Bazemore takes second at Mopar Mile-High Nationals

Sorry,

Some of you received the Scelzi release twice instead of the Bazemore
release. Here is the Bazemore release.

Thanks.
Judy




DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Round 13 of 23
MOPAR MILE-HIGH NHRA NATIONALS
Bandimere Speedway
Morrison, Colo.
Race Dates: July 15-17, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell, 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net

BAZEMORE AND MATCO TOOLS TEAM COMING TOGETHER; QUALIFIES SECOND AT MOPAR
MILE-HIGH NATIONALS

MORRISON, Colo. (July 16, 2005) - Whit Bazemore appears to be on the road
back to his early-season performance after qualifying second for the Mopar
Mile-High Nationals today at Bandimere Speedway, just outside of Denver.
Driving the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus Funny Car, Bazemore took
the No. 1 position in first round of qualifying, breaking his own track
record at the time, with a 4.835/316.08 pass.

The second round of qualifying produced an even quicker run of 4.821/318.39,
but the two-time Denver winner ('97 and '00) relinquished the top spot and
the record to Robert Hight (4.796/322.58), who kept it through to the
completion of qualifying. Bazemore's teammates Ron Capps and Gary Scelzi
made it a 2-3-4 qualifying sweep for Don Schumacher Racing.

Bazemore and his new crew chiefs Dan Olson and Todd Okuhara were expecting
more in the final qualifying session, but track conditions didn't cooperate.

"It's been a great weekend," said Bazemore. "It's still a new team, with
Todd and Dan, and all of us jelling together. It's really good. We came out
of the trailer and ran well, and then we repeated. This morning the track
was really difficult and no one really got down there and we learned
something with the Matco Tools Dodge.

"Tonight we weren't trying to run another .82. We were trying to run in the
.70s, but the track just wasn't there for that. We were trying it anyway. We
have a bad-ass hot rod and tomorrow's going to be a differeent day and we've
just got to focus on getting it calmed down enough and if we can go down the
track without much tire spin we can surprise ourselves with how quick the
car will run."

Bazemore meets Bob Gilbertson in the first round of eliminations on Sunday.

***