Bazemore returns to Reading after two adventurous races

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
ROUND 18 of 23
LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
Maple Grove Raceway
Reading, Pa.
Rainout Date: Oct. 4-5, 2003

Contact: Judy Stropus 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438

BAZEMORE RETURNS TO READING AFTER TWO ADVENTUROUS WEEKS

READING, Pa. (Oct. 3, 2003) - When Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus
Funny Car driver Whit Bazemore left the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals on Sept. 14
after the event was rained out, he was 57 points behind NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series Funny Car leader Tony Pedregon. Only two events have been held
since the series' return to Maple Grove Raceway this weekend to complete
that event.

And what adventurous races they were. In Memphis the following weekend,
Bazemore was low qualifier and walked away with his 15th career victory, his
third of the season. He benefited from Pedregon's early-round loss and took
over the points lead by seven points. He then headed to Route 66 Raceway for
the following week's event, where he recorded his second straight No. 1
qualifying position, his third of the year and 24th of his career by
bettering his career-best elapsed time with a 4.725-second pass. He hen lost
in the first round when his car got out of the groove.

Pedregon went on to win the event after meeting his two teammates (Gary
Densham and John Force) in the second and third rounds and benefited from
Phil Burkart's breakdown at the starting line in the final round to retake
the lead by 69 points.

It was a frustrating turn of events for Bazemore, who is seeking his first
Funny Car championship, but the Indianapolis resident is geared up to do
what it takes to get back up to the front. "It's a lot different now coming
back to Reading," he says. "We've won our 15th race. We ran well in Chicago.
We learned something there and I think we're going to apply what we learned
in Chicago to Reading. Reading should have very similar conditions to what
we just had in Chicago.

"I think our Matco Tools Dodge team is capable of running mid- to low 4.70s
every run. I think if we do that we're going to be hard to beat. But we're
going to have to work for it. There are still four races left. We're awfully
close. We're just going to draft. We're right in the draft, so things are
good.

"We're as determined and focused as ever," he adds.

Bazemore is qualified No. 14 after one round of qualifying in Reading the
last time around. Two more qualifying sessions are scheduled for Saturday,
Oct. 4, with final eliminations scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 5.

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