Bazemore set for Reading return
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2004 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES ROUND 21 OF 23 LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS MAPLE GROVE RACEWAY READING, PA. RAIN-POSTPONED RACE DATES: OCT. 8-10, 2004 READING, Pa. (Oct. 6, 2004) - A lot has happened since the postponement because of Hurricane Ivan to this weekend of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals originally scheduled for Sept. 17-19. Two racing events have been held and three remain (including this weekend's), the Matco Tools Funny Car team debuted the Rat Fink theme on the Dodge Stratus in Chicago for that one race, and driver Whit Bazemore is in fourth place and knee-deep in a battle for second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series among drivers Del Worsham, Gary Scelzi, Eric Medlen and Gary Densham. And with no hurricane in sight, it looks like the weather will be good for this weekend's event. Temperatures are expected to be in the high 60s, low 70s and the foliage will be transforming its colors from summer green to the reds, oranges and yellows that cause many leaf-watchers to flock to the Northeast in the fall. "Reading should be pretty good this time of year," said Bazemore following the event at Route 66 Raceway last weekend in Joliet, Ill. "Maple Grove Raceway is a little bumpier than Rte. 66, so we may not be able to push it quite as hard. Still, this time of year, in early October, it should be really good. "Hopefully, we will not be behind the 8-ball like we were at Rte. 66," he said of his first-round loss after qualifying 12th at the super-quick, ultra-fast track outside of Chicago. "The situation in Chicago was we made a change going into that race which affected the car in a way we didn't anticipate and it actually cost us two qualifying runs," he added. "Hopefully now we'll be able to come to Reading with some new knowledge that we gleaned from Chicago and we should be stronger here." SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals will be held at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 and will continue at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Oct. 9. Final professional eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Oct. 10. WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS: * Two-time U.S. Nationals champion, 1997 and 2001 * Did not qualify at 2003 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, his only DNQ of the season * Has qualified in the top two in nine events so far in 2004 * No. 4 in NHRA Funny Car points after 20 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 ***