The anticipation is over. Whit Bazemore has satisfied his curiosity. He knows what it feels like to drive a Top Fuel dragster, and by the smile on his face alone it was clear the newest driver in the David Powers Motorsports stable liked it -- and the challenge before him to master it.  

"It's really quite a bit different than a Funny Car. I knew it would be, but I didn't really know how or why," he said.

"The first thing that really hit me was the speed. We only went to the 330-foot [mark] the first run. The sensation of speed was much, much greater than it was in the Funny Car. And that's because of the peripheral vision you have in a dragster that you don't have in a Funny Car," Bazemore said. "In a Funny Car, you look way, way down the windshield -- out, way downtrack. This car, because it's so much more open,  you see things a lot closer to your peripheral vision. So the sensation of speed is pretty tremendous, actually. So I'm excited about that.  It's such a different animal.

"It's a new challenge, for sure."
The anticipation is over. Whit Bazemore has satisfied his curiosity. He knows what it feels like to drive a Top Fuel dragster, and by the smile on his face alone it was clear the newest driver in the David Powers Motorsports stable liked it -- and the challenge before him to master it.  

"It's really quite a bit different than a Funny Car. I knew it would be, but I didn't really know how or why," he said.

"The first thing that really hit me was the speed. We only went to the 330-foot [mark] the first run. The sensation of speed was much, much greater than it was in the Funny Car. And that's because of the peripheral vision you have in a dragster that you don't have in a Funny Car," Bazemore said. "In a Funny Car, you look way, way down the windshield -- out, way downtrack. This car, because it's so much more open,  you see things a lot closer to your peripheral vision. So the sensation of speed is pretty tremendous, actually. So I'm excited about that.  It's such a different animal.

"It's a new challenge, for sure."

Bazemore said he is enjoying his time with David Powers Motorsports.

"It's a great team that David has put together with Lee Beard on this car and Rob Flynn on Hot Rod's [Fuller's] car. I can see why Matco changed. It's a great organization, and I'm very happy to be proud and part of it."

He said the organization and his new crew "made it really easy for me today the first run. And I thank them for that. Everything went off without a hitch, really smooth. They made me look good. I appreciate that."

Another unfamiliar feeling that swept over Bazemore Friday centered on confidence.

Said Bazemore, "I thought to myself earlier, 'I've never lacked for confidence very often.'  Occasionally back I the early days of my career I did. But you have issues and you have to learn what you’re doing and how to do it better.  And you get confidence.

"Then I thought, 'Man, I can't tell anyone I don't have any confidence.' But it is so different. It's new," he said. "The first run answered some questions, and now I want to experience what this car does at the finish line. And once I do that, I'll have the data in my brain that I can think about at night. It has to be second nature."