BAZEMORE SPEAKS HIS PEACE
For whatever reason, Bazemore has never been able to stifle his emotions. While some have blistered him for his openness and personal honesty while usually completely ignoring how beneficial that honesty has been for the sport, others – apparently in the minority – have rallied to Bazemore’s defense for those very reasons. Ironically, at a time when even some within the NHRA management team have decried the complete lack of personal rivalries within the sport, when an individual like Bazemore steps to the forefront with a willingness to speak his mind on any number of subjects there are legions of fans who appear appalled at his having done so.
No matter how young you might be you’ve certainly heard the expression “He wears his heart on his sleeve.” That, in a nutshell, is 18-year fuel racing veteran Whit Bazemore’s persona.
For whatever reason, Bazemore has never been able to stifle his emotions. While some have blistered him for his openness and personal honesty while usually completely ignoring how beneficial that honesty has been for the sport, others – apparently in the minority – have rallied to Bazemore’s defense for those very reasons. Ironically, at a time when even some within the NHRA management team have decried the complete lack of personal rivalries within the sport, when an individual like Bazemore steps to the forefront with a willingness to speak his mind on any number of subjects there are legions of fans who appear appalled at his having done so.
We have seen this before. When a competitor speaks his mind, such as what Pro Stock racer Larry Morgan did at the Brainerd race a few years ago, he’s liable to be financially sanctioned by the NHRA. Morgan was hit with a five grand fine for doing nothing more damaging than give his personal opinion of the race track. Bazemore has done the same in the past, once blistering Seattle International Raceway on a couple of different topics. Never mind that everything he said was spot on, and never mind that the PRO and, ironically enough, the NHRA, ultimately forced the track to make the changes he’d verbalized.
Years ago, when Bazemore publicly talked about not receiving the technical help from Ford that he’d been promised, detractors took his words to be a condemnation of their personal hero, John Force. Baze was widely flamed for his words – even though what he’d said was true.
During the years Bazemore drove for Winston it was humorous watching the reaction of his sponsors to his comments. Senior management executives at Sports Marketing Enterprises, the firm behind the Winston involvement, loved his candor and ability to generate publicity. Junior level executives were in a constant state of panic, not about what Bazemore might say, but because of how they thought upper management might react. Through it all Bazemore went happily on his way, content in the knowledge that his sponsors had his back.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
 |
Click to visit our sponsor's website
Following the Top Fuel finale against teammate Hot Rod Fuller in Denver Bazemore had another top end explosion, although this one was all verbal rather than mechanical. He felt that Fuller’s quickly lighting both staging light had been somewhat questionable, but more than anything else he was really upset at losing the race. He clearly had a better Reaction Time (0.077 to 0.106), but couldn’t match Fuller’s other numbers (4.683 to 4.770), and that made all the difference. It would have been Bazemore’s first Top Fuel victory, one that will now have to await another race – maybe this weekend in Seattle.
“I was expressing my displeasure with a competitor to a member of our organization (team PR rep Ted Yerzyk), and the media overheard it,” Bazemore says in regard to his post-race actions last weekend. “I was not happy. I was unhappy because we got beat. You hate to go to a final and not get it done. It’s frustrating.
“What happened on the starting line is another issue,” he continued. “I wasn’t happy with that either. That’s all I’m going to say. I understand it might have been accidental (Fuller’s lighting both staging lights at once), and no one in fuel racing does what (Fuller) did up there. It just doesn’t happen.
“You expect an acknowledgement, a wave of the hand, a nod, an apology, something like that. I have apologized to three or four different Top Fuel guys this year alone. There were times when I really didn’t have to, but because there might have been a question mark about what I was doing (during the staging process), I did it. There were times when I was staging too slowly. The dragsters guys are really quick, and the Funny Car guys are slower. There were times this year when I thought I was a little slow, and I’d get out
at the other end and right away apologize. One time, several races ago, it was with Tony Schumacher, so I said, ‘Dude, I’m sorry, but I’m trying to figure out how to race in these cars, and I didn’t do that on purpose.’ It’s cool because there’s this communication and respect with the other drivers.”
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
 |
Click to visit our sponsor's website
In his own remarks Fuller accused Bazemore of having talked smack about the proficiency of Funny Car drivers versus Top Fuel competitors, to which Bazemore says, “I have never, ever said that. You can even go back to RACER Magazine in an article they did last month where I said I had to raise my game. Look, I’ve had my ass handed to me by some of (the Top Fuel drivers) on the starting line this year, and saying the Top Fuel drivers are not as good as the Funny Car drivers is not something I believe. It’s not true, it’s not the case. These guys go out and cut oh-fifty lights and shallow stage all the time. Do you realize how hard that is? I can’t do it! You have to be perfect in your car to do that. Everything’s got to be perfect in your car set up, and I haven’t been able to do that consistently, so there is no way I would have ever said that.
“What I would say is that Funny Cars are definitely harder to keep in the groove than the dragster and that, I think, is obvious because it’s true. But, as far as saying that there are Funny Car drivers who are better than the Larry Dixons, the Doug Kalittas, the Tony Schumachers. the Bob Vandergriffs – all the top guys out there – it’s simply not true. I would never insult my competitors that way.”
Although he’s far from satisfied as a Top Fuel driver, Bazemore will admit that he’s made progress. “It was just about two races ago when I got in the car for the first time on Friday and it really felt like home,” he said. “Ya know, it didn’t feel foreign. Up until that time every Friday the first time I got in the car it was a subtle reminder that this wasn’t what I was used to. After 18 years in a Funny Car you show up and get in and it’s your natural environment. I felt completely at home there.”
When asked which type of car he preferred driving, Bazemore didn’t throw out the tried and true line, Real men drive Funny Cars, but instead said, “I definitely feel the Funny Cars are safer. It sounds like a contradiction, but the dragster is definitely less stressful to drive because you don’t have the threat of fire.
“In Funny Car, when the motor goes away you really have to be perfect. In the dragster you don’t have to be as perfect because if it does blow, or you drive it a little too long hurt, the consequences aren’t quite the same. I like both. I like the dragster now that I’m more used to it.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
 |
Click to visit our sponsor's website
“Do I miss racing John Force and my other buddies in Funny Car? Absolutely. But, do I want to beat Larry Dixon and Tony Schumacher and those guys and win races in Top Fuel? Absolutely, so I don’t think I can say which (type of car) I like better. It’s all competition, and I love competition.”
Although Bazemore’s relationship with Don Schumacher may have ended on a rather down note after he was replaced in the Matco Tools Dodge Funny Car by Jack Beckman, he’s not the only one keeping a close eye on the pending retirement of Gary Scelzi. His departure is likely to (depending on sponsorship support) open up a seat in a first class car, and Bazemore is closely watching the developments.
“I have a very good program with David Powers Motorsports, and I think we’ve got an incredible future together, but at the same time I’d be kidding if I didn’t admit that I’m at least aware of what’s going on with Gary. That’s going to be a very good ride if they keep racing that car, and no driver wants to limit his options.
“I have a commitment to David (Powers), but I’m always going to keep my options open. Who knows what might happen in the future? I had a great relationship with Don (Schumacher) for the last couple of years.”
During Bazemore’s final year with Schumacher his relationship with teammate Ron Capps deteriorated to the point where fisticuffs ensued, but that relationship appears to have been repaired. “I got a text
message of congratulations from Ron the other day, which I thought was extremely cool given what happened last year. We’ve both moved on and forgotten all of that, and we’re friends now. That says a lot
about Ron’s character, and I really appreciate that.”
When queried about his status with Powers and Matco Tools for next year, Bazemore responded by saying, “As far as I know I’m good to go. I haven’t heard otherwise.”
| {loadposition feedback} |
