Seattle: Whit Bazemore Saturday notes

BAZEMORE QUALIFIES FOURTH AT SEATTLE IN RAIN-SHORTENED SESSIONS

KENT, Wash. (July 21, 2007) -- While Mother Nature made headlines for the second straight day, Whit Bazemore drove his Matco Tools dragster to one solid run Saturday afternoon at Pacific Raceways. The three-time Seattle winner qualified his Matco-backed rail fourth during a rain-shortened qualifying as only one of four scheduled sessions was completed.

After Friday's action was washed away due to a day full of rain showers, the defending Seattle Funny Car champion used a tune-up from crew chief Lee Beard to cruise the Matco Tools rail to the fastest pass of the opening qualifying session. Bazemore stopped the Pacific Raceway timers in 4.628 seconds at 319.14 mph to finish fourth in the 16-car order. Saturday's second session also was canceled after persistent afternoon showers halted the racing action. It is the fourth time that Bazemore has qualified fourth this season.

"It's unfortunate that we had bad weather here this weekend in Seattle," Bazemore said. "It's more like fall weather here. It is what it is. We'll be ready to race."

Bazemore will face off against No. 13 qualifier Steve Chrisman in the first round of Top Fuel eliminations which are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (PT). ESPN2 will televise three hours of final eliminations coverage from the Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals at 7 p.m. (ET) on Sunday evening.

-credit: dpm