Two-time U.S. Nats champ Bazemore steps up his game
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES Round 18 of 23 50th ANNUAL U.S. NATIONALS INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK RACE DATES: Sept. 3-6, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438 TWO-TIME U.S. NATIONALS CHAMP BAZEMORE STEPS UP HIS GAME FOR BIG WEEKEND INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 31, 2004) - Whit Bazemore was a 16-year-old professional photographer with full media credentials when he witnessed his first U.S. Nationals in 1979. That was the 25th anniversary of this prestigious event and this weekend marks the 50th running of the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Bazemore, who lives in Indianapolis, barely comprehends the fact that not only has his dream of racing a Funny Car come true, but that he'll be competing this weekend at IRP as a two-time U.S. Nationals champion. "Being a part of this race 25 years later is a huge honor for me and is something I am really proud of," he says. Taking home trophies at the U.S. Nationals in 1997 and in 2001 were milestones in Bazemore's 16-year pro NHRA career, and a third victory this weekend as well as a move up from third in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car rankings are the goals of his Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus team and crew chief Lee Beard. "The U.S. Nationals is by far my favorite race of the year and it's a race obviously that means the most to win," says Bazemore, who is 243 points out of first place, 23 points behind teammate Gary Scelzi in second, and just two points ahead of Del Worsham in fourth, "so I'm really looking forward to having the weekend start on Friday. "Our Matco Tools team is coming into Indy with renewed confidence following successful testing last week and we know that a win at the 50th U.S. Nationals would help make this season one of our best. "Having said that, Indy is the toughest race on the schedule, so, in order to win, everyone on the Matco Tools team and every part of the car has to be 110 percent. It's the kind of challenge we love to tackle head-on and we know that most of our competitors will be making the same strong effort that we're going to make. "Indy is one of the hardest races to win because - almost impossibly - everyone's able to raise his game just that little bit more than normal," adds Bazemore, who posted the fastest and quickest Funny Car pass in NHRA history this year, 4.713 at 333.25 mph, "and you think that you are always giving 110 percent all year. But when you come to Indy you somehow find that extra concentration and you find that extra performance in the race car that's hard to find anywhere else. "And I think it's because winning Indy means more than winning any other race. So, believe it or not, you want it more. And you find more ways to perform head to head at the highest level." Bazemore is also qualified No. 3 for the $100,000 bonus event on Sunday, the Skoal Showdown, and will face Tim Wilkerson in the first of three rounds. "Indy is always billed and looked upon as the biggest race of the year, the most prestigious single race to win," says crew chief Lee Beard, who has won the U.S. Nationals three times as a crew chief, "and therefore it would mean a great deal to me. "I think that when people look back at a season, there are a few things they remember about it. They remember who won the championship, who won Indy and who won the Showdown. Everything else seems to be in second or third. People forget who won Atlanta or Topeka. No matter how bad of a season a team has, if you're able to pull off a win here at Indy, it turns into a spectacular season for you." Professional qualifying has one round on Friday, Sept. 3, at 6:15 p.m., two on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 1:15 and 6:15 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 5, pro qualifying continues at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., with Skoal Showdown eliminations at 12:30, 2:15, and 4 p.m. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 6. On Saturday, Sept. 4, ESPN2 will televise one hour of early qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET). On Sunday, Sept. 5, ESPN2 will televise NHRA 2Day, a half-hour event preview show at 11:30 a.m. (ET). Also on Sunday, Sept. 5, ESPN will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 1 p.m. (ET) and three hours of qualifying highlights and the Skoal Showdown at 5 p.m. (ET). On Monday, Sept. 6, ESPN2 will televise a special edition of NHRA 2Day celebrating 50 years of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at 11 a.m. (ET). Also on Monday, Sept. 6, ESPN2 will televise 90 minutes of early round eliminations at 11:30 a.m. (ET) and three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET). WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS: * Two-time U.S. Nationals champion, 1997 and 2001 * Quickest and fastest Funny Car driver in NHRA history: 4.713-second ET (national record) at 333.25 mph * Qualified No. 3 at 2003 U.S. Nationals, lost first round to Cruz Pedregon * Has qualified in the top two in nine events so far in 2004 * No. 3 in NHRA Funny Car points after 17 races, with two wins, five final rounds * First Funny Car driver to break 325-mph barrier (U.S. Nationals 2001) * 2003 Funny Car points runner-up * Won three times in 2003, runner-up five times * Has 17 career Funny Car event wins * Took the 2003 championship chase to penultimate race in Las Vegas in an exciting final round against eventual champion Tony Pedregon * Was also second in the NHRA Funny Car championship in 2001, third in 1997 and '99 and has finished in the top five six times and 11 times in the top 10 since 1992 * Age 41, born in New York City, an avid cyclist, lives in Indianapolis with wife Michelle, a semi-pro cyclist * 2004 is his fourth season with Don Schumacher Racing DON SCHUMACHER RACING TEAM DRIVERS' PAST SUCCESSES AT U.S. NATIONALS: Winners: Funny Car: Whit Bazemore, 2001, 1997 Don Schumacher, 1970 Top Fuel: Gary Scelzi, 1998 Tony Schumacher, 2003, 2002, 2000 Pro Stock Bike: Angelle Savoie, 2002, 2001 Antron Brown, 2000 Pro Stock: Larry Morgan, 1989 Runners-Up: Funny Car: Whit Bazemore, 2000 Johnny Gray, 2003 Top Fuel: Tony Schumacher, 1996 Pro Stock Bike: Angelle Savoie, 1999, 1998 Pro Stock: Larry Morgan, 1992, 1991, 1990 ***