Scelzi unleashes his Hemi to first 330-mph Funny Car run in NHRA history

JOLIET, Ill. (May 21, 2004) - As promised, Gary Scelzi unleashed the HEMI power in his Oakley Dodge Stratus tonight and blasted to the first 330-mph Funny Car run in NHRA history. In a side-by-side match-up against his teammate Whit Bazemore in the second qualifying session, the man who established the national top-speed record of 329.18 mph here at Route 66 Raceway last September, surpassed that speed with a 330.15-mph run at 4.762 seconds, which placed him third in the field.

The bad news is that Tony Pedregon, in the pair that followed, eclipsed that speed with an even faster 331.28-mph run. The conditions were perfect tonight after Funny Car action was put on hold for an hour halfway through the field because of high winds. When the winds died down and qualifying continued, the temperatures cooled and the smooth surface of the newly-repaved quarter-mile delivered the advertised speeds.

Both drivers will attempt to back up their speeds for a new national top-speed record tomorrow. For Gary Scelzi to back up his speed to establish a new top-speed record, he would have to run 326.84 mph. For Pedregon to back up his record, it would take a 327.96-mph run.

"We had the thing with a different tune-up in it because the air got better, the water grains dropped and so we slowed the blower down," said Scelzi. "We couldn't change head gaskets, so we dragged it back (to the pits after the hold), the air kept getting better, kept getting better and we knew this track was fantasyland. So we came back and slowed the blower some more. That's all we did was slow the blower down. We did that in the staging lanes once; by the time we got back we did it again.

"The 330 was a shock until I hit the gas. I honestly didn't think we were going to run 330 tonight. I figured we would just go out and try to run a good solid 4.70-something (ET) and be happy with that. But (crew chief) Mike Neff had different plans, I think.

"Our car was actually a little bit slow early and not as fast and as quick as it's been to half-track before.

"It could have run 333 tonight, no exaggeration, 332 or 333. Tomorrow, who knows what the conditions are going to be like and if we can run fast enough to back this up. If it's cool then we can run faster than 330. It's possible."

Co-crew chief Dan Olson was crew chief on Tony Schumacher's Top Fuel Dragster when he posted his first 330-mph run, and is co-crew chief on Scelzi's Dodge for his first 330-mph pass. "Mike Neff and Dan Olson have worked really hard to make this car really consistent," said Scelzi. "We've changed our fuel system, we've changed our engine combination completely from what it was last year when we ran 329 mph - from bigger fuel pumps to different slide valves, to this hootenanny to that thingamajigger to a completely different clutch. We made major changes this year, and to run as well as we're running, I'm really amazed and I'm very happy."

The Fresno resident has high praise for this track. "When they took the bumps out I got nervous. I thought, Oh, God, who cares about the bumps because this race track is so good. NHRA should take samples of this race track and take them to wherever it is in the country where they redo a race track, because it's absolutely perfect. The asphalt is really tight so the rubber sticks to it. The concrete doesn't get bald spots even when it gets hot. It does everything right and it's a crew chief's dream. And it's flat."

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

Tony Pedregon Becomes the Quickest and Fastest Funny Car Driver in History with a #1 Qualifying pass of 4.716/331.28! Scelzi drives to the first Funny Car 330.

Grubnic, Anderson and Tonglet lead other Pro classes at the NHRA POWERade Lucas Oil Route 66 Nationals

The second session of Top Fuel was cancelled due to rain. Bob Vandergriff is currently qualified #9 in Top Fuel with a 4.660 @ 312.06.

Whit Bazemore follows up his win last week in Atlanta with a 4.731 326.71 for the #2 spot in Funny Car.

In Pro Stock, Georgia based Warren Johnson ( #5- 6.862 @ 201.25 ), Mark Whisnant ( #6- 6.864 @ 200.74 ) and Kurt Johnson ( #8- 6.866 @ 200.89 ) are currently qualified while Barry Grant is knocking on the door with a 17th best effort ( 6.897 @ 199.49 ). Barry's run is actually tied for #16, but the speed tie breaker goes to Steve Johns.
NHRA Recap

ATLANTA WINNER BAZEMORE RETURNS TO ROUTE 66 TO DEFEND TITLE

JOLIET, Ill. (May 19, 2004) - Whit Bazemore, driver of the Matco Tools Iron
Eagle Dodge Stratus, who was runner-up in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series Funny Car championship last year and is favored by many to win the
crown this year is back to fighting form and heading to Route 66 Raceway
this weekend to defend his 2003 title at the track where he's arguably had
the most success in his 16-year pro NHRA career.

Fresh from a victory at Atlanta Dragway in his third final-round appearance
of the last four races and a jump from sixth into second place in points,
Bazemore is eager to get on the quarter mile for the NHRA Route 66
Nationals, where he also won the inaugural NHRA race in 1998 and the fall
event in 2001. The Indianapolis resident and two-time U.S. Nationals
champion also notched two No. 1 qualifiers here in Joliet.

"We like Route 66 Raceway," said the 41-year-old who has won 16 events so
far and is seeking his first Funny Car championship. "It's probably the
track where we've had the most success ever, having won the inaugural race
there back in 1998, and twice more since then, and we're coming in this year
on a roll. But you can't take anything for granted. What we did in Atlanta a
couple of days ago is a couple of days ago, it's in the past."

Following two first-round losses and two second-round exits in the first
five races of 2004, the Matco Tools team, led by crew chief Lee Beard, is
buoyed by the recent turn-around of performance after finding a mechanical
problem that had plagued the team from the start. "We'll be rolling into
Chicago with a good race car, a good tune-up and the confidence in our own
ability to get the job done," said Bazemore.

The NHRA Route 66 Nationals is the second of six events in seven weeks, a
schedule which can take its toll on any team. "I think it's just going to
take everyone doing their job exceptionally well," said Bazemore, who is
just 51 points out of first place, "and if we do that and we make the right
decisions on the Matco Tools Dodge, and have a little racing luck going our
way, the next five races should be pretty good for us.

"I'm kind of excited for the rest of the year," added Bazemore. "At the same
time, we're realists and we know it takes hard work on behalf of the entire
Matco Tools Dodge team. We could lose this combination just as quickly as we
have it, but I don't see that happening.

"We've been in three finals in the last four races, which is pretty darned
stout. The Matco Tools Dodge team was on top of its game and the driver has
been on top of his game too and when you have that combination it's hard to
beat."

Legendary crew chief Lee Beard collected his 49th national-event victory as
a crew chief when Bazemore won in Atlanta. He'll be aiming to round at that
number to 50 on Sunday.

WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS:

* Qualified No. 4 at NHRA Route 66 Nationals in 2003, won event
* Route 66 Raceway is considered home track for team owner Don Schumacher,
whose Schumacher Electric Corporation is based in Mt. Prospect, Ill.
* Won Funny Car class here in 1998 and 2003. Also won the fall event in 2001
* 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 16 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
* Stands second in Funny Car points following Atlanta.
* Two-time U.S. Nationals champion

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

Short Week Ramps Warren Johnson's Work Schedule Even Higher

GM Performance Parts driver puts in overtime in preparation for NHRA Route 66 Nationals

SUGAR HILL, GA., May 19, 2004 - The NHRA's POWERade Drag Racing Series is in the middle of one of the toughest stretches on its 2004 schedule. Beginning with last weekend's race in Atlanta, the world's best quarter-milers will be competing on six of seven weekends, with stops from Englishtown, N.J. to Topeka, KS. This week, the straight liners head to Joliet, IL for the NHRA Route 66 Nationals. This allows most teams less than three full days to service their race car and make the 12-hour trek to Route 66 Raceway. However, GM Performance Parts Grand Am driver Warren Johnson's hectic schedule has compressed this timeframe even further.

"We'll definitely be cutting into our supply of midnight oil this week," stated Johnson. "Due to our one-day test in Atlanta on Monday, and a sponsor commitment in Detroit on Wednesday, I'll essentially have to one day to try and squeeze in fourteen days worth of work, trying to wring some extra performance out of our GM Performance Parts Grand Am."

One unknown factor all competitors will be facing this weekend at Route 66 Raceway is the racing surface, which has been completely redone since the NHRA's last visit in October, which will most likely require a totally new combination to produce the maximum performance. Fortunately, the Johnson team possesses over thirty years of tuning information from a wide variety of racetracks under all types of weather conditions, which they will refer to as they decide on a baseline set-up for this weekend's event.

"With the track being completely resurfaced, we have absolutely no idea what to expect," said Johnson. "As far as I know, no one has been on the track, so we are facing a brand new bowling alley. That could actually play in the GM Performance Parts Grand Am's favor. Not only do we have a bigger notebook than most teams, we also have the advantage of running two cars, which will give us twice the data in every session, which offers the potential of being a significant advantage."

"The Professor" heads to Illinois looking to repeat his winning performance from this event in 1999 (he also scored a victory at the fall event at Route 66 Raceway in 2001), with his confidence buoyed by the progress he has made during recent test sessions, which has provided vital tuning information on his revolutionary race car.

The challenge is further heightened by the inclusion this weekend of the King Demon Crown, the annual Pro Stock shootout pitting the top eight qualifiers from the last year in a $50,000 dash for cash. With so much on the line, Johnson acknowledges that a return to the winner's circle will rely heavily on the team performing at its absolute best.

"To be honest, we have not been as effective on race day as we would like," said Johnson. "Fortunately, or. depending upon your perspective, unfortunately, our wounds have been primarily self-inflicted, so the fix should be a simple one. Therefore, this weekend, as it is every time we unload that race car, avoiding errors will be our primary goal. We will continue to work at our normal pace, and if that is not enough to get it done, we will figure out some way to pick it up even further.

"Overall, however, I believe we're in a good position. We just have to execute our plan. From what we learned during our tests in Atlanta and South Carolina, we have more knowledge on what this GM Performance Grand Am needs to run, particularly on slick race tracks, which could be of particular use this weekend in Chicago. With the added challenge of the King Demon Crown, there is a lot at stake, and we don't want to leave any crumbs on the table."

In Warren's Words:

On racing at Route 66 Raceway -

"We enjoy racing at Route 66 Raceway. It is one of the nicest facilities on the circuit. We have one win there, and feel that we should actually have two. At the first race here in 1998, the final was delayed by over an hour due the clean-up after a Top Alcohol Funny Car caught fire, and the change in atmospheric conditions during that time resulted In our not having enough clutch in the car, and we came up a little short."

Facts on Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Racing Team entering
The NHRA Route 66 Nationals:

* WJ at Route 66 Raceway: This will be Warren's 10th appearance at Route 66 Raceway, where he has two wins (1999, 2001) in three final round appearances, and a 14-6 elimination round record. In addition, WJ was the No. 1 qualifier at the inaugural event in Joliet in 1998.

* Winning Streak: Warren Johnson is looking to extend a streak where has won at least one race a year for 22 consecutive years, which is the longest in NHRA history.

* WJ Reigns at the King Demon: Warren Johnson is one of four drivers to have won the King Demon Crown three times (the others are his son Kurt Johnson, Bob Glidden and Larry Morgan), and has seven final round appearances in the event's 19-year history. WJ's most recent King Demon Crown win came in 2002, when he defeated Mike Edwards in the final.

* No. 1 in National event wins: WJ's 92 national event victories are the most ever in the history of the Pro Stock division and place him second on the all-time NHRA win list. His most recent win came last year at the Lucas Oil Nationals in Reading, PA.

* Career best elapsed time: 6.715 seconds, Englishtown 2003

* Career best top speed: 205.69 mph, Englishtown 2003

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Kurt Johnson Pulls Double Driving Duties for Joliet Race

Defending Route 66 Raceway Pro Stock winner gets behind wheel of ACDelco
transporter

Sugar Hill, Ga., May 19, 2004 - Kurt Johnson is acknowledged as one of the
top drivers in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. Since his rookie season in
1993, the second-generation wheelman has accumulated 28 national event wins,
and has finished in the Top Ten in the championship standings every year.
In 2003, he was a prime contender for the POWERade championship, finishing
in the runner-up position for the second time in his career. The ACDelco
Cavalier pilot has been equally proficient in 2004, scoring a popular win in
Phoenix, and is again poised to challenge for the title.

However, Johnson will be calling on different driving skills as part of his
pre-race preparations for this weekend's NHRA Route 66 Nationals. Late on
Wednesday evening, he will get behind the wheel of the team's massive race
transporter to help with the 12-hour drive from the team's shop in Sugar
Hill, GA to Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, IL.

"Joe Cottle from our crew will be attending his daughter's graduation on
Friday, so I'll be jumping in the truck with Kevin (Horst) and driving up to
Chicago," said Johnson. "I guess you could say the real car guy will become
a real truck guy for a day. It's been a while since I've driven the rig,
and I'm looking forward to it. It might not have the acceleration of our
ACDelco Cavalier, but it's still a challenge to drive. I'm sure by the time
we pull into Route 66 Raceway, we'll have our strategy for the weekend all
mapped out, and maybe have a few stories to tell."

One year ago, the Johnson crew experienced both ends of the competitive
spectrum at Route 66 Raceway. Struggling to get a handle on the racetrack
throughout qualifying, they squeaked into the field in the 15th position.
On Sunday, however, the team came to life, powering through the field to
score their fourth win of the 2003 season.

"Last year, we came here with an engine that we had never used in
competition, and it threw us a bit of a curve, as evidenced by our
performance in qualifying," recalled Johnson. "Therefore, on Saturday night
I took all our notes from the year back to the hotel, and spent a few hours
going over them to come up with a combination.

"Fortunately, the entire crew did a fantastic job on Sunday with our ACDelco
Cavalier, including changing engines between the first and second rounds,
and we pulled together as a team to score a big win. Coming out of the
fifteenth spot, it felt like we had come back from the dead."

The younger member of the Johnson racing family will arrive in Illinois with
the unique distinction of being the only competitor looking to defend two
titles, as the King Demon Crown returns to Route 66 Raceway. This annual
all-star event pits the top eight qualifiers in Pro Stock from the past year
against each other in a three-round shootout, with the winner earning
$50,000. With three wins in his ten previous attempts, including last
year's race in Englishtown, N.J., K.J. understandably looks forward to the
2004 edition.

"This weekend is like any other during the season, with two races in one,
and we're going in as the defending champion in both," stated Johnson. "I
really enjoy the non-points races like the King Demon Crown. There's no
pressure, so I have fun with it, going in half-cocked, letting the clutch
out and trying to get to the finish line first. The biggest priority going
in is making sure you're qualified for the race on Friday night, so you can
have fun on Saturday."

"I feel good about our chances in both events. We're excited by how well
our ACDelco Cavalier is running in the first 330 feet, which is crucial to
the run. It has been absolutely flawless. We went back to our basic
combination, and it's making smooth runs, not even coming close to shaking
the tires. We'll see if we can go up to Chicago, do some damage, win a lot
of money and have a lot of fun."

KJ's Comments

On a memorable King Demon Crown moment at Route 66 Raceway:

"The last time we had the shootout at Route 66 Raceway was in 1999, and I
raced Richie Stephens in the first round. We were running the ACDelco
Camaro at the time, and I remember it stood up and went left at the start,
feeling as if it had one tire over the wall. I was in the left lane, and
when I brought it back in the groove I saw the back of Richie's car, and
thought 'Man, I can catch him!', so I stuffed it in third and got him by a
thousandth at the finish line. That was fun."

Facts on Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Racing Team entering the
NHRA Route 66 Nationals:

* KJ at Route 66 Raceway: This will be Kurt's 10th appearance at Route 66
Raceway, where he has one win (at this event a year ago), and an 11-7
elimination round record. KJ was also the No. 1 qualifier in Joliet in 1999
and 2001.

* One year ago: Kurt qualified 15th with an elapsed time of 6.814 seconds
and a top speed of 202.24 mph, and defeated Scott Geoffrion, Bruce Allen,
Greg Stanfield and Jeg Coughlin en route to his fourth win of the 2004
season.

* Winning percentage: Kurt's .645 elimination round winning percentage
(362-199) ranks 10th among all active NHRA professional drivers.

* National event wins: Kurt's 28 national event victories ties him for 14th
on the all-time NHRA professional win list, and tie him for fourth on the
all-time Pro Stock win list. Kurt's most recent win came at this year's
Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals in Phoenix, AZ.

* Career best elapsed time: 6.716 seconds, Englishtown, NJ. 2003

* Career best top speed: 206.61 mph, Englishtown, NJ. 2003

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Testing gives Bryce and Collis added confidence as G Squared Motorsports moves to Chicagoland
Courtesy Jerry Battle

JOLIET, Ill. (May 19, 2004) - There's an old motorsport adage that says, "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday." For George and Jackie Bryce, owners of Star Racing, and George Smith, part owner of S&S Cycle, Incorporated and George Bryce's partner in G Squared Motorsports, that saying hits the proverbial "nail on the head."

"Star Racing's reputation was built on winning," noted Bryce. "Winning races and championship, especially on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, along with a lot of hard work, have built Star Racing.

"Now, along with my partner George Smith, we have formed G Squared Motorsports, and will use the same philosophy -- winning races and hard work-- to expand that business. G Squared was formed to develop motorcycle engines and bikes, focusing on late-model hot rod V-Twins."

To that end, as the ongoing development continues on the competition V-Twin, the Star Racing team stayed at Atlanta Dragway and tested the Suzuki this past Monday, even after driver Fred Collis advanced to the semifinal round the day before.

"We made seven runs on Monday, which is pretty much unheard of," said George Bryce as he discussed Monday's testing. "The result was that we learned a lot and that will help our program in Chicago. We went in the right direction and we picked up a tenth over our semifinal time of Sunday. Conditions and track temperature were the same as they were during the semifinals on Sunday, so we were comparing apples to apples.

"It gave some extra seat time to Fred (Collis) since he just rejoined us in Houston. He was fortunate in that he was able to put 14 runs together between the race and the testing. That really tuned him up. It was evident in his driving focus. It got better and better. Based on the weekend and testing we look like we should start a march to the front of the pack. I can't control how fast everyone goes but we're going to run better."

This past weekend definitely helped my game," said Collis, who handles the driving duties for the Star Racing/G Squared Motorsports Suzuki. "A lot of racing is mental preparation, but you can only do so much. That's where this weekend played an important role. I was able to get added seat time, work on the lights and concentrate on going straight and hitting shift points. The extra seat time, along with what was found in the tune-up area, should help us in Chicago."

The NHRA Route 66 Nationals opens with two professional qualifying sessions for the Pro Stock bike and car classes on Friday (May 20) at 4 and 7 p.m. and two final qualifying sessions on Saturday (May 21) at 12:15 and 3 p.m.. Final eliminations for all classes get underway on Sunday at 11 a.m. All times is Central Daylight Time (CDT).

Same-day television coverage can be seen on ESPN2 with qualifying highlights on Saturday (May 22) from 7-9 p.m. and eliminations on Sunday (May 23) from 7-10 p.m. All times is Eastern Time (ET).

MEDIA CONTACT: Mickey Schultz
Furnished by Star Racing
www.starracing.com

Collis advances to semifinals aboard Star Racing/G Squared Motorsports Suzuki
courtesy Jerry Battle


COMMERCE, GA. (May 16, 2004) - Fred Collis, aboard the Star Racing/G Squared Motorsports Suzuki, advanced to the semifinals in the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac being held today at Atlanta Raceway in Commerce, Ga.

En route to the semifinals, Collis defeated Craig Treble and Mike Berry before falling victim to Shawn Gann.

The difference this race, as compared to the last race in Houston, was that Collis was much improved. The Star Racing/G Squared Motorsports rider did an outstanding job today on reaction times, shift points and going straight. It was the focus of Collis in the race today that kept the team in the hunt for the event title.

"We left a lot of crumbs on the table today when it came to our tune-up," said Star Racing team owner and G Squared Motorsports partner George Bryce. "We went the wrong way with our tune-up each run in Houston, and while we thought we had it figured out, we did the same thing here.

"Fred's consistent driving won us some rounds today. We're going to stay and test tomorrow and get ready for Chicago. We made some changes to our tune-up in the semifinals today and that slowed us down. Tomorrow we'll reverse those changes and I expect to see the bike react positively."

After testing, the team moves next weekend to the NHRA Route 66 Raceway Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., about 30 miles from downtown Chicago. This will be the second of five Pro Stock motorcycle events over a seven week span. A schedule that is to Collis' liking.

"I like a schedule like that," said Collis. "You go to the race, then come home and recharge your batteries but it doesn't allow too much downtime. If you are doing good and are consistent, such as I was this weekend, you can keep that momentum going. You can keep your focus and not stray too far from the job you are supposed to do. Yes, I like it."

G Squared Motorsports is currently building and testing a competition S&S Cycle-powered V-Twin with Buell bodywork, and hope to have the bike ready for NHRA competition in the near future. The effort is a collaboration between George Bryce of Star Racing, headquartered in Americus, Ga., and George Smith, part owner of S&S Cycle, Incorporated, based in Viola, Wis.

Combining Bryce's talent for building state-of-the-art motorcycles and mentoring competitive drivers capable of winning championships and Smith's knowledge and experience with the V-Twin engine, Bryce and Smith have established a new company, G Squared Motorsports (a derivative of the name George, common to both partners), to develop motorcycles and motorcycle engines with a focus on late-model hot rod V-Twins.

Qualified: # 10 (7.217 seconds at 184.80 mph)
Eliminations:
Round 1: Collis (7.283/181.45) def. Craig Treble (Red-Lighted: 7.250/188.70)
Round 2: Collis (7.274/183.49) def. Mike Berry (7.295/183.34)
Round 3 (Semifinals): Collis (7.309/181.84) lost to Shawn Gann (7.224/186.72)

MEDIA CONTACT: Mickey Schultz
STAR RACING/G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS
PRO STOCK BIKE
FRED COLLIS -- RIDER
www.starracing.com

Photos from the 2004 NHRA POWERADE Southern Nationals

Bazemore Wins His First Race of 2004; Defeats Teammate Scelzi in Their First Final Round

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 16, 2004) - Crew chief Lee Beard, and the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus team received all the accolades from driver Whit Bazemore today for providing him and his Funny Car the consistency they needed to win his first NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series race of the season, the 16th of his career, and the second here at Atlanta Dragway.

The No. 2 qualifier here first defeated Ron Capps in the first round with a 4.865/316.97 to Capps' 4.945/265.33.

In the second round, Bazemore faced the Funny Car championship points leader Del Worsham, dismissing him with a 4.841/319.52 to Worsham's tire-smoking 7.158/109.17.

Bazemore found himself facing another stout competitor in the semifinal, Tim Wilkerson, but was able to send him home packing as well with a 4.956/305.63 to Wilkerson's 5.777/172.25.

The final round couldn't have been scripted any better for Don Schumacher Racing, as Bazemore and his teammate Gary Scelzi went head-to-head for the first time for all the laurels. They launched nearly identically with reaction times of .073 for Scelzi, .075 for Bazemore. It was the match-up the fans were waiting for. And it should have been a barn-burner, but Scelzi's HEMI-powered Oakley Dodge struck the tires at the hit of the
throttle, ending his day, as Bazemore continued his charge down the quarter-mile to take the victory with a 5.025/299.80.

"It wasn't a shame we had to run Scelzi in the final, it was great, actually," said Bazemore. "It's a shame we both couldn't win. It's tough. That Oakley team, they're stout. They're good friends of ours, a close-knit group of people. They're over here helping us all the time, we're helping them all the time.

"To win here twice is just unbelievable. This place is emotional, because the points are the same, the money is the same, but there are some places that just mean more than other places. For me this is one of those places because it's where I first saw drag racing as a young kid. So this is a place where the dreams start to foment."

Bazemore won his first race at Atlanta Dragway in 2002. "'02 was good," he said, "but this is good because we've been runner-up twice this year. We've kind of had a struggle in the beginning of the season, we were inconsistent. We found a pretty serious problem with our race car after Bristol two weeks ago. The team did a great job. They addressed it and here we are. Our car
was nearly flawless. They gave me a perfect car.

"One of the keys to success in the sport is that you have to be consistent. You've got to have a race car that has performance equal to or better than your competitors and you've got to to be able to do that every round. The team gave us that this weekend and it was an effort. It's a team sport all the way."

Today marked the first time the two teammates faced each other in the final round since Scelzi joined the team in 2003. "You think racing your teammate is fun," said Bazemore, "but it's almost a worse thing because you can't lose. It's not ego, and it's not bragging rights, it's staking your claim. He is very, very competitive. The guys on both of our teams are close. We
work together every day and when it comes down to it one of the biggest wins is whenever we can beat that team; it means a lot. Not only because it's Gary and the fact he's won three (Top Fuel) championships and he's a friend but just because they're good and you want to walk into the shop as number one. And he feels the same way.

"We were fortunate today, he beat us in Pomona earlier this year. It was very, very frustrating (for me) then. I know how he feels right now, but they're going to win some races this year."

Lee Beard won his 49th national event today as a CREW CHIEF. "It's just fantastic for Matco, Oakley, Dodge, all of the people that support our program. It's really special to win for Whit Bazemore here in Atlanta, where he grew up.

"As a team we had some problems, it started in testing and went through Bristol. We did manage to get to the final round in a couple of places, Vegas and Bristol, but the wins were eluding us. We put our finger on the problem. To be able to come here and win is going to give our entire team a big boost of confidence and hopefully we can continue on and have our noses
in there for the championship."

Beard is no longer known as the master of tracks under cooler conditions, as today's rounds were held under high humidity and 80-degree temperatures on a sticky surface. "All the conditions are a challenge for you," he said. "I don't think I'm really a specialist at hot tracks or cold tracks . The thing about the Funny Car is it has a very narrow window for error; you have to
tip-toe under conditions like we had today in those later rounds where we had 125-,130-degree track temperatures."

Bazemore jumps into second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series point standings, just 51 out of first place.

POINT STANDINGS:

1. Del Worsham, 513
2. Whit Bazemore, 462
3. John Force, 450
4. Tim Wilkerson, 427
5. Gary Scelzi, 416

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

Kurt Johnson's Day Ends in Peculiar Fashion in the Atlanta Semis


After qualifying 13th for Sunday's eliminations of the Summit Racing NHRA Southern Nationals, Kurt Johnson knew he had his work cut out for him. Not only would he open his pursuit of his second national event win of 2004 against rival Jeg Coughlin, he would do so without the benefit of lane choice. Undaunted, the ACDelco Cavalier pilot combined the fastest reaction of the opening stanza (011) with the quickest elapsed time in the
less-preferred lane (6.842 seconds) to defeat Coughlin and advance to the second round.

Johnson's assignment did not get any easier, as he would match up against three-time Pro Stock champion Darrell Alderman, again, without the luxury of choosing his lane. In a repeat of the first round, KJ gained a two-hundredth of a second advantage at the start and drove away from his opponent, posting a 6.837-second elapsed time with a top speed of 202.15 mph.

The final obstacle standing between Johnson and his third Atlanta
championship round was No. 1 qualifier Larry Morgan. Unfortunately, a mechanical gremlin prevented Johnson from starting his race car, a problem that was compounded by difficulties remounting the carbon-fiber nose.

Although Morgan graciously waited, and the ACDelco crew was able to eventually get their car started and rolling to the starting line, NHRA officials determined Johnson had exceeded an acceptable time limit and counted him out, handing the automatic win to his opponent. Afterwards, a philosophical Johnson explained the events that led to his unusual disqualification.

"We normally tape the starter cable in place, and it came out when I tried to start it for the semis. Unfortunately, it came out to the point that it arced, which created a burr that prevented us from simply re-inserting it.

"In order to get the car started, Joe (crewmember Cottle) had to hold the cable in place until ithe engine fired, after which he had to wrap the cable around the chassis tubing so it wouldn't flap around during the run. Once we solved that problem, we had some issues putting the nose back on, and we finally just ran out of time.

"I'd like to thank Larry Morgan for his sportsmanship. He did everything he could to let us race, just as we would have if the situation was reversed. He knows It's not any fun for either the fans or the competitors to win a race when you don't have anyone to race. It's not his fault.

"I guess we've found a new way to lose one of these. I'm not saying the ACDelco Cavalier would have definitely won, but I certainly would have liked to have had the chance.

"Even with the strange ending, it was still a good day. We made some changes this morning, ran fairly well and went some rounds, which, considering that wasn't our best motor, is pretty encouraging. I guess it's on to Chicago, where the ACDelco crew will try to defend both the national event and King Demon titles."

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Scelzi Goes to Final Round, Loses to Teammate Bazemore

Scelzi moves into fifth in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings, however, and is now just 97 points behind points leader Del Worsham.

"It smoked the tires at the hit," said a disappointed Scelzi. "You don'teven have a chance. You just beat yourself. It's unfortunate. I don't know what happened.

"It was still a great day. When you get to the final round, it's a good thing, even if you get beat. But I'd just like to run side by side with somebody if that's what's going to happen, but that's not what happened. It's unfortunate. It wasn't a planned deal, obviously. Something either malfunctioned or we missed on the tune-up. It was just one of those things."

Crew chief Mike Neff was stoic. "It looks like the clutch was really aggressive. It got hot. We were up there running for a lot longer than we normally do. And for whatever reason it was just really aggressive when he stepped on the gas and it smoked the tires. We tried backing it down from the prior runs today just to be safe, to make sure we got off the starting line, because I didn't feel the left lane was quite as good as the right lane. But for whatever reason we just had a hiccup in the clutch and it was just too aggressive and came loose.

"It's a good day for us and we're really encouraged with the progress that we've been making here lately. We've made an awful lot of changes to this thing and now we've picked a combination that we're going to stick with and try to make work. We don't have that many runs with it but we're learning every time it goes down the track and we're getting down the track a lot
more than we have and we're starting to get more confidence in what we're doing here and in our car and I think it'll just keep getting better. Any time you can go to the final round it's like finishing second, so we have nothing to hang our heads about."

POINT STANDINGS

1. Del Worsham, 513
2. Whit Bazemore, 462
3. John Force, 450
4. Tim Wilkerson, 427
5. Gary Scelzi, 416

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

Cory Mac, Bazemore, Anderson and Savoie Win NHRA POWERade Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac - Sherman Adcock, Jr. ( Columbus, GA ) Wins Super Gas - Lamar Majors ( Hoschton, GA ) RU in Super Street


Cory McClenathan won over reigning IHRA Champ Clay Millican in the final round of Top Fuel with a 4.651 @ 320.74 to Clay's 4.700 @ 315.93. This was Cory's 28th win and Millican's third straight runner-up effort. In his return to NHRA Top Fuel racing, Alpharetta, GA's Bob Vandergriff ( 4.663 @ 306.53 )lost in the first round to Darrell Russell ( 4.621 @ 320.74 ). David Grubnic set Low ET in qualifying with a 4.469 and Tony Schumacher had the top speed for Top Fuel at 329.02 MPH.
Summary of Top Fuel Eliminations


Team Schumacher picked up the win and runner-up in Funny Car as former Atlanta resident Whit Bazemore picked up his second Funny Car victory in Atlanta ( 16 Career Wins ) winning over Gary Scelzi. Whit prevailed with a 5.025 @ 299.80 over Scelzi's up in smoke 10.847 @ 90.59. Low ET and Top Speed was set by Tony Pedregon with a 4.765 @ 329.83. The 329.83 was Top Speed of the meet. Bob Gilbertson made it to the semi-final round in his Trick Tank "Jungle Jim" tribute Firebird, but lost to Scelzi after smoking the tires.
Summary of Funny Car Eliminations


Greg Anderson won his 22nd Pro Stock title ( 5th straight ) over #1 qualifier Larry Morgan. Greg had to overcome engine problems ( see NHRA recap link below )and use a hole shot to defeat team mate Jason Line in the semi-final round. Andeson defeated Morgan 6.812 @ 203.00 to 6.850 @ 202.58 after Larry left first (0.018) to (0.049). Warren Johnson lost to Bruce Allen in the first round and Kurt Johnson provided the drama in the semi-final round by not being able to start his engine and after he did start it, there was some trouble placing the front end back on the car. Larry Morgan waited until he was told to make a single run. Kurt sped to the line, but he was too late ( See Drag Race Central Round 3 Pro Stock Eliminations ). Greg Anderson set Low ET with a 6.776 and Larry Morgan had Top Speed with a 203.80.
Summary of Pro Stock Eliminations

Angelle Savoie won her first Pro Stock Bike race after joining Team Schumacher and being sponsored by the U.S. Army. Savoie defeated Shawn Gann in the final with 7.119 ( Low ET )@ 191.59 over Gann's 7.248 @ 186.15. Fred Collis ( Americus, GA ) lost to Gann in the semi-finals on his Star Racing bike. GT Tonglet set Top Speed at 192.91 MPH on his Harley.
Summary of Pro Stock Bike Eliminations

David Wells won Top Alcohol Dragster ( 6 Career Wins ) over first-time finalist Ashley Force (5.476 @ 260.97 to 6.368 @ 250.41 ). Michael Gunderson set Low ET ( 5.346 ) and Top Speed (276.75 ).

Paul Lee upset the field in Top Alcohol Funny Car, beating Jay Payne with a holeshot in the final ( 5.747 to 5.692 ) to earn his first career win. Jay Payne set Low ET ( 5.585 ) and Frank Manzo had Top Speed at 259.36 MPH.

Raymond Martin won Comp, Tim Cole won Super Stock, Steve Cohen won Super Comp, 1990 Super Gas national champ Sherman Adcock Jr. won Super Gas, and David Anspach won Super Street over Hoschton, GA's Lamar Majors.
NHRA Recap

Bazemore Claims His Third No. 2 Qualifying Spot of the Year


COMMERCE, Ga. (May 15, 2004) - Driving the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge
Stratus Funny Car, Whit Bazemore added two more solid qualifying passes
today to his report card, giving him a 4 for 4 record for consistent
qualifying laps this weekend. He remained No. 2, based on his Friday night
pass of 4.797/324.20. This marks his third No. 2 for the season so far.

Today's rounds included a 4.926/305.29 (second quickest of the third
session) and a 4.891/305.49 in the final attempt.

"It was a good day," said Bazemore, winner here in 2002. "The weekend as a
whole has been really positive for the team. Today, we were consistent and
we were within a couple of hundredths of low E.T. of the day. Lee (Beard,
crew chief) is still finding his way back to the tune-up after spending most
of the season trying to compensate for a mechanical problem that we really
didn't know existed until this week. Whenever that happens it's really hard
for a crew chief because he's trying to tune the car for the conditions and
other variables such as a new Goodyear tire, and at the same time,
unbeknownst to him, there is a mechanical problem that is making the car
very inconsistent.

"He was trying to compensate for that at the same time and it was puzzling.
So, we're crawling back. We've had a great weekend so far. It's a great
example of Lee's ability and the ability of everyone else on the team that
we're this competitive again and consistent after making a major change on
the car."

The two-time U.S. Nationals Champion will face Ron Capps in the first round
of eliminations tomorrow, which begin at 11 a.m.

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

Scelzi Grabs NO. 5 In Atlanta Qualifying

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 15, 2004) - Except for losing traction at the hit of the throttle in the third qualifying session, Gary Scelzi credits his HEMI-powered Oakley Dodge Stratus Funny Car with three stout qualifying rounds this weekend, placing him No. 5 in the field, with the 4.828/319.39 pass set on Friday night.

In today's final qualifying session, the three-time Top Fuel champion posted the fourth quickest elapsed time of that session (4.871 seconds) at a speed of 310.70 mph, slower than expected.

"We burned it up a little bit at the end, I think," he said of that final pass. "Our coil quit or something and it put out two holes at the finish. That's why I didn't run any speed. Basically, for me, it went down the race track three out of four times this weekend. And that's what we need to start getting back in the rhythm.

"That will come in play again tomorrow," he added, referring to similar track and weather conditions expected during eliminations. "The track temperature was 125 degrees and I'm sure we had one of the quickest 60-ft. increments out there, so that's big, because our car is normally three hundredths behind at 60 feet, then it makes it up from 300 feet on. Now we've got to get our speed back and make this thing continue not to smoke
the tires."

Scelzi will meet Jim Head in the first round of eliminations on Sunday, which begin at 11 a.m.

Contact: Judy Stropus
DON SCHUMACHER RACING

Warren Johnson Starts Ninth in Atlanta

Warren Johnson completed a solid qualifying effort on Saturday at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia. In each of his first three attempts, Johnson's GM Performance Parts Grand Am bettered its previous effort, with his quickest pass of 6.828 seconds with a top speed of 203.12 mph on Saturday morning placing the Georgia driver in the ninth position for Sunday's final eliminations.

Although a problem in the transmission prevented "The Professor" from further improving his standing on his final attempt, the early performance indicators had him confident of repeating his winning effort in Atlanta a year ago.

"We're certainly headed in the right direction. We've gone over our runs for the weekend, and considering the various factors, we've averaged being the fourth quickest. That's much better than the 12th or 13th we averaged at the last race, so our testing in South Carolina last week paid off.

"We broke a slider in fifth gear on our last run, but the incremental numbers up to the eighth mile, just before it let go, indicate that it was actually a pretty good run, probably around 6.82, which would have been very good for that session. The entire GM Performance Parts Grand Am team is pretty optimistic heading into tomorrow."

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Kurt Johnson Qualifies 13th in Atlanta

Kurt Johnson entered the final qualifying session at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, knowing he would need to step up his performance in order to guarantee his participation in Sunday's final eliminations. Sitting in the precarious sixteenth and final qualifying position, the second-generation driver overcame the heat and humidity to post the second quickest pass in the right hand lane at 6.832 seconds with a top speed of 202.18 mph to claim the 13th starting slot.

"We came here with a totally new combination and thought we were in good shape, but we just didn't run the way we expected. Going into the last session on the bump, we knew we had to improve to stay qualified, so we changed the suspension around, and even though the ACDelco Cavalier made a nice, smooth run, it still isn't right. The engine isn't firing, and I can hear that it has a problem when I put it in high gear. There's a gremlin in it somewhere that we need to get out before the first round tomorrow.

"We have our work cut out for us tomorrow, but I'm pleased we were able to make a decent run this afternoon. If we can get the motor happy and hitting on all eight cylinders, we're going to be fast tomorrow."

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Track Records Fall as Grubnic, T. Pedregon, Morgan and Savoie Lead Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals presented by Pontiac

Drag Race Central Recap

Bob Vandergriff qualifies #10 in Top Fuel with a 4.654 @ 312.13.

Warren (#9)and Kurt(#13) Johnson qualify for Pro Stock, while Whisnant(#17), Grant(#21) and Shelton(#28) come up short.