NHRA: Bazemore New Driver for Defending Funny Car Winners at Phoenix
20 February 1999
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- What a difference a year makes. One year ago at Firebird International Raceway, Whit Bazemore lost in the second round to Team Chevrolet rival Chuck Etchells. While Bazemores camp was busy loading his Team Winston Camaro onto the team transporter preparing to head to the next event, Etchells and his Kendall crew were celebrating their first victory of the season.This season, Bazemore is sitting in that winning seat. Hired during the off-season by Etchells as the new driver of the Kendall Camaro, Bazemore will try to defend his new team owners crown at the Phoenix quarter-mile.
Bazemore, 35, from Indianapolis, will be among the favorites in Funny Car heading into the 15th annual Checker Schucks Kragen Nationals, Feb. 25-28 at Firebird International Raceway. The $1.5 million race is the second of 22 events in the $40 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.
Bazemore, an independent team owner himself in the category since 1989, says hes looking forward to the challenge of being a driver-for-hire. The difference now is that I have a five-time NHRA champion-winning tuner (Tim Richards) calling the shots, Bazemore said. Theres a lot of experience with this team. I think that this team is definitely more established and is a lot more experienced. The biggest difference is in the past I was part of the decision-making process. Now Im the new guy and Ive got to kind of come at home and get accepted with my new team. Its been smooth -- way smoother than I thought it was going to be.
Etchells, who has put together a solid team over the last five seasons, has had very little turnover with his employees.
The key people on the Kendall team have been together for several years and thats one of the things you need to be successful in this game, Bazemore said. You need longevity and consistency. In that respect its a great opportunity for me.
Indeed. An opportunity to drive for a team that was a contender for the Winston Funny Car championship in 1998. Etchells earned three victories in four final rounds and finished fourth in the Winston standings. Bazemore, who won one event in four final rounds, finished fifth overall. Bazemore says he feels no pressure taking over the seat for a driver thats widely regarded as one of the best.
Theres no pressure, Bazemore said. I am glad that Chuck believes in me enough to put me in his car because hes a very good driver. Ive always said theres two drivers who can really pedal the car and get if from point A to point B, and thats John Force and Chuck Etchells. For Chuck to believe in me, I look at that as a feather in my cap. The only pressure I feel is the pressure I put on myself. Ive always done the best when Ive been under the gun.
Bazemore and Etchells joined forces when Team Winston and Bazemore decided to part ways following the 1998 season. In motorsports these days, teams joining forces isnt anything new. The long-range plan for this union is a two-car team.
To field a championship winning team is incredibly expensive, Bazemore said. There are three teams out here who have incredible budgets -- John Force, Don Prudhomme and the Joe Gibbs team. This was purely a business decision that Chuck made and I think its going to work out well. What it comes down to is that youve got to have money to test and buy new technology in order to be competitive.
Etchells defeated Ron Capps in the final last season at Firebird, capping a day that included round victories over Mitch McDowell, Randy Anderson and Bazemore. Bazemore is hoping to continue the Kendall Camaros success at Firebird, but he knows just because the team earned a victory here one year ago doesnt guarantee a Phoenix win in 1999.
Its a different deal now, Bazemore said. What they did last year is different: different car, different driver, different tuner and probably different weather conditions. You cant ever look back. Its a new day and were going into it with the attitude that we can win every race. Phoenix can be a really fast track and were looking forward to the race. We think we can win there, but not because Chuck won there last year. We want to prove that this team can win there this year under new circumstances.
* Burst of excitement: The Etchells-Bazemore alliance is one of several early season stories that has the Funny Car pits buzzing with excitement. Funny Car rookie Scotty Cannon, a multi-time IHRA Pro Mod champion, and new WWF-sponsored Pontiac driver Jerry Toliver have grabbed their share of headlines. Cannon, from Lyman, S.C., sports a Mohawk haircut and drives a wildly-painted Pontiac Firebird with sponsorship from Oakley. Toliver has already been fitted for his own personal NHRA WWF championship belt.
Theres some new faces and some excitement in Funny Car this year and were glad to be a part of that excitement, Bazemore said. One thing about this sport is that no matter who you are, you have to pay your dues sooner or later. These new guys are talking big and theyre flashy and have wild-looking haircuts, but thats OK. Bring em on. Its exciting for the class.