Bazemore and Matco Tools team on consistent path at U.S. Natsn

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
U.S. NATIONALS
INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK
ROUND 18 OF 23
Race Dates: Sept. 2-5, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

BAZEMORE AND MATCO TOOLS TEAM ON CONSISTENT PATH AT U.S. NATIONALS

INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 4, 2005) - Whit Bazemore and the Matco Tools Iron Eagle
Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car team came on strong in the first round of
qualifying for the 51st running of the prestigious U.S. Nationals at
Indianapolis Raceway Park, posting a rock steady 4.795-second elapsed time
at 324.12 mph.

Four more good runs down the quarter-mile produced a quicker, No. 8
qualifying pass of 4.768/323.81 in the third session, followed by a
4.861/320.43. The other two less-than-stellar runs in the 5-second range
still gave the team valuable data to continue to improve the carıs
performance.

³Itıs been a great weekend so far,² said the two-time U.S. Nationals
champion. ³The Matco Tools team has made a lot of good progress and Iım
excited about going into the race tomorrow. We ran well in the heat, the
guys are doing a fanstastic job, and we have confidence.²

Bazemore will face his teammate Ron Capps in first round of eliminations on
Monday in the quickest Funny Car field in NHRAıs history.

³It doesnıt matter,² he said. ³Itıs not politically correct for me to say
this, but, on one hand, theyıre teammates, but on the other hand theyıre
not, theyıre competitors, just like any other team. The only difference is
theyıre under the same roof and weıre friends, we communicate. But tomorrow
theyıre not teammates, theyıre enemies and competitors, and thatıs how we
approach it.²

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