BRISTOL: THEY DON'T CALL IT THUNDER VALLEY FOR NOTHIN'

By Kay Burk
Photos by Jeff Burk

FUNNY CAR

Whit Bazemore is relieved. After a blazing second half of the 2001 season where they qualified No. 1 nine times in the last 12 races, the Matco Funny Car team has struggled so far this year, but at the sixth event of the 2002 NHRA racing season, he got his first win.

"It's a tremendous feeling for the team to get the win," Bazemore said. "We have been struggling, but this is still the earliest I have ever won a race. That is key because it is difficult to contend for a championship if you don't start winning races until July."

Crew chief Lee Beard felt the key to the victory came during Saturday's final qualifying session when the Matco Pontiac Firebird recorded a 4.910, the second quickest pass of that session.

"We found something in the last qualifying session on Saturday and that put us back on track," said Beard. "We're on a mission and there are still plenty of races to go. This was the confidence boost we needed."

After a nearly two-hour rain delay on Sunday, Bazemore defeated Dale Creasy Jr., Tommy Johnson Jr. and Tim Wilkerson, before meeting Gary Densham in the final.

John Force, who this year has not been dominating the class as he has in the past, smoked the tires and went out in the first round. Densham, who held the Bristol Dragway track record at 4.870 seconds, carried the flag for the Force team, but was also ultimately unsuccessful. Densham's Mustang was 30 lbs. lighter after a new generation carbon fiber body manufactured for the team by Metal Crafters, Inc.

Tony Pedregon, who last year DNQ'd at Bristol, was No. 1 qualifier and set a new track record of 4.844 at 322.34.

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