Commerce: Whit Bazemore Saturday summary

Bazemore takes Matco Tools Dodge to No. 3 in Atlanta qualifying

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 3, 2003) -- The defending Atlanta Dragway Funny Car champion Whit Bazemore, in the Matco Tools Dodge Stratus R/T Funny Car, qualified No. 3 for tomorrow's final eliminations, establishing a 4.802-second elapsed time at 322.73 mph, the weekend's highest speed so far, in the second of only three qualifying sessions. Rain shortened Friday's schedule to only one qualifying session; two were held today.

In the first qualifying round, Bazemore, second in the point standings and seeking his first win of the year, clocked in at 4.985/304.80. In the final round he smoked the tires at half track and crawled to an 8.727/91.06 run.

This is Bazemore's seventh straight qualifying effort in the top half of the field in seven events. He's advanced to the semifinal in five of the six events so far, as well as two final rounds. The former Atlanta resident is second in points behind Tony Pedregon.

"We've had a decent weekend so far," he said. "That last run was a little disappointing in a way because we were really trying to get after it. We just couldn't do what we were trying to do. I think overall the Matco Tools Dodge team is in a good position. Our car is going down the track. No major dramas. We feel as confident as always going into tomorrow. The same old story. We just need to attack the first round and win that. That's our game plan."

-dsr-