The Bazemore Bulletin

The prerace release of 20-time NHRA winner Whit Bazemore and the Matco Tools Iron Eagle Top Fuel team

Contact: Ted Yerzyk


Eighth annual Summitracing.com Nationals
April 12-15, 2007
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas


"I'm looking forward to the Vegas race. I want to get back to racing where I love it. We thought about Eric Medlen a lot at Houston and it wasn't a fun place to be. I want to get back to racing in a good place. We've got a good car and a good team. We're going to go there with an aggressive state of mind. That's what it takes to be successful. I'm excited to go to Vegas."

Bazemore Las Vegas Notebook

Last year, Bazemore qualified 10th (4.799 seconds) at The Strip at LVMS. He advanced to the semifinals before falling to then teammate Ron Capps.

Bazemore qualified first at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748, 323.04) and 2003 (4.788, 324.44). He has 30 career poles.

Bazemore powered his Matco Tools Funny Car to low elapsed time of the meet at the Las Vegas race in 2001 (4.748 seconds) and 2003 (4.788 seconds). He has earned low E.T. honors 25 times.

Bazemore raced his Funny Car to top speed of the meet at LVMS in 2001 (323.04 mph) and 2002 (325.85 mph). He has earned the top speed of the meet 27 times in his career.

Bazemore has advanced to the final round at The Strip at LVMS five time. He also has been to the final round at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash. five times.

Bazemore enters the Las Vegas race ranked fourth in the POWERade standings. He trails teammate and points leader Rod Fuller by 47 points.

At the last race, Bazemore earned his 30th career pole by driving to a run of 4.514 seconds at Houston. He became the 15th driver in NHRA history to qualify No. 1 in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.

Baze Banters About Las Vegas...

Las Vegas:

"Secondhand smoke and money"

The Strip at LVMS:

"A great race track"

Favorite Las Vegas-area cycling route:

"Lake Mead"

Favorite local restaurant:

"Smith & Wollensky"

Favorite The Strip at LVMS memory:

"Winning there in '05"

2007 NHRA Top Fuel Standings

1. ROD FULLER (1) 307 - - - -

2. J.R. Todd (2) 291 -16

3. Tony Schumacher (1) 266 -41

4. WHIT BAZEMORE 260 -47

5. Larry Dixon 239 -68

6. David Grubnic 228 -79

7. Melanie Troxel 214 -93

8. Brandon Bernstein 213 -94

9. Doug Kalitta 170 -137

10. Joe Hartley 153 -154


Whit Bazemore's Career Results at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Year Qualified Finish & Winning Driver

2000 No. 10 1st round—Al Hofmann

2001 No. 12 Runner-up—Tommy Johnson, Jr.

2002 No. 1 Second round—Ron Capps

2003 No. 3 1st round—Tommy Johnson, Jr.

2004 No. 3 Second round—Ron Capps

2003 No. 1 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon

2003 No. 6 Runner-up—Tony Pedregon

2004 No. 10 Runner-up—Phil Burkart, Jr.

2004 No. 4 1 st round—Cruz Pedregon

2005 No. 12 WINNER—Tony Bartone

2005 No. 14 1st—Cruz Pedregon

2006 No. 16 Semifinals—Ron Capps

Bazemore's Las Vegas Schedule

Date & Time Event and Location

Thurs., April 12, 5-6:30 p.m. Silverton Hotel & Casino

7-8 p.m. ESPN Zone at New York, New York

Fri., April 13, 3:30/6:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 1/2, The Strip at LVMS

Sat., April 14, 12:30/3:30 p.m. TF Qualifying 3/4, The Strip at LVMS

Sun., April 15, 11 a.m. Final Eliminations, The Strip at LVMS

Bazemore's Career-Best Performances

E.T.—4.507 seconds Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007

MPH—329.75 MPH (TF) Pomona, Calif. Feb. 2007

MPH—333.25 MPH (FC) Joliet, Ill. June 2004

Summitracing.com Nationals TV Schedule (ESPN2)

Date & Time (ET) Coverage

April 14, 6-8 p.m. Qualifying Highlights

April 15, 11-11:30 a.m. NHRA Race Day

April 15, 7-10 p.m. Final Eliminations Coverage

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