KALITTA, BAZEMORE, ANDERSON AND GANN TAKE PROVISIONAL NO. 1 QUALIFIERS IN HOUSTON

BAYTOWN, Texas - Whit Bazemore grabbed the provisional top spot in Funny Car after Friday's qualifying sessions at the NHRA's O'Reilly Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil. Bazemore impressed the rest of the field with a quarter-mile run of 4.800 seconds at 318.92 mph in his Matco Tools Pontiac Firebird. If the qualifying effort can hold up against two more session on Saturday, it will be his first top qualifying position since last season. Bazemore finished the 2001 season by qualifying in the number one position at nine of the final 12 events.

"We're thrilled with the first time in a couple races that we have had conditions that our team could take advantage of all the horsepower we made last season," Bazemore said. "It's a great result for us at a time when we really need it."
Doug Kalitta, Warren Johnson and Shawn Gann also were provisional No. 1 qualifiers in their respective divisions at the $1.9 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event at Houston Raceway Park.

Kalitta sits at the helm of the Top Fuel category with a run of 4.579 at 320.81 mph. Kalitta's Mac Tools dragster was the quickest during both qualifying sessions including a 4.663 in the middle of the day.

"I'm sure we'll be going for Sunday (tune-up) tomorrow," Kalitta said. "If we can repeat what we did earlier in the day, run in the 60's tomorrow. I think that will be pretty good in my opinion."

Anderson held off the Pro Stock division with a track record elapsed time 6.824 at 201.58 in his Vegas General Construction Chevrolet Cavalier. After starting the season slow with three first round losses and a DNQ, this is the performance Anderson was expecting from the start.
"We had high expectations," Anderson admitted. "Did we expect to come in here and beat Warren Johnson and Ron Krisher and these guys right away? No. We thought by the middle of the season we'd be close to them. We have just had a problem running low gear. We came here and finally, finally got back to what we learned a few weeks ago."
Gann's Suzuki led the pack in the Pro Stock Motorcycle field with a pass of 7.190 at 186.12. Gann has never qualified in the top spot and has never been in the top spot on Friday.

"I think we can improve, but it will have to be the first shot out of the truck, Gann said.  "I think (my e.t.) will hold up, but there is only one person that can probably beat it. She (Angelle Savoie) is about it."

Results Friday after qualifying for the 15th annual O'Reilly Spring Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Houston Raceway Park
 
        Top Fuel -- 1. Doug Kalitta, 4.579 seconds, 320.81 mph; 2. Kenny Bernstein, 4.586, 323.66; 3. Cory McClenathan, 4.615, 321.50; 4. Larry Dixon, 4.632, 320.51; 5. Tony Schumacher, 4.650, 319.37; 6. Doug Herbert, 4.702, 312.42; 7. David Grubnic, 4.731, 301.74; 8. Scott Weis, 4.733, 316.15; 9. John Smith, 4.734, 298.93; 10. Melanie Troxel, 4.770, 301.40; 11. Bruce Litton, 4.831, 301.54; 12. Rhonda Hartman-Smith, 4.922, 255.29; 13. Andrew Cowin, 5.061, 218.16; 14. Mark Kinsella, 5.700, 164.09; 15. Chris Karamesines, 6.322, 143.90; 16. Ken Zeal, 9.002, 89.16.
 
        Funny Car -- 1. Whit Bazemore, Pontiac Firebird, 4.800, 318.92; 2. Tony Pedregon, Ford Mustang, 4.865, 312.86; 3. Gary Densham, Mustang, 4.883, 319.82; 4. John Force, Mustang, 4.895, 307.37; 5. Bob Gilbertson, Firebird, 4.901, 309.13; 6. Dean Skuza, Dodge Stratus R/T, 4.915, 271.90; 7. Ron Capps, Chevy Camaro, 4.927, 305.42; 8. Cruz Pedregon, Firebird, 4.933, 280.19; 9. Gary Scelzi, Toyota Celica, 4.941, 304.19; 10. Johnny Gray, Firebird, 4.992, 306.88; 11. Tommy Johnson Jr., Camaro, 4.999, 278.06; 12. Dale Creasy Jr., Firebird, 5.098, 301.33; 13. Scotty Cannon, Firebird, 5.111, 277.20; 14. Todd Paton, Camaro, 5.166, 283.61; 15. Del Worsham, Firebird, 6.753, 138.09; 16. John Lawson, Firebird, 7.239, 114.65.
 
        Pro Stock -- 1. Greg Anderson, Chevy Cavalier, 6.824, 201.58; 2. Jim Yates, Pontiac Grand Am, 6.828, 202.24; 3. Warren Johnson, Grand Am, 6.829, 202.15; 4. Ron Krisher, Cavalier, 6.832, 202.30; 5. Mike Edwards, Cavalier, 6.833, 200.92; 6. George Marnell, Grand Am, 6.849, 200.59; 7. Tom Hammonds, Cavalier, 6.850, 201.07; 8. V. Gaines, Cavalier, 6.854, 201.79; 9. Kurt Johnson, Cavalier, 6.857, 201.28; 10. Darrell Alderman, Dodge Neon R/T, 6.858, 201.46; 11. Steve Schmidt, Grand Am, 6.858, 200.35; 12. Bruce Allen, Grand Am, 6.861, 200.89; 13. Jeg Coughlin, Cavalier, 6.864, 200.56; 14. John Geyer, Neon R/T, 6.871, 200.50; 15. Gene Wilson, Neon R/T, 6.871, 200.32; 16. Richie Stevens, Grand Am, 6.873, 199.70.
 
        Pro Stock Motorcycle -- 1. Shawn Gann, Suzuki, 7.185, 192.58; 2. Angelle Savoie, Suzuki, 7.190, 186.12; 3. Antron Brown, Suzuki, 7.209, 184.93; 4. Matt Hines, Suzuki, 7.235, 186.98; 5. Geno Scali, Kawasaki, 7.271, 186.74; 6. Mike Berry, Suzuki, 7.284, 186.00; 7. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.302, 182.16; 8. Craig Treble, Suzuki, 7.311, 187.36; 9. Terry Kizer, Suzuki, 7.320, 182.60; 10. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.339, 185.56; 11. Blaine Hale, Suzuki, 7.344, 180.79; 12. Joe DeSantis, Suzuki, 7.353, 181.37; 13. Brian DeLong, Suzuki, 7.357, 183.52; 14. Chris Reuter, Suzuki, 7.371, 177.28; 15. Sam Hurwitz, Suzuki, 7.378, 182.50; 16. Scott Lewis, Suzuki, 7.380, 185.61.