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Georgia Drag Racing News
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December 1969
david@daviddilbeck.com
Posted Wednesday, December 31, 1969 by DON SCHUMACHER RACING
NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals
Round 8 of 23
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
Englishtown, N.J.
Race Dates: May 16-18, 2003
Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell, 203-243-2438
BAZEMORE ACHIEVING GOALS: GOING ROUNDS, AIMING FOR NO. 1
ENGLISHTOWN. N.J. (May 12, 2003) -- Second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series Funny Car point standings after seven events, Whit Bazemore is
whittling his way to the top spot in his Matco Tools Iron Eagle Dodge
Stratus R/T. That's been his goal all season long: win rounds, collect
points, move to the front. He's just 108 points out of No. 1.
The New York City native is in the strongest position he's ever been this
early in a season in his 15-year NHRA career, and he credits the expertise
of his Lee Beard-led team as they contend for their first season win at the
K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, N.J., this weekend.
"We've had a good year so far," says Bazemore, who has reached the
semifinals in six of the last seven events, as well as two finals. "We've
had one little problem area that's cost us rounds and races. And that's
smoking the tires almost at the hit of the throttle. Our weakness compared
to our main competition appears to be in the first 300 feet. Beyond that,
our Matco Tools Dodge has nearly always been the strongest car. I know Lee
and the guys are addressing this problem.
"We're not allowing ourselves to be frustrated because the championship
usually goes to the person who wins the most rounds and not necessarily the
most races. If we continue to win rounds we'll put ourselves in a position
to win races. And we have. And we're consistently in that position."
The 12-time event winner finished second in the point standings in 2001,
third in 1999 and fifth in 2002. "Our goal is to win the championship," he
says, "and everyone on our team is the type of person who over-achieves his
goals."
The Old Bridge Township Raceway has the potential to deliver the team its
first victory of the year. "It's a really good horsepower track," says
Bazemore, whose car seems to thrive at these types of tracks. "The surface
is good, so we like it. It's one of the top-five races on the schedule you
want to win. It's a grand-daddy race."
The weather is expected to be cool in Englishtown, another aspect that
contributes to Lee Beard's tune-up.
Pro Nitro qualifying for the K&N SuperNationals begins on Friday, May 16, at
4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, May 17, Pro Nitro qualifying is
scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. Final Eliminations on Sunday, May 18,
start at 11 a.m.
BAZEMORE TESTS SCELZI'S OAKLEY DODGE AT INDY OVER WEEKEND
Whit Bazemore made four laps down the quarter-mile at Indianapolis Raceway
Park this Mother's Day in his teammate Gary Scelzi's Oakley Dodge Stratus
R/T Funny Car. "It's way more convenient for me to test in Indy than to fly
Scelzi in for a day because I live there. We're a team and we work
together," he said.
"The Oakley car's had huge potential all year and (crew chief) Mike Neff and
the team are trying to refine it a little bit and try a few things. They
tested some different components on it, which seemed to help." It sure did,
as Bazemore made it down the track in cool and windy conditions in 4.80
seconds at just over 325 miles an hour -- just a tick under his own track
speed record of 325.69 mph and a tad slower than his elapsed-time track
record of 4.756 seconds.
"Our Matco Tools car and the Oakley car are not identical by any means,"
added Bazemore. "So, in that light, it was a very, very good test and Scelzi
should be excited about the potential his team has going into Englishtown,
which I know he is. If the weather in Englishtown is similar to what we had
in Indianapolis, which we're hearing it might be, I think the Oakley team
and the Matco Tools team will be a little better prepared for these kinds of
conditions."
RACE DATE: May 10, 2003
FROM: Tim Glover
EVENT: Summit / Hayes ET series event at Atlanta Dragway in 2003
FATHER, SON, MAKE IT TO FINALS FOR MOTHER'S DAY RACE
(Commerce, GA - May 11) The show ran pretty smoothly today, allowing the
racers to go home shortly after dark to get ready for Mother's day. The
father and son duo of Don Brown Sr. and Don Brown, Jr. both made it to the
finals today, with Sr. winning Super Pro and Jr. finishing runner up in
Sportsman class.
"I felt like I was on a John Force ride," said Super Pro winner Don Brown,
Sr. after his second final in a row was over. Brown thought his night was
done when his '01 Spitzer Dragster lost traction in the final round and
slowed to a 5.48, 115.96mph (5.02 target). However, '91 and '97 track champ
Ricki Blackwell's '68 Chevy II went just a hair too quick, breaking out with
a 6.66, 104.20mph on a 6.67 dial in time. "Thanks to my crew chief, Gary
Peeples, and son, Donny Brown, Jr., who put my motor in this past week,"
added Brown. Clayton Reeves ('70 Camaro - Blairsville, GA) and J.D. Reid
('02 Undercover dragster - Best Appearing Car at the recent Southern
Nationals - Conyers, GA) finished in the semis.
Travis Bryant, racing the car his dad used to race, celebrated his first
ever drag racing win in Sportsman tonight. The former go cart and motocross
racer took up bracket racing in 2002, and worked his way to the top tonight,
even defeating defending track champion Jacob Rutledge in the semifinals
with his Vanna, GA based '68 Camaro. Bryant took on Donny Brown, Jr's
street legal Chevrolet S-10 truck in the final, reacted with a great .514
second time, and then took the opportunity at the finish line to slow down
to a 12.04, 100.40mph on an 11.93 dial. Brown's Buford, GA based racer fell
off a bit in the final, turning in a 13.93, 95.38mph (13.78 dial). Bryant's
mom, Deborah, and wife, Jessica Bryant were there to support and cheer him
on to the win. Jacob Rutledge ('79 Capri - Braselton, GA) was the Sportsman
semifinalist.
Dawsonville, GA racer Kim Callahan and Phillip Wigington from Canton, GA
both ran .02 seconds over their dial in times during the Trophy Street
final, but Callahan used a little better react to take his first 2003 win in
his '67 Camaro. Wigington went 14.07, 101.75mph in his 2000 Camaro (14.05
dial), while Callahan turned in a 13.33, 99.52mph time (13.31). Greg Allen,
running in economy mode tonight, made it to the Trophy Street semi-finals
with his Anderson, SC based '90 Chevrolet IROC Z.
Defending Motorcycle champ Jay Rhyne took on good friend Jimmy "Cha Cha"
Heisler from Woodstock, GA in the final, with Rhyne taking the win this
time. Athens, GA racer Rhyne was actually slower on the start than Heisler,
but took the wi
(Go to Top)
Copyright © 2002-2003 by David W. Dilbeck: david@DavidDilbeck.com
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