Wed, May 27, 09:34 AM Team Winston Whit Bazemore

Courtesy of Rob Goodman, Sports Marketing Enterprises Fram Route 66 Nationals

JOLIET, Ill. -

Notes & Quotes

Whit Bazemore was the No. 5 qualifier at Englishtown. He covered the quarter-mile in 4.962 seconds at 310.13 mph. Not counting the Winston Invitational, it was Bazemore's best qualifying effort of the season. After struggling on Friday at Englishtown, Bazemore was solid on both of Saturday's qualifying passes recording e.t.s of 4.99 and 4.96 seconds.

In eliminations, Bazemore defeated Frank Pedregon and Tim Wilkerson before losing to Jim Epler in the semifinals. Prior to his semifinal run, the burst panel on Bazemore's car cracked. When he staged the car, he already knew he was in trouble.

In the first round of eliminations at Englishtown, Bazemore set new career-best marks in both speed and e.t. He covered the quarter-mile in 4.907 seconds at 319.14 mph.

After the Castrol Lone Star Nationals at Dallas, Team Winston Funny Car crew chief Rob Flynn decided to go to last year's car because of the fickle nature of the 1998 car. Flynn put the 1997 Swindahl chassis into service at Englishtown.

Prior to Englishtown, Flynn became a father for the second time. Paul Robert Flynn was born May 12, 1998 at 4:33 p.m. Flynn and his wife Michelle also have a 19-month old daughter, Stacy Kay.

Bazemore is currently ninth in the NHRA Winston Funny Car standings.

Bazemore prior to Chicago:

"It's been a long year so far, but it seems like we've turned the corner because the car responded to our changes all weekend at Englishtown. I have to hand it to the guys on our Team Winston crew. We all know it's a team sport, and our guys kept an aggressive attitude all weekend at Englishtown. That's the kind of team a guy would kill for.

"We changed back to last year's chassis, and it seemed to help us. I think the 1998 car would have run well this weekend, too. It might be a more mental thing for me. I didn't like the way the other car handled, and we're just trying to make everything as perfect as we can.

"Some people picked us publicly to win the Winston championship this year. We know we're capable, but when you have such high expectations and your reality is so much lower, it tests your patience. We have a good runnin' hot rod again, and that makes the rest of the year look really exciting again.

"Team Winston is fired up to go to Chicago. I really like the city. I have some friends there, and it's just a great town. It's supposed to be a first class facility, and a new market like Chicago is great for NHRA Winston Drag Racing. I'm sure there will be a huge crowd, and it would be a great honor for us if we could win in an inaugural event."



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