BAZEMORE LOW QUALIFER FRIDAY NIGHT IN OHIO
DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus
HEBRON, Ohio (May 20, 2005) - Whit Bazemore was Funny Car low qualifier today on a cool evening at National Trail Raceway, outside of Columbus, Ohio, setting a track elapsed-time record of 4.762 seconds at 322.34 mph.
His first round of qualifying today produced a 4.948/308.78, which was good for No. 11.
Two more qualifying rounds are scheduled for Saturday before final eliminations begin for round 8 of the 23-event NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
"It's a real good start for the weekend," said the driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car, who hasn't qualified No. 1 all season (two No. 8s, two No. 12s, and one No. 14), but has won twice and led the Funny Car point standings. Following last weekend's race in Atlanta, he is second in the rankings, 24 points behind John Force.
"Our team hasn't qualified that well all year, so hopefully it's not a jinx. We've done fairly well. We're second in the championship, and we've won two races, but all from qualifying eighth and 12th.
"Hopefully, if we can stay low tomorrow it won't be a jinx. It's what our team's needed. We've worked really hard trying to right our ship and eventually hard work pays off. Qualifying is a tribute to our Matco Tools team. It's (crew chief) Lee Beard making the right call, it's the guys doing a perfect job, and here we are.
"It was close. It almost didn't make it. It rattled pretty hard out there and that's what a lot of guys did - shook the tires first round and tonight. He had the tune-up right, I didn't crash it, and we went down the track and ran a .76.
"It felt good to run that quick, because we hadn't done that in quite a while."
Contact: Judy Stropus
HEBRON, Ohio (May 20, 2005) - Whit Bazemore was Funny Car low qualifier today on a cool evening at National Trail Raceway, outside of Columbus, Ohio, setting a track elapsed-time record of 4.762 seconds at 322.34 mph.
His first round of qualifying today produced a 4.948/308.78, which was good for No. 11.
Two more qualifying rounds are scheduled for Saturday before final eliminations begin for round 8 of the 23-event NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
"It's a real good start for the weekend," said the driver of the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car, who hasn't qualified No. 1 all season (two No. 8s, two No. 12s, and one No. 14), but has won twice and led the Funny Car point standings. Following last weekend's race in Atlanta, he is second in the rankings, 24 points behind John Force.
"Our team hasn't qualified that well all year, so hopefully it's not a jinx. We've done fairly well. We're second in the championship, and we've won two races, but all from qualifying eighth and 12th.
"Hopefully, if we can stay low tomorrow it won't be a jinx. It's what our team's needed. We've worked really hard trying to right our ship and eventually hard work pays off. Qualifying is a tribute to our Matco Tools team. It's (crew chief) Lee Beard making the right call, it's the guys doing a perfect job, and here we are.
"It was close. It almost didn't make it. It rattled pretty hard out there and that's what a lot of guys did - shook the tires first round and tonight. He had the tune-up right, I didn't crash it, and we went down the track and ran a .76.
"It felt good to run that quick, because we hadn't done that in quite a while."
posted by David @ 1:09 AM
<< Home