Whit Bazemore confirmed that Jack
Beckman will make test runs behind the wheel of his Funny Car during next week’s
Indianapolis test session.

Rumors had surfaced indicating that Bazemore might be at the end
of his deal with Don Schumacher Racing, but the veteran driver is confident of
his status and isn’t intimidated by the situation.

“I really don’t care one way or the other about Jack driving the
car,” Bazemore said. “It doesn’t mean anything to me. The relationship that I
have with Matco Tools is very strong. The relationship I have with Don and Sarah
Schumacher is strong. Don has told me repeatedly that I am the second best Funny
Car driver out there, which a tremendous compliment. Given that and my
relationship with the sponsor, I’d have to say Jack Beckman isn’t driving this
car to replace me.”

Bazemore did say there is room to expect the unexpected.

Defending Memphis champion Rod
Fuller held the No. 1 position in Top Fuel through Saturday's heat to claim the
second low qualifier award of his career with a 4.575 at 318.54 mph.

Tony Rizzo emerged uninjured from
an incident that was potentially fatal.

Rizzo broke a fuel line as he fired his Chevrolet Cobalt
and the subsequent leak ignited when he started the car. His Pro Stocker became
engulfed in flames.

“I hit the fire bottles and it went out,” Rizzo said. “it must
have hit the headers and flamed out again.”

Rizzo admitted that the incident happened too quickly for him to
get scared.

“Someone on the Safety Safari was trying to get me out of
the car, but I couldn’t get my belts unbuckled.”

The damage is mostly cosmetic and will be at Jerry Haas’ shop on
Monday for repairs.

Adding insult to injury, Rizzo failed to qualify for the 16-car
field.

FIRE
SEQUENCE

Connie Kalitta confirmed that his
team is working toward a new Toyota body for the Indy test session next week.
Most likely the body make for this project will be a Solara.

Three-time and reigning Pro Stock
champion Greg Anderson posted the quickest pass in Memphis Motorsports Park
history -- a 6.742 at 203.83 mph -- to lead Friday's qualifying action at the
$1.6 million O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals

Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Smith also set a MMP elapsed time
record with his 7.086 at 185 mph, while Rod Fuller and Robert Hight took early
leads in the nitro ranks at the 17th of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA
POWERade Series.

The winner of the Sportswoman
of the Year award will be determined via an online poll and sports fans can vote
for Troxel or one of the other nine finalists at www.sportswomanvote.com.

Voting ends midnight Aug. 31, 2006.

One week after his triumphant
return to the driver’s seat, Kenny Koretsky is sitting out this weekend’s
O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals. Replacing him in the blue Nitro Fish/ISC Racers
Tape Pro Stock Dodge is Dave Northrop.

“Everything went well for me last
weekend,” said Koretsky, who made his first driving appearance since his
on-track accident with Bruce Allen in October. “I was pleased with the way I
drove and everything, but I just need to devote more time to my businesses right
now.

Flatout Gaskets has signed on to
sponsor Tom Carter’s Jawbreaker IHRA Alcohol Funny Car Team.

Carter has been drawing a lot of attention this year on the IHRA
circuit garnering three wins so far and sitting solidly in second place, just 46
points out of the lead. With only five events left, Carter has become a serious
threat to win the IHRA Championship. With the talented efforts of Jeff Fowler
and Dale Cannister making tuning calls for the team, championship level
performance is almost second nature.

“Flatout has been involved with Fowler Racing Engines and
Cannister Motorsports for several years and their input on product development
has been key to many innovations in our line-up” said Mark Adelizzi, President
of Flatout Group. “Rejoining this group of dedicated racers has been in our plan
for awhile and we hope to support and see Laurie Cannister back out there and
racing a second car for this team in 2007! This is just the beginning!” added
Adelizzi.

Mike Ashley and Knoll Gas - Torco
Race Fuels join Team RFC offering you a chance to experience the thrill of
racing as an Honorary Pit Crew Member for a Day at the Mac Tools US Nationals at
Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis, IN on August 30- Sept 4, 2006!

Pro Stock driver Mark “Cowboy”
Pawuk is the “featured performer” on today’s popular BackInThePits.com website
where he appears in on-air journalist Rik Anthony’s “Daily Pit Report” headline
story.

By clicking on the photo of Anthony and Pawuk you’ll be taken
directly to a 90-second interview in which Pawuk outlines his beginnings in the
sport, and where he is today.

“I was honored to be a part of Rik’s show, and on the web site,”
he said. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been interviewed for Rik’s Back In The
Pits radio program, and I certainly hope we can do it again. Rik asks ‘good
questions,’ but then he lets his subjects tell their stories, so it’s a lot
easier than some of the interviews I’ve done over the years.”