Reading: Whit Bazemore preview

Bazemore set for Reading return

READING, Pa. (Oct. 6, 2004) - A lot has happened since the postponement because of Hurricane Ivan to this weekend of the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals originally scheduled for Sept. 17-19. Two racing events have been held and three remain (including this weekend's), the Matco Tools Funny Car team debuted the Rat Fink^Á theme on the Dodge Stratus in Chicago for that one race, and driver Whit Bazemore is in fourth place and knee-deep in a battle for second in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series among drivers Del Worsham, Gary Scelzi, Eric Medlen and Gary Densham.

And with no hurricane in sight, it looks like the weather will be good for this weekend's event. Temperatures are expected to be in the high 60s, low 70s and the foliage will be transforming its colors from summer green to the reds, oranges and yellows that cause many leaf-watchers to flock to the Northeast in the fall.

"Reading should be pretty good this time of year," said Bazemore following the event at Route 66 Raceway last weekend in Joliet, Ill. "Maple Grove Raceway is a little bumpier than Rte. 66, so we may not be able to push it quite as hard. Still, this time of year, in early October, it should be really good.

"Hopefully, we will not be behind the 8-ball like we were at Rte. 66," he said of his first-round loss after qualifying 12th at the super-quick, ultra-fast track outside of Chicago.

"The situation in Chicago was we made a change going into that race which affected the car in a way we didn't anticipate and it actually cost us two qualifying runs," he added. "Hopefully now we'll be able to come to Reading with some new knowledge that we gleaned from Chicago and we should be stronger here."

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