Bazemore posts four solid runs to qualify No. 3 in Pomona finale

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2003 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 23 of 23
Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
Pomona (Calif.) Raceway
Race Dates: Nov. 6-9, 2003

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

BAZEMORE IS NO. 3 AFTER FOUR STRONG RUNS IN POMONA

POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2003) - Whit Bazemore continued his streak of solid
qualifying runs for the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
today, with at 4.774/322.34 lap in today's third session and a 4.768/324.90
in the final round, driving his Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus into
the No. 3 spot for tomorrow's final eliminations.

"It's been great," said a pleased Bazemore, who is expected to leave Pomona
as the runner-up in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car
championship. "Even though we're third we've run well every session in the
Matco Tools Dodge. 

"We've gone down the race track every time and that's what qualifying is all
about - to develop performance and develop a baseline and prepare the Matco
Tools team and the car for Sunday's race. I think right now we've done
that."

Bazemore lost his chance to claim the Funny Car championship to Tony
Pedregon at the penultimate race in Las Vegas, in a dramatic tire-smoking
contest to the finish line in the final round. John Force, 122 points behind
Bazemore in third, mathematically still has a chance to move past Bazemore
for second depending on tomorrow's results in final eliminations. With Force
on the other side of the ladder, the pair would not meet until the final
round.

The Indianapolis resident and two-time U.S. Nationals champion will face Bob
Gilbertson in tomorrow's first round.

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