Bazemore takes No. 7 spot in Seattle qualifying

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2004 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 14 of 23
CARQUEST AUTO PARTS NHRA NATIONALS
PACIFIC RACEWAYS
KENT, WASH.
Race Dates: July 23-25, 2004


KENT, Wash. (July 24, 2004) - The oppressive heat continued in the Northwest
corner of the United States and at Pacific Raceways today, as the final two
rounds of Funny Car qualifying for the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
were completed. 

Whit Bazemore and his Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus team struggled to
get down the quarter-mile today as crew chief Lee Beard and the Matco Tools
team tried to make sense of the new 85-percent nitromethane rule, a new
Goodyear tire, newly-mandated tire pressures, along with a resurfaced race
track and temperatures in the high 90s.

The two-time U.S. Nationals champion and two-time winner of this event ended
up No. 7 in the Funny Car field, with the 5.048/296.24 lap he posted last
night. Today's two rounds produced a tire-smoking 10.886/77.85 and
6.195/149.80 for the fastest Funny Car driver on the planet (333.25 mph at
Route 66 Raceway this year).

"We're working hard to get a combination together with this tire in the heat
and we struggled a little bit today," he said. "The first run we shook and
then this afternoon we were right on the edge of the groove and it just
dropped the right tire out of the groove a little bit and it shook again.

"Between the tire and the hot track, the margin for error is very, very
small and there's quite a small window to tune the car. It's going to be a
hard race. It's going to be a tough day tomorrow. But we feel good. We just
have to go out there and be ready for anything. Everyone is somewhat in the
same boat; the speeds and the ETs are way down, and it's awfully hot.

"The driver has to be perfect and the crew chief's combination and tune-up
have to be perfect," he added, "which is really no different than it's ever
been, but maybe it's a little more pronounced now.

"The track temperature is really high, the highest we've had all year by
far. It's been around 135 degrees. It's going to be a challenge tomorrow.
We'll be ready."

Bazemore faces Ron Capps in the first round of eliminations on Sunday, which
begin at 11 a.m.