Georgia Drag Racing News

Information about Georgia drag racing history, personalities, activities and events from GeorgiaDragRacing.com.

Saturday, May 28, 2005

BAZEMORE HAS HICCUP IN FINAL SESSION, QUALIFIES SIXTH IN TOPEKA

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
O'REILLY NHRA SUMMER NATIONALS
HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA, Kan.
Contact: Judy Stropus

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 28, 2005) - Whit Bazemore and Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus Funny Car crew chief Lee Beard put together three excellent passes during qualifying for the O'Reilly Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, but failed to start the final session because of a starter problem.

The defending Topeka Funny Car champion ended up sixth in the field and will face his teammate Ron Capps in the first round of final eliminations on Sunday.

Bazemore posted a 4.847/317.19 in the first round, followed by a 4.806/316.90 in Friday's night session and a 4.922/307.79, before aborting the final run at the starting line.

"It's been an up and down weekend," said Bazemore. "It's been OK. We went down the track every time except in the last session, where we had a really freak situation with the starter motor and the batteries. We couldn't get the car to start, because one starter motor failed, and then it caused a problem with the battery pack.

"We were unable to make the last run, which was really unfortunate, because the conditions were good (a cloud cover came over because of an impending storm) and with the information that we learned from last night we all feel pretty confident that we could have run considerably better and improved our position in the field.

"But, as it is, sixth is not bad. It's in the top half, so we're not unhappy with the job that we've done so far."

Millican, Janis, Atchison and Jones Win the Hooters IHRA ACDelco Nationals presented by Richmond Times-Dispatch

IHRA Results at Drag Race Central

Eddie Ware (Marietta, GA) qualified #13(6.307 @ 223.43)in Pro Mod and went to the semi-finals where he lost to Mike Janis. Eddie left on Mike, but his 6.278 @ 224.10 wasn't quick enough for the win.

Kalitta, Hight and Anderson #1 Qualifiers at the NHRA POWERade O'Reilly Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX

Doug Kalitta is the top qualifier in Top Fuel at 4.505 @ 329.26, Robert Hight is #1 in Funny Car at 4.729 @ 322.50 and Greg Anderson is back on top of Pro Stock with his 6.716 @ 204.82.

Whit Bazemore is #6 in Funny Car with his 4.806 @ 317.19.

In Pro Stock, Kurt Johnson qualified #3 (6.740 @ 204.79), WJ is #10 (6.764 @ 204.39), Greg Stanfield is #11 in his PiranaZ sponsored Cavalier (6.765 @ 204.08) and Barry Grant missed the field with a 22nd best 6.858 @ 201.16.

NHRA Recap

GARHOFA Event - Roy Rogers All American Round Up - May 28-30 at Buford, GA

Saturday, May 28, 2005
Tannery Row 554 W. Main St. Buford, Ga.
CAR SHOW----May 28-29-30.The North Georgia Chapter of GARHOFA will be participating on the 28th and 29th at this BIG CAR SHOW. NASCAR Champion Rex White will be signing autographs and will have his book "Gold Thunder" available for purchase. Drag Racer Hubert Platt will be signing autographs also. Several former GRAND NATIONAL RACE CARS will be on display. Rex Whites #4 Nalley Chevrolet--Buck Bakers 1957 Chevy #87--Rusty Wallaces Kodiak Pontiac #27--Jack Smiths #47 Pontiac and Tim Flocks Chrysler 300. Several vintage race cars will on display. The North Ga. Chapter will be there from 10 AM--6:00 PM both days.
Lots of custom cars on display..Fire works-bluegrass music--prizes,,etc. Benefits the Roy Rogers Happy Trails Childrens Foundation.

Support the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame Association with their efforts to document and preserve Georgia racing history! We need more drag racers involved. I'm not sure when he'll be at the show, but I hear that drag racing pioneer and legend Hoyt Grimes will aso be attending the event this weekend. There are a bunch of great people involved in this organization and I'm proud to say I'm a member. Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame Association.

Make-A-Wish Foundation

I usually don't post info or link to charities on this site, but I'm going to make an exception here. The Make-A-Wish organization has been involved in several drag racing related wishes over the last several years and recently, 13 year old Tyler Powers from Gainesville, GA was the honorary starter at the 2005 NHRA Southern Nationals thanks to the efforts of Make-A-Wish.

Of course, the drag racing related wishes are only a tiny part of what these people do. Granting the wishes of children with life threatening medical conditions is such a wonderful idea! I'm going to donate several thousand frequent flier miles (that I had forgotten about) to this worthwhile organization. If you can help them, please do.

For more information: Make-A-Wish

Kalitta, Hight and Anderson Top Day One Pro Qualifying at the NHRA POWERade O'Reilly Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX

Friday, May 27, 2005

WJ's Wrap Sheet - Heartland Park Topeka Edition

Contact:Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

WJ's Wrap Sheet - Heartland Park Topeka Edition

1. WJ's First Topeka Race - 1989
Race Car: 1989 ACDelco Oldsmobile Cutlass
Performance: WJ Qualified No. 1, 7.331 seconds, 188.16 mph
Defeated Bob Glidden - Lost to Darrell Alderman

In Warren's Words:

"This race was memorable because of two strange things that happened to me during the weekend. First, while changing engines on Saturday night, I slipped and a head gasket bit me. That required a trip to the hospital for five stitches on my left thumb that I had to race with on Sunday.

"To top that, I lost a race due to a piece of straw. When the NHRA first went there in 1989, the facility was still under construction, and they covered the raw dirt with straw to hold the dust down. As a result, with the incessant wind we have there, there were tiny pieces of straw flying everywhere.

"I was racing Alderman in the second round and seemed to have him covered when the car suddenly and inexplicably nosed over in third gear. When I pulled the hood scoop off afterward, there was straw stuck in the air bleeds. It was undoubtedly one of the most unusual ways to lose a race that I have ever experienced."

Notes of the time:

- This was the 21st No. 1 qualifying performance of WJ's career, and second in 1989.
- This marked the second time in Warren's career that he had qualified No. 1 in his first appearance at a particular racetrack. The only other time prior to this race was at the 1982 Finals in Irvine, CA.
- This inaugural visit by the NHRA to HPT was known as the ACDelco Nationals.
- WJ's 7.331-second, 188.16 mph pass in qualifying also set low elapsed time and top speed of the event in the Pro Stock category.
- Mark Pawuk was the No. 16th qualifier with a 7.447-second time.
- Other current Pro Stock competitors in the field that weekend included Larry Morgan, Kenny Koretsky and Jerry Haas.
- WJ raced in Sunday's eliminations with five stitches in his left thumb, the result of a mishap on Saturday night when the crew was swapping engines.
- Warren also seemed ready to eliminate Alderman in the second round, pulling away from Alderman when his car suddenly slowed and allowed his opponent to edge him at the stripe. The unlikely cause for this rare malfunction was a piece of hay getting stuck in the carburetors' high speed air bleed.
- Alderman went on to defeat Joe Lepone in the final.
- The Pro Stock field consisted of Oldsmobile Cutlasses, a Chevy Beretta, Dodge Daytonas, Pontiac Firebirds, Trans Ams and Grand Prix, and Bob Glidden's Ford Probe.
- Other winners that weekend included current Larry Dixon crew chief Dick LaHaie in Top Fuel, in a dragster tuned by his daughter Kim (now Kim Richards, a key member of Brandon Bernstein's team) and Mark Oswald in Funny Car.


2. WJ's First Topeka Final - 1991
Race Car: 1991 ACDelco Olds Cutlass
Performance: WJ Qualified Second, 7.213 seconds, 192.71 mph
Defeated Joe Lepone, Mark Pawuk, Scott Geoffrion - Lost to Darrell Alderman

In Warren's Words:

"For some reason, I have no real recollection of this race, although I do remember that this was in the middle of our battle with Wayne County Speed Shops entry. Ironically, Scott Geoffrion, who would join the Mopar clan a year later, was in our team car at the time and couldn't get the car into reverse in the semifinals against us. We were using the Lencos then, and their reversers were notoriously fragile. Other than that, nothing much stands out, but we obviously were running pretty well to make it to the final."

Notes of the time:

- This was the 50th final round appearance of Warren's career, and tenth of the 1991 season.
- WJ's 7.229-second elapsed time was the quickest pass of Sunday's eliminations
- WJ ran uncontested in the semi--finals, as then-teammate Scott Geoffrion could not get his car into reverse following his burnout.
- Geoffrion, driving a Johnson-powered Cutlass, set the HRP top speed track record at 192.84 mph.
- Alderman was the No. 1 qualifier with a 7.206-second time, while Gordie Rivera captured the 16th and final position with a 7.320-second pass.
- The Pro Stock field was made up of nine Olds Cutlasses, three Chevy Berettas, two Pontiac Trans Ams, and a single Ford Probe and Dodge Daytona.
- Other winners in the NHRA professional categories that weekend included Pat Austin, who upset Joe Amato in the Top Fuel final, and Mark Oswald, who defeated John Force and his Castrol Olds Cutlass in the Funny Car final.

3. WJ's First NHRA Topeka Win - 1992
Race Car: 1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass
Performance: WJ Qualified Second, 7.223 seconds, 192.14 mph
Defeated Joe Lepone, Bruce Allen, Larry Morgan, Scott Geoffrion

In Warren's Words:

"Obviously, it was a good weekend if we won the race. Although some may find this hard to believe, I took no extra pleasure in beating Scott since he was now in that other brand. He had been offered a job that I couldn't match, so I gave him my blessing and told him to take it. However, any win is a good win, so we were definitely happy to take home the trophy and the check."

Notes of the time:

- This was the 33rd win of Warren Johnson's Pro Stock career, and came in his 59th career final round (and second at Heartland Park Topeka).
- With the win, WJ only needed qualify at the next race in Dallas to capture his first NHRA Pro Stock championship.
- This was WJ's seventh of eight wins he would score in 1992.
- Former WJ teammate Geoffrion was the No. 1 qualifier with a 7.196-second elapsed time, with Vince Khoury in the sixteenth and final starting spot with a 7.315-second pass.
- WJ defeated Geoffrion in the final with a 7.203-second, 192.38 mph pass to Geoffrion's 7.245-second, 189.95 mph pass.
- Among the current Pro Stock competitors in the field were Larry Morgan, Bruce Allen, Mark Pawuk, Rickie Smith and Jim Yates.
- Other professional winners included current Ron Capps crew chief Ed "The Ace" McCulloch, who edged Joe Amato in Top Fuel, Cruz Pedregon over John Force in Funny Car and Byron Hines (Matt and Andrew's father) over John Myers in Pro Stock Bike.

4. WJ's Most Recent Topeka Win - 1998
Race Car: 1998 Goodwrench Service Plus Firebird
Performance: WJ Qualified Eighth, 6.965 seconds, 197.93 mph
Defeated Richie Stevens, Mark Osborne, Tom Martino and Jeg Coughlin

In Warren's Words:

"Strangely enough, other than remembering that we had to come back to complete final eliminations, nothing much stands out from that weekend. I guess the easiest way to explain it is that once the race is over, it's history, so I move on to the next one. Unless something memorable has happened, it becomes one of many races I have competed in during my career. Naturally, we were happy to win, but other than that, we obviously did our jobs that weekend."

Notes of the time:

- This was the 70th win of Warren's career, and came in his 112th final round appearance.
- The Topeka victory was WJ's seventh of 1998, where he would eventually total nine for the year in fifteen final round appearances.
- Rain limited qualifying to only three sessions, and postponed final eliminations for two weeks.
- The fields were set during the first weekend, with teams given the opportunity to test and tune on the Friday before Saturday's scheduled eliminations.
- Mark Osborne was the No. 1 qualifier with a 6.924-second time, with Larry Morgan in the 16th position with his 7.004-second effort.
- The field consisted of Oldsmobile Cutlasses, Pontiac Firebirds, Chevrolet Camaros and Dodge Avengers.
- Other winners that weekend included Cory McClenathan, who defeated Kenny Bernstein in the Top Fuel final, and Ron Capps over Al Hofmann in the Funny Car championship round.

5. WJ's Heartland Park Topeka in a Nutshell -

"When Heartland Park first opened, it was a pretty nice facility, and we raced there before the sports cars. Unfortunately, the drag strip was part of the road course, and the roundy-rounders put a pretty substantial berm in the right lane, which made it impossible to get down. Fortunately, they addressed the issue, which improved the racing significantly.

"Since then, it has been a pretty decent facility, good enough that we used to run two races here. One thing that is a given is that the wind will be howling and changing directions. The performance there has not been that strong, simply because of the track elevation, and, on occasion, the time of year we run there. However, over the years we've been able to do a pretty good job of adapting to whatever Mother Nature throws at us there, so I’m not about to complain."

WJ's Heartland Park Topeka NHRA Box Score

Races-----Starts------Wins------Finals-----#1----Avg. Qual.-----W-----L--------Pct.
21---------21----------5----------6---------7--------4.0--------36----16-------.692

Did You Know?
- WJ's five wins at Heartland Park Topeka are the most by any Pro Stock driver.

KJ Looks to Complete the Puzzle in Topeka

Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

Strong start has ACDelco Cobalt crew targeting win at O'Reilly Summer Nationals

Sugar Hill, Ga., May 25, 2005 - This weekend's O'Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka, KS will mark Pro Stock standout Kurt Johnson's fourth race with his ACDelco Cobalt. By all accounts, this combination has been both historic and productive, as the second-generation became the first to qualify, score elimination round wins and advance to a final round with the latest member of the Pro Stock Bow Tie Brigade. This performance has also catapulted Johnson into fifth place in the POWERade Championship standings as he chases his first title, giving the hard-working team's confidence a welcome boost.

"The performance of this ACDelco Cobalt has definitely headed us in the right direction," said Johnson. "With two semifinals and a runner-up in its first three races, it's been pretty good, and it's only going to get better. We've gone to the semis and the final with it, so now, anything less than a win will be a bit of a disappointment.

"We battled some clutch issues at the last race in Columbus, so we'll go back to the set-up we used in the past. After all, we won Phoenix last year with that combination, and were the runners-up in Topeka, so we know it works. We're not here to just go a few rounds - we're here to win all four."

Armed with their new race car, the Johnson crew will head west to Heartland Park Topeka to compete for the third consecutive weekend. KJ has attended every NHRA national event held at this multipurpose motorsports facility since 1989, and although he has reached the winner's circle as a member of his father's crew, he has yet to make that trip with his own race car. Having come close with runner-up finishes in his last two visits to the Kansas quarter-mile, he returns this weekend ready to seal the deal.

"We've been going to Topeka for sixteen years, and the two things that stand out in my mind are the long ride up to the starting line and the winds that blast you as you come through the tower," said Johnson. "I remember when we first went there in 1989, because it was the same year we moved into this shop. It may have a little age on it, but it's still a good track.

"Most importantly, it's one of the places we have yet to win. We've come close the last two years, but we really want that Topeka 'Wally'. It won't be easy, and there are plenty of other guys looking to grab the same brass ring. Fortunately, we're coming in off a runner-up finish in Columbus one week ago with a race car that we know is fast. We were the runner-up last week both in qualifying and eliminations, so we're coming to Heartland Park ready to do whatever it takes to climb that last step."

Notes on Kurt Johnson and the ACDelco Cobalt Racing team entering the O'Reilly Summer Nationals:

KJ in Topeka: This will be Kurt's 18th appearance at Heartland Park Topeka, where he has two final round appearances in the last two years, and one No. 1 qualifying performance in 1995.

One year ago: Kurt qualified fifth with an elapsed time of 6.871 seconds and a top speed of 200.56 mph and defeated Bruce Allen, Kenny Koretsky and No. 1 qualifier Steve Johns en route to a runner-up finish.

Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.671 sec., Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05

Career best top speed: 207.13 mph, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05

Thursday, May 26, 2005

WJ Looks to Use Lessons Learned to Finish on Top in Topeka

Contact:Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing

GM Performance Parts crew works to have a memorable Memorial Day

Sugar Hill, Ga., May 25, 2005 - The first of four blocks on the 2005 NHRA schedule containing races on three consecutive weekends come to a close with the running of this weekend's O'Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka. KS. It has been a long and arduous stretch, starting in Atlanta, GA and stopping in Columbus, Ohio, before arriving at Heartland Park Topeka.

With his early success, few people remember that the GM Performance Parts Pontiac with which Pro Stock legend Warren Johnson won two races and catapulted himself into the championship points lead was a completely new and untested vehicle at the start of the season. Therefore, after two No. 1 qualifying performances and a semifinal and quarter-final finish in the last two weeks, "The Professor" will look to continue the familiarization process and close the "Spring Swing" with a win.

"We're finally starting to get a better handle on this GM Performance Parts Pontiac," said Johnson. "It's a standard production Haas car, with which we had never had any experience, so there was a lot for us to learn about it. Combine that with the ever-evolving DRCE III program, and the season has been one continuous learning process.

"For example, we were a little suspect in sixty feet at the beginning of the year, and began getting a grasp on it in Columbus. We had been hesitant to make wholesale changes prior to that, because we had abbreviated qualifying at some of the earlier races, which prevented us from trying new combinations, and we certainly were not going to experiment during eliminations.

"As a result, we've slowly started to hone in on better sixty-foot performance, until it started to bear fruit last week. I'd have to say it's starting to come around."

Over the last two weeks, the competitors in the POWERade Drag Racing Series have faced constantly changing weather conditions, which historically has been the norm at the Kansas quarter-mile With over sixty years of combined Pro Stock experience, the veteran Johnson crew is well versed on determining the necessary adjustments to extract the maximum performance from their naturally-aspirated hot rod. Having reached a working familiarity with their race car, they will now look to put it all together and celebrate Memorial Day weekend in the Topeka winner's circle.

"The weather is usually the big story in Topeka, and you can virtually guarantee that we will have to deal some sort of wind," stated Johnson. "Fortunately, one of this team's strong points has been its ability to adapt to whatever we find when we get to a track.

"Running at this time of year, before it gets too hot, the racing surface shouldn't be too bad. But as tight as the competition has become in Pro Stock, we have no room for error if we plan to win. Therefore, we'll assess the weather when we arrive in Kansas, evaluate the track conditions and come up with a game plan. It's a philosophy that has served us well for many years, so we should be in good shape this weekend, as long as we don’t see Dorothy and Toto."

Notes on Warren Johnson and the GM Performance Parts Pontiac Racing team entering the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals:

WJ in Topeka: This will be Warren's 22nd NHRA appearance at Heartland Park Topeka, where he has five wins in six final round appearances, and seven No. 1 qualifying performances. Overall WJ has an elimination round record of 36-16 in his previous Kansas races.

One year ago: Warren qualified 14th with an elapsed time of 6.903 seconds and a top speed of 199.61 mph, but fell in the first round.

WJ's No.1 Qualifying Performances Often Come in Bunches: Warren will be looking to score three consecutive No. 1 qualifying performances, having been the top qualifier in Atlanta and Columbus. If he accomplishes this feat, it will be the fifth time he has done so in his career, which he did most recently in 1999, when he was the top qualifier at the Brainerd, Indianapolis and Reading races. WJ has also been the No. 1 qualifier at four consecutive races five times, at five consecutive races once, at six consecutive races four times, and once qualified No. 1 at seven consecutive races.

No. 1 in National event wins: WJ's 94 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 four weeks ago at the O'Reilly Thunder Valley NHRA Nationals in Bristol, TN.

Career Best Elapsed Time: 6.679 seconds, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05

Career best top speed: 206.70 mph, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/05

Dave Connolly Spy Photo? Not really, just having a little fun. I hope Dave and team are able to keep racing.

DEFENDING TOPEKA CHAMPION BAZEMORE LOOKS TO THREE-PEAT AT HEARTLAND PARK

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 25, 2005) - Whit Bazemore has a fondness for Heartland Park Topeka, where he won his first Funny Car race in 1997 and repeated last
year from the No. 1 qualifying spot. He was also runner-up in 2003 and
qualified No. 1 in 1999 as well.

When the POWERade Drag Racing Series arrives here this weekend, Bazemore and
the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car team will be aiming
for a three-peat and a return to the front of the point standings. Bazemore,
who led three times this season while winning two events, has since dropped
to fifth in the standings and is now 99 points behind leader John Force.

"Topeka is one of my favorite tracks and is the site of my first victory, in
1997," said Bazemore, who suffered a major setback after qualifying No. 1
and being upset in the first round of final eliminations in Columbus, Ohio,
last weekend. "Your first win is very special. You race for so long without
any success and you start to wonder if you truly have what it takes to win.
So when you get that first win, it means everything to you.

"Last year we were pretty strong at this point of the year and we won here
again and that was cool. But this year we're coming here with a whole
different set of circumstances. We really need to have a good showing. Our
Matco Tools Dodge has been hot and cold all year and we've managed to win
with a cold car.

"We had a strong car in Columbus, which we demonstrated by qualifying No. 1,
but we were just a little too conservative against Dale Creasy Jr. in that
first round, and he beat us. We can only work towards constant improvement
in the setup of the car and in my performance on the track."

SCHEDULE:
On Friday, May 27, professional qualifying sessions are at 4:30 p.m. and
7:30 p.m. On Saturday, May 28, pro sessions are scheduled for noon and 3
p.m. On Sunday, May 29, final eliminations begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:
On Saturday, May 28, ESPN will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at
8 p.m. (ET). On Sunday, May 29, ESPN2 will televise three hours of
eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET). Also on Sunday, May 29, ESPN2 will televise
NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute magazine show at 11:30 a.m. (ET).

WHIT BAZEMORE QUICK FACTS:
* Two-time U.S. Nationals champion, 1997 and 2001
* Fifth in 2005 Funny Car point standings after eight events, 99 points out
of lead
* Qualified No. 1 at 2004 NHRA O'Reilly Summer Nationals, winner over Eric
Medlen
* Won here also in 1997, runner-up in 2003, and No,. 1 qualifier in 1999 as
well
* Qualified in the top two in nine events in 2004, four times in No. 1
* No. 6 in 2004 Funny Car points, with two wins, five final rounds
* First Funny Car driver to break 325-mph barrier (U.S. Nationals 2001)
* Career quickest ET is 4.713 seconds, career fastest speed is 333.25 mph,
both set at Route 66 Raceway in 2004 in what was at the time the quickest
and fastest speed in Funny Car history
* Won three times in 2003, runner-up five times
* Has 19 career Funny Car event wins in 302 races
* Took the 2003 championship chase to penultimate race in Las Vegas in an
exciting final round against eventual champion Tony Pedregon
* Was second twice in the Funny Car championship in 2001 and 2003, third in
1997 and '99 and has finished in the top five six times and 12 times in the
top 10 since 1992
* Age 42, born in New York City, an avid cyclist, lives in Indianapolis with
wife Michelle, a competitive amateur cyclist, and son Dashiell Aidan, born
March 12, 2005
* 2005 is his fifth season with Don Schumacher Racing

Monday, May 23, 2005

ADRL Dragpalooza at South Georgia Motorsports Park

by Marvin T. Smith
Photos

Kenny Nowling brought in the Flowmaster ADRL Dragpalooza Pro Modified race to South Georgia Motorsports Park May 20-22. This was no doubt the largest Pro Modified race ever in the state of Georgia with over three dozen pro mods in attendance.

Friday was a test and tune day. Things got off to a rough start when the first car out, Bennie McDonald's beautiful 53 Vette, got out of shape and hit the wall. Bennie was fine, but his car will need a trip to the chassis shop to fix a bent main frame rail and some front end parts. The event quickly returned to normal, and many outstanding runs were made. Best for the night was Todd Bauknecht's fine 3.98 at over 180 in his 63 Vette. Other impressive runs were made by Mel Eaves' nitro coupe (4.105), Roy Hill's late model Mustang, driven by Mike Bell (4.08 181), Josh Hernandez (4.10), Chip King (4.09), and Troy Critchley (4.10). Shannon Jenkins ran a fine 4.04 at 182.48 to excite the Nitrous lovers in his 68 Camaro, then came back and ran 4.04 in Mike Castellana's Western Beef car to prove he is the nitrous king. Georgia's Ellis Milner team broke a valve on a burnout and were out of the event.

On Saturday, three rounds of qualifying set the eight car fields in Pro Nitrous and Pro Extreme. Pro Nitrous qualifying was led by Shannon Jenkins with an outstanding 4.02 which he would later better during eliminations. The final eight car field included Johnny Pilcher (4.10), Keith Baker (4.11), Charles Carpenter (4.12), Terry Housley (4.13), Patrick Doherty (4.13), James Hancock (4.15), and Ron Smith (4.17). Jenkins did not back up his time for the ADRL record, but Johnny Pilcher and Keith Baker swapped the record back and forth. First Pilcher set the record at 4.116, the Baker lowered it to 4.110, and Pilcher came back to reset it with a 4.109.

Pro Extreme qualifying was led by Rome, Georgia's Bil Clanton with a fine 3.975 181. Bil waited until the final qualifying session to get in the field, after hitting the top end lights in a previous attempt. Eddie Ware (3.979), Todd Bauknecht (3.987), John Lynam (3.988), Perry Herring (4.009), Mike Neal (4.02), Josh Hernandez (4.022), and Shannon Jenkins (4.030) made up the field. Fifteen cars ran under 4.10. The 4.030 bump spot was the quickest ever for an ADRL event. Shannon Jenkins was running the Mike Castellana Western Beef nitrous car in Pro Extreme. All the other cars were blown. Eddie Ware's 3.979 was backed up for the ADRL record, but it wouldn't stand.

Eliminations were fantastic. In Pro Nitrous, Shannon Jenkins showed his mastery, running 4.02, 4.017, and a final 4.007 184.42 which became the new ADRL Pro Nitrous record. Earlier record swappers Pilcher and Baker ran well and would have met in the semis, but Pilcher broke allowing Baker to single to the final. Baker's game 4.08 just was not enough for Jenkins this time. Everyone was holding their breath every time Shannon ran hoping to see the first Nitrous 3 second run, but it was not to be.

Pro Extreme was exactly that! In round one, Bil Clanton ran a 3.970 to take out Shannon Jenkin's fine 4.007 in the nitrous Western Beef entry, again just missing the first nitrous car in the 3s. Clanton's 3.970 became the new ADRL Pro Extreme record, taking it away from Eddie Ware's psychedelic '41 Willys. Other round one action saw John Lynam (4.12) take out Perry Herring (4.61), Josh Hernandez (3.972) take out Eddie Ware (7.41), and Todd Bauknecht (4.19) take out Mike Neal's 4.31. In Round 2, Clanton's 3.975 took out Lynam's 4.17, and Josh Hernandez' 3.996 took out Todd Bauknecht's 4.02. Everyone was ready for the big finale, but unfortunately the tree malfunctioned. Due to an 11:00 PM curfew for the track, the final would be run on Sunday during the first round of the team event.

There was also a B&M Hedman Hedders $5000 bracket race on Saturday and Sunday with the expected large fields. Saturday's winner was Doug Simmons in a beautiful Camaro. Simmons used a 5.611 (5.60 dial in) to beat Jack Ivey who broke out with a 7.436 on a 7.44 dial in. On Sunday, Mark Padgett ran a 6.36 on his 6.34 dial to beat Jack Ivey's 7.483 on his 7.45 dial.

On Sunday, the event format changed to a team challenge. The AMS Allstars (cars that run in the AMS Pro Modified "exhibitions" at NHRA national events) would race the Outlaw Pro Mods. Eleven cars with the best elapsed times from Saturday made up each team. Three rounds of eliminations would determine team champions. Each win scored a point for the team, and low elapsed time and top speed of each round added a point each. Cars were paired by elapsed time (No. 1 AMS ran No. 1 Outlaw, down to No. 11 running No. 11). Pairings for rounds two and three were based on elapsed times from the previous round. There was a break rule in effect, and alternates were placed in the field as needed.

In round 1, Terry Neal (O) beat Terry Housley (AMS), James Hancock (O) beat Mel Eaves (AMS), Patrick Doherty (O) beat Chip King (AMS), Charles Carpenter (O) beat Troy Critchely (AMS), Mike Bell (AMS) beat Keith Baker (O), Tommy Gray (AMS) beat Johnny Pilcher (O), Hugh Scott (O) beat Thomas Patterson (AMS), Mike Neal (O) beat Eddie Ware (AMS), Shannon Jenkins (AMS) beat John Lynam (O), and Perry Herring (AMS) beat Todd Bauknecht (O). The final race in Round 1 was the delayed final of Pro Extreme from Saturday night. Bil Clanton used a 4.022 178 to beat Josh Hernandez' troubled 8.44. The crowd went wild! Clanton's win also added two points (low et and a win) to the Outlaw's score. At the end of round one, the Outlaws led by a wide margin.

In round 2, John Lynam ran an outstanding 3.939 185.28 (track temperature over 130 and adjusted altitude near 3000 ft) to beat Thomas Patterson, Josh Hernandez singled when Hugh Scott broke, Todd Bauknecht narrowly defeated Troy Critchley, James Hancock beat Chip King, Charles Carpenter beat Mel Eaves, Patrick Doherty beat Terry Housley, Keith Baker (4.14) beat Mike Bell (4.16), John Gullett (turbo Mustang brought in with the break rule) beat Perry Herring, Michael Neal beat a breaking Shannon Jenkins, Mike Neal (4.06) took out Tommy Gray (4.31), and Bil Clanton (4.58) took out Eddie Ware's 4.74. This match of the record holders was a wild affair with both cars having tire shake. Clanton's parachutes shook out but he kept his foot in it and won anyway as Ware's extra 12 mph wasn't enough to chase down Clanton at the finish. In round two, the Flowmaster Outlaws gained enough points to win the team challenge over the AMS team. But this is the ADRL, and they put on quite a show!

Round three would be run for the fans and to give the AMS team a chance to regain some respect.In Round 3, Jenkins beat Hugh Scott, 4.62 to 4.68. Michael Neal ran a 4.13 to beat a troubled Terry Housley, James Hancock (4.24) beat Thomas Patterson, Todd Bauknecht ran a 4.29 single, Bil Clanton (4.01) took out Perry Herring, John Gullett got his turbo Mustang thumping with a 4.26 win over Eddie Ware, Troy Critchley (4.13) beat Charles Carpenter (4.21), Patrick Doherty took at 4.16 single, Keith Baker (4.14) beat Josh Hernandez (4.15), Mike Neal (4.04) beat Mel Eaves (7.33), and John Lynam (3.942 185.92!!) beat Mike Bell (4.82). The final team challenge score was Flowmaster Outlaws 31 to AMS Allstars 8. OUTLAWS RULE!

This was an outstanding event enjoyed by everyone. Both Pro Extreme and Pro Nitrous records were set at the event. In case you are wondering, Bil Clanton kept the Pro Extreme e.t. record at 3.970. John Lynam's outstanding runs on Sunday didn't count for the record, as ADRL record procedures only recognize Saturday times. Lynam did leave with the Pro Extreme mph record at 185.66. Shannon Jenkins' fine 4.007 and 184.42 are the official Pro Nitrous records. The ADRL series will return with more Pro Mod Madness in August. Don't miss this one!

BROWN WINS WITHOUT TIME TRIAL, BROTHER AND SISTER IN FINALS AGAIN, PIERCE AND PEARSON ENJOY FIRST WIN

FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Summit / Snap-On ET series event at Atlanta Dragway in 2005


Photos

(Commerce, GA - May 21) Racers enjoyed a rain free day at the races for the first regularly scheduled Summit ET series event in six weeks. Donny Brown Jr. didn't get to make a time trial, but it didn't matter, as he took the Super Pro win. Ed Nalley said his car saved the day for his Sportsman victory, overcoming a starting line holeshot by Alton Clements III. Like they did two months ago, brother and sister Alton (17) and Valerie (12) Clements made it to the final round in their classes, but this time Valerie one-upped her brother and won her class, 8-12 Jr Dragster. Courtney Pierce began racing late 2004, and found her way to victory lane for the first time in tonight's action. Corie Pearson won her first ever race today in Trophy Street, thanks in part to good coaching by her boyfriend, Jesse Young. Former Motorcycle champ Stewart Taft enjoyed the win in Motorcycle against a much faster Scott Saemisch.

Donnie Brown Jr from Buford, GA is no stranger to the winner's circle. He did come in to the event with a disadvantage, being late due to installing a fresh engine and missing the time trials. Brown just relied on his experience with his '03 Spitzer dragster, making his way to the final round, where he met another longtime racer, Bubba Rich. Both left the line with identical reacts (.024 seconds), ran extremely close to their dial in times, and both broke out (went quicker than their posted dial in time). Rich broke out by .003 seconds, carding a 5.337 at 127.67mph (5.34 dial) in the last remaining door car, a '02 Firebird. Brown broke out just a tad less, running 5.138 at 131.42mph (5.14 target). Brown thanked his crew, Gary Cavin, David "Blinky" Sellers, and Hans Baroni for their help, and then added thoughtfully, "I don't know if I want to take any more time trials." Tommy Motes (Undercover dragster - Loganville, GA) and Thomas Bell ('02 Undercover dragster - Toccoa, GA) made it to the heartbreak round, finishing as semi-finalists.

"My car was THERE", declared Sportsman winner Ed Nalley of Maysville, GA. Nalley met young Jr Dragster graduate Alton Clements III in the final, and although Nalley was a little late in the reaction time department, his freshly built '74 Vega nailed its dial in time of 10.13 with a 10.131 at 132.31mph. Clements' ex Stocker '71 Mustang was also equipped with an Ed Nalley engine, but it went too quick, breaking out with a 10.914 at119.64mph (10.93 dial). This was the third time in 2005 that Alton Clements made it to the final four, which puts him into second place, close behind leader Chris Carlile. Chuck Conaway ('66 Chevy II wagon - Cumming, GA) and Kim Ellington ('81 Vega - Conyers, GA) finished in the semi-final round.

Corie Pearson from Maysville, GA really didn't plan to race in Trophy Street, but her boyfriend Jesse Young (another Jr Dragster graduate and also an experienced Super Pro racer) entered her in the race, and coached her on the finer points of racing a '99 Chevrolet pickup truck. The lessons were apparently taken well, as she left the starting line in the final with a .057 react, which she then used to her advantage to slow the truck at the finish line to a winning 17.60 at 75.73mph (17.48 dial). Her opponent, Jerry Polk from Jackson, GA, was way late in the reaction time department, and even a very good 14.77 at 93.85mph (14.74 dial) still put him .152 seconds behind at the finish line. "Wow!" was Pearson's main thought after the race was over. Polk added, "How about a rematch?" Mel Abney ('67 Camaro - Cumming, GA) was the lone semi-finalist.

Thirteen year old Courtney Pierce is relatively new to the racing scene, having started racing in the 13-17 year old Jr Dragster class in late 2004. The McDonough, GA native enjoyed her first victory tonight, facing two time champion "Mad Matt" Gillen's OneCNC / Valvoline entry in the final round. Pierce put an 8.57 dial on the car, and ran pretty close to it, carding an 8.59 at 73.52mph for the win. Gillen's car fell off the pace a little, running 8.05 at 81.52mph on its 7.99 target. Team PTI racer Lauren Turner's semi-final finish put her back into the points lead by 20 points. Gillen's dad had a scare just before the semi-finals, when he discovered a tire had lost a lot of air. A quick re-tightening of the valve stem and some more air got Matt back on track. "I want to thank Pawpaw, Uncle Rusty, Tommy and especially Mom, for letting me race," added a happy Pierce. Gillen thanked God, OneCNC, Mike Gruber of Valvoline and his dad for helping him get to his first 2005 final round.

Twelve year old Valerie Clements of Central, SC and her brother were both in the finals March 19, with both finishing runner up. Tonight, Valerie one-upped her brother by winning the 8-12 Jr Dragster class final round against Dylan Kent (10 - Acworth, GA). Both racers went very close to their dial in times, with Clements going one over for the win (9.09, 71.55mph on a 9.08 dial) and Kent going one thousandth of a second too quick (8.959, 70.87mph - 8.96 target). Kent actually didn't have much of a chance after Clements left the starting line with a .089 second holeshot advantage. Clements thanked many of the people who helped her race, including dad, Greg Harding of Zorn, Billy Crenshaw Racing Fuel and The ESSO Club. Joshua Sisson (12 - Gainesville, GA) and Ashton Shubert (12 - Commerce, GA) earned a semi-finalist trophy for their efforts.

Stewart Taft may have had to face the fastest bike on the grounds in the Motorcycle final with his '00 Kawasaki ZX6R, but that didn't bother him at all. He left the line with a dial-in time of 11.80 seconds, but the instant Scott Saemisch left the starting line on his eight second Koenig Kawasaki with the cherry colored bulb glowing, Taft knew he had the victory. He rode the rest of the way down the track, happily pumping his arms in the air. Taft finished the pass with a 17.01 at 45.98mph. Saemisch's bike discovered a little extra ET, running 8.60 at 143.83mph (8.80 dial). This was Taft's second win for 2005. "When I saw that win light come on, I knew I'd got the job done," exclaimed Taft. He had been working on re-jetting his bike after an air box change, and made many passes the previous evening dialing the bike in. He then thanked Southern Heritage Rods and 4 x 4 for their help. Saemisch added, "We're coming to get you, Jay Rhyne!" Jimmy Heisler ('00 Kawasaki ZX6R - Woodstock, GA) and Steve Bishop ('86 GSXR Suzuki - Athens, GA) finished in the semi-final round.
------------------------------------------------
PRO / SUPER PRO CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Donny Brown, Jr '03 Spitzer dragster Buford, GA 5.138 131.42 (5.14)
R/U: Bubba Rich '02 Firebird Gainesville, GA 5.337 127.67 (5.34)
Semi: Tommy Motes Undercover dragster Loganville, GA
Semi: Thomas Bell '02 Undercover Toccoa, GA
------------------------------------------------
SPORTSMAN CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Ed Nalley '74 Vega Maysville, GA 10.13 132.31 (10.13)
R/U: Alton Clements III '71 Mustang Central, SC 10.91 119.64 (10.93)
Semi: Chuck Conaway '66 Chevy II wagon Cumming, GA
Semi: Kim Ellington '81 Camaro Conyers, GA
------------------------------------------------
TROPHY STREET CAR HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Corie Pearson '99 Silverado Maysville, GA 17.60 75.73 (17.48)
R/U: Jerry Polk '01 Mustang Jackson, GA 14.77 93.85 (14.74)
Semi: Mel Abney '67 Camaro Cumming, GA
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 8-12 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Valerie Clements 12 Central, SC 9.09 71.55 (9.08)
R/U: Dylan Kent 10 Acworth, GA 8.95 70.87 (8.96)
Semi: Joshua Sisson 12 Gainesville, GA
Semi: Ashton Shubert 12 Commerce, GA
------------------------------------------------
JR. DRAGSTER 13-17 AGE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Courtney Pierce 13 McDonough, GA 8.59 73.52 (8.57)
R/U: "Mad Matt" Gillen 13 Gainesville, GA 8.05 81.52 (7.99)
Semi: Lauren Turner 14 Pendergrass, GA
Semi:
------------------------------------------------
MOTORCYCLE BIKE HOMETOWN ET MPH DIAL-IN
Win: Stewart Taft '00 Kawasaki Brandon, FL 17.01 45.98 (11.80)
R/U: Scott Saemisch '05 Koenig Kawasaki Lawrenceville, GA (foul) 8.60
143.83 (8.80)
Semi: Jimmy Heisler '00 Kawasaki Woodstock, GA
Semi: Steve Bishop '88 Suzuki Athens, GA

Sunday, May 22, 2005

More Photos from the 2005 NHRA Southern Nationals

Photos from the 2005 Southern Nationals are located here and here.

Douglas Motorsports Park Results (May 21, 2005)

TOP ELIMINATOR RACE
May 21, 2005
Douglas, Georgia
Results courtesy of Douglas Motorsports Park


TOP ELIMINATOR
R/T -ET -MPH

Champion...........#AX09 BARRY ROWELL (HOBOKEN, GA) - 83 RANGER
.038- 7.004 -101.64

R/U......................#2468 DAVID BARGERON. SR. (SCREVEN, GA)- 71 PLYMOUTH
.1021- 7.877 -85.03



SUPER PRO
R/T -ET -MPH

Champion...........#AX09 BARRY ROWELL (HOBOKEN, GA)- 83 RANGER
.018- 7.034- 99.45

R/U......................#ECX20 TIM WOODARD (HOBOKEN, GA)- 79 PINTO
.053- 5.946- 115.08



SPORTSMAN
R/T -ET -MPH

Champion...........#2468 DAVID BARGERON, SR. (SCREVEN, GA)- 71 PLYMOUTH
.149 -7.912 -84.89

R/U......................#FX97 CHIP HORTON (JESUP, GA)- 69 DART
-.025 -8.061 -84.04


JR DRAGSTER
R/T -ET -MPH

Champion...........#221 BRANDON YAWN (HAZLEHURST, GA)- JR DRAG
.181 -8.878 -71.99

R/U......................#2 WHITNEY THRIFT (WAYCROSS, GA) - JR DRAG
-.196 -14.083 -46.54


Marvin T. Smith spent the weekend in Pro Mod heaven - SGMP's Dragpalooza. Check the GeorgiaDragRacing.com news section for Marv's reports and photos from SGMP.
Photos

KJ Powers to a Runner-Up Finish in Columbus

Contact: Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

ACDelco Driver Kurt Johnson added another page to his NHRA resume on Sunday, becoming the first Pro Stock driver to make a final round appearance with the new Chevrolet Cobalt during the final eliminations of the Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.

After qualifying second, Johnson used a very consistent performance to eliminate Kenny Koretsky and Richie Stevens in the opening rounds. The final obstacle between KJ and his first final round appearance of the 2005 season was No. 11 qualifier Jason Line. Using another solid 6.750-second, 204.48 mph run, Johnson trailered Line to reach the second championship round of his career at National Trail Raceway.

Facing rival Greg Anderson in the final without lane choice, Johnson knew he would need a nearly perfect run to score the 29th win of his career. Although he posted his best reaction time of the day to leave in conjunction with his opponent, KJ's solid 6.787-second, 204.20 mph pass fell just shy of overcoming his opponent’s 6.737-second pass.

"The track temperature went down twenty degrees before the final, and even though we tried to compensate for it, we were still a little light in our clutch setting, and it cost us. That's one area of our program that has show inconsistency throughout the year, so we will go back to our proven set-up for the next race.

"Even so, this was a great weekend. In three races with our new ACDelco Cobalt, we've gone to a final and two semifinals, and climbed five spots in the points. We're getting closer. The car just keeps getting better, and with enough clutch it could have won today. Unfortunately, it just wasn't our day, so we'll take everything we've learned this weekend to Topeka and see if we can take that final step into the winner's circle."

WJ Reaches the Second Round in Columbus

Contact: Jon Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing, Inc.

After being honored as the event's Grand Marshal during pre-race ceremonies, Warren Johnson looked to double his winnings by taking home the Pro Stock title during Sunday's final eliminations of the Pontiac Performance Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.

Starting from the No. 1 position for the 134th time in his career, Johnson opened in fine fashion, recording the quickest pass of the first round in his GM Performance Parts Pontiac at 6.736-seconds to defeat Allen Johnson. This set the stage for a quarter-final encounter with rival Greg Anderson.

Although the two cars left the starting line close together and seemed evenly matched in the early stages, Johnson's pace was slowed by unexpected tire spin midway through the run, resulting in a 6.774-second elapsed time, which allowed his opponent to narrowly edge by at the finish line.

Despite the premature ending to his day, Johnson was encouraged by being able to leave National Trail Raceway with the POWERade Championship points lead. In addition, his 6.723-second elapsed time and 205.13 mph top speed were the best in the Pro Stock category for the weekend, marking the 138th time he has posted the low elapsed time and 201st top speed of the meet in his illustrious career. Therefore, the veteran team will head to Topeka ready to regain their winning stride.

"We made a few adjustments to our GM Performance Parts Pontiac this morning, and had a really good run in the first round. Since the weather was the same for the second round, from the track temperature to the air density rating, we didn’t make a lot of changes for the second round.

"We were as quick as anyone to the 330-foot mark, but it got loose in the middle and spun the tires, which slowed us down just enough. In actuality, everyone slowed down in that round, unfortunately we just slowed down a little more.

"We'll analyze the data, figure out what went wrong, fix it and go on to Topeka. We're driving back to the shop tonight to get a head start on getting ready. The weekend was not a total loss by any means. We did get the car to go straighter than it has been in the first 330 feet, and consequently our sixty-foot times have been plummeting. We keep gaining on it every week, so it should only get better from here."

Chip Ellis & G2/S&S Buell Advance to Semifinals

G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS
MEDIA CONTACT: Mickey Schultz

COLUMBUS (HEBRON) OHIO
MAY 19-22, 2005
Qualified: 7.120 seconds at 187.50 mph (# 6)
Eliminations:
Round 1: Ellis (7.124/189.63) def. Craig Treble (7.181/179.78)
Round 2: Ellis (7.166/179.54) def. Chris Rivas (7.185/179.30)
Round 3 (semifinals): Ellis (7.178/185.18) lost to Ryan Schnitz (7.106/180.36)

HEBRON, Ohio (May 22, 2005) - Chip Ellis raced his G Squared-built, S&S Cycle-powered Buell to a semifinal finish at the 41st annual NHRA Pontiac Performance Nationals presented by Summit Racing.

En route to facing the Muzzy-built, S&S-powered Buell driven by Ryan Schnitz in the semifinals, Ellis defeated Craig Treble, aboard a Suzuki, in the opening round of eliminations and Chris Rivas, runner-up at the last race in Atlanta, on the Mohegan Sun-backed, G Squared-built, S&S-powered Buell, in the second round.

Against Schnitz, Ellis got a sizable advantage at the green light but was unable to hold off the hard-charging Schnitz. Schnitz crossed the finish line stripe first in 7.106 seconds, followed by Ellis at 7.187 seconds.

In the opening round, Ellis recorded a speed of 189.63 mph, a personal career best and the fastest that his G Squared Buell has run since it debuted at the Columbus event in June of 2004.

Ellis had a goal at this event to put additional emphasis on his driving. He did just that. His reaction times on race day were .017-second in the opening round, a .009 light in round two and a .004 in the semifinals. He handled the bike well and made good shifts.

"Even I was surprised at my lights," said Ellis, from Americus, Ga. "It shows what practice and concentration will do for you."

George Bryce, who along with partner George Smith own G Squared Motorsports, likes what he saw today.

"Going to the later rounds is what I envisioned and felt that we could do as we started the year," said Bryce. "But we got off to a slow start. I think now we are back on track.

"From the first round to the semifinals, our elapsed times dropped each round. We are unsure, at this time, if that was the result of the tune up or an internal engine problem. These S&S-build engines are very reliable but this one does have quite a large number of races on it. We'll go back to our shop in Americus (Georgia) and review all data and inspect the engine. We'll be back and ready to go at Chicago."

After two weekends off, Chip Ellis and G Squared begin back-to-back-to-back races, the first of which is the CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals, June 9-12, at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., near Chicago. After Chicago, the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series moves to Englishtown, N.J. (June 16-19) and St. Louis - Madison, Ill. (June 24-26).

FURNISHED BY:
G SQUARED MOTORSPORTS
OWNERS: GEORGE BRYCE & GEORGE SMITH

DISTRIBUTED HERE BY:
Jerry Battle

BAZEMORE UPSET IN FIRST ROUND IN OHIO

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
Contact: Judy Stropus

HEBRON, Ohio (May 22, 2005) - It can never be said that any professional race car driver worth his salt takes winning for granted. That was certainly the case today in the first round of eliminations for the NHRA Nationals at National Trail Raceway, where No. 1 qualifier Whit Bazemore, was upset by No. 16 qualifier and part-time racer Dale Creasy Jr.

After Bazemore's impressive run during qualifying, where he established a track record elapsed time of 4.762 seconds, Bazemore and the Lee Beard-tuned Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge Stratus Funny Car team were hopeful for a return to the No. 1 spot in the POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings, a position Bazemore held after three of the seven races held so far this year.

But his 4.924/315.34 loss to Creasy's 4.904/311.99 pass dashed those hopes. Bazemore blamed himself and his .109 reaction time to Creasy's .096.

"You go up there, and anybody can win any given race and it's been done many, many times," said Bazemore, who is now fifth in the rankings, yet still very much in the points chase. "The way I look at it is when our Matco Tools Dodge doesn't run within a couple of hundredths (of a second) of the other car I should make up the difference and today we didn't do that.

"Everybody can argue their argument, but we were within 200 hundredths in performance and I didn't make up the difference. And we've been pretty good all year doing that and today I didn't. I'm particularly frustrated by the outcome.

"We've won quite a few rounds this year on holeshots. Today we didn't lose on a holeshot, but we didn't make up the difference in performance either.

"They (Creasy's team) ran only a 5.20 in qualifying. Our car was way too conservative for that run."

Next up is this weekend's O'Reilly Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka (Kans.), May 27-29.

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. John Force, 602 (winner today)
2. Gary Scelzi, 522 (runner-up today)
3. Robert Hight, 510
4. Cruz Pedregon, 508
5. Whit Bazemore, 503
6. Ron Capps, 443
7. Eric Medlen, 415

Schumacher Fastest in History with 336.15 pass in Winning T/F Finale - Force, Anderson and Schnitz also Win the NHRA Pontiac Performance Nationals