NHRA: FORCE TOO MUCH TO HANDLE, SIGNALS END OF WHIT.

Byline: Steve Ramirez Staff Writer

POMONA - There aren't many moments when Whit Bazemore isn't thinking about John Force. And it's likely he will continue to have nightmares about the 10-time Funny Car champion after losing to him in the finals of the National Hot Rod Association 50th Anniversary Nationals on Saturday in front of a near-capacity crowd at Pomona Fairplex.

Other professional winners were Doug Herbert in Top Fuel, Jeg Coughlin Jr. in Pro Stock and Angelle Savoie in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

``I know that (Force) is my biggest rival,'' Bazemore said. ``I don't know what he thinks about me and it doesn't matter because he is the guy I think about when I'm thinking about drag racing and who we have to beat.''

He didn't beat him Saturday. Force had it loaded for bear, running a 4.853 at 317.64 mph. Bazemore suffered mechanical problems near half-track and slowed to a 5.61 at 168.51 mph.

``We struggled (most of the weekend), we broke a number of motors, but we knew we had it there,'' said Force, who won his 96th career national event and increased his points lead to 335 over second-place Del Worsham. ``(Bazemore's team) had it too. But we just hopped it up and tried to do what we did the other night. And we got away with it.''

So did Herbert, who upset three-time series champion and No. 1 qualifier Gary Scelzi to win the Top Fuel final.

Herbert, who hadn't won since late in the 1999 season, beat Scelzi with a 4.600 at 320.58 mph. Scelzi, who advanced to his third final of the season, smoked the tires just past the starting line and slowed to a 5.574.

``We had a few problems in the first and second round but it came around in the semifinals,'' Herbert said. ``We stepped on it a little bit more for the final because that's what we thought we had to (do) and it ran what we thought it would.''

Coughlin continued his recent success at Pomona Fairplex by defeating top qualifier Mike Edwards with a 6.91 pass at 199.26 mph. Edwards ran a 6.92 at 200.05 mph.

It was Coughlin's fourth victory in the past six races here. He won both the Winternationals and World Finals here in 1999 and opened the 2000 season with a victory here.

``This is really exciting to win the 50th Anniversary race,'' Coughlin said. ``We had a great day and we're all very excited. The Chevy Cavalier did exactly what we wanted it to do.

``What a way to end the weekend. It's tough out there and the team did it's job. I'll be smiling for days.''

Savoie continued her recent dominance by winning in Pro Stock Bike when Antron Brown jumped the start. Savoie, who tied Shirley Muldowney for most victories by a female driver/rider with 18, roared to an event-best 7.24 at 180.14. It was also her second victory and third final-round appearance in the past four national events.

This weekend's event also included a Nostalgia Top Fuel exhibition race, featuring competitors from the Good Guys series.

Jack ``The Sheriff'' Harris, who has been one of the dominant drivers in the nostalgia series, defeated Rance McDaniel in the final with a 6.15 pass.

Saturday also proved to be a good day for local racers.

Covina's Andy Manna Jr. won in Competition Eliminator, and West Covina's Steve Gasparrelli was a runner-up in Federal Mogul Funny Car.

Manna, who won national titles in 1997 and 1999, defeated Redlands' Richard Braun with a 8.50 pass at 156 mph in the final.

Gasparrelli wasn't as lucky after suffering mechanical problems in a final-round loss to Buck Austin of Fife, Wash. Gasparrelli, a Monrovia High graduate, defeated Temple City native Jay Payne in the semifinals but slowed to a 6.16 at 175.09 in the final.

Austin, the uncle of former national champion Pat Austin, ran a 5.80.

Brian Hough, using a slight advantage off the starting line, upset four- time national champion Rick Santos to win in Federal Mogul Dragster, running a 5.50 at 257.37 mph.