improve
our performance and go rounds on Sunday. We're still considering most of the
last few races as testing sessions, so we're going to put our heads down and
get cracking."

Weather again is an issue at Route 66 Raceway, something the NHRA has had to
endure the last three races. "Man, if it rains here too it's going to set us
back," says the popular Mohawk wearing 1999 Rookie of the year. "But, if
it's cool, we could easily see record numbers in both E.T. and top speed. My
teammate Gary Scelzi and his Oakley Dodge rocketship just might produce some
awesome numbers. We're going to try to do the same."