Bazemore could be a factor in Pomona first round

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 23 of 23
AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NHRA FINALS
Pomona (Calif.) Raceway
Nov. 3-6, 2005


POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 5, 2005) - Whit Bazemore could be a deciding factor in
Sunday's first round of eliminations for the Automobile Club of Southern
California NHRA Finals as his Don Schumacher Racing teammates Gary Scelzi
and Ron Capps are deep in a heated battle for the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series Funny Car championship at the final event of the season.

Bazemore, driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus R/T, is not in
contention for the title, but will face No. 3 in points John Force in the
opening round as the No. 11 qualifier to Force's No. 6. The two-time U.S.
Nationals champion recorded a 4.800-second ET at 323.37 mph in the quickest
Funny Car field in NHRA history.

No. 1 qualifier Scelzi is eight points ahead of Capps and 32 in front of
Force as the championship comes down to this final event. Both Capps and
Force are on the same side of the ladder, while Scelzi is on the other side.

"It's what we wish for and it's good," said Bazemore. "We're fighting our
car a little bit, but we've got a great team, great bunch of guys. It's just
up to all of us on the Matco Tools team to rise to the occasion and help one
of our teammates clinch the championship tomorrow.

"Obviously, it's all on the line and for me it's a perfect scenario. We came
into the race, we wanted to race Force. We wanted to race him in the final,
but it's the first round instead. Same difference. We'll take it. It's
good."