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FRESNO, Calif. (June 3, 2008) - Following his solid run to the semifinal round in Topeka, Kan., last Sunday, four-time NHRA titlist and defending Funny Car champion at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals Gary Scelzi is pumped. He's ready for more and he's eyeing another winner's trophy this weekend.
Scelzi has three victories at this facility popular among the professional drag racers and he's the only one to have won national events at Route 66 Raceway in both Top Fuel (2000) and in Funny Car (2005 and 2007). He was also the first Funny Car driver to break the 330-mph barrier, and he did it at Route 66 Raceway in 2004 when he posted a blistering 330.15-mph run.
"I'm liking my chances again this year," said the Fresno, Calif., native, who drives the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, whose team owner calls Chicago home. "The Mopar/Oakley Dodge I think has turned the corner. Route 66 Raceway is one of the best places we go to for racing surfaces, so both lanes are equal just like they were in Topeka. So that's a big thing. You don't want to go to a race track and if you lose lane choice you know that you don't have a prayer.
"Route 66 is one of my favorites. And it's not a Bruton Smith-owned race track, so that's even a bigger surprise. We're just 30 points out of the top 10 and we're looking for a good result so we can jump up there and continue working our way towards a spot in the Countdown to the Championship (which begins after the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend for the top 10 in points).
"Let's go, Chicago! It's Don Schumacher's hometown. There will be a ton of Schumacher fans and friends and family, so we'll go put on a good show for them."
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* No. 13 in points after nine events in 2008 (one semifinal, two quarterfinal finishes, five first rounds and a DNQ)
* Just 30 points out of a spot in the top 10
* Has one Top Fuel win in Joliet (2000) and two Funny Car wins (2005, 2007)
* Qualified No. 1 at Route 66 in 2007, won event over teammate Ron Capps
* Third in 2007 Funny Car point standings
* Won class-best four national events in 2007, in four final rounds
* Qualified No. 1 and won the 2007 season-opening Pomona event (against Robert Hight), again qualified No. 1 and won the Chicago event, then won in Memphis and Richmond
* Seventh in 2006 Funny Car points, with one win in three final rounds, no low qualifiers
* Claimed the 2005 Funny Car championship, his first, by eight points over his teammate Ron Capps, 32 over third-place John Force
* Won three times in 2005, was low qualifier six times
* Is a three-time Top Fuel champion (1997, 1998, 2000)
* Became only the second NHRA driver to have won crowns in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Kenny Bernstein is the first
* Has set 24 Funny Car top speeds since joining Don Schumacher Racing in 2003
* Is first Funny Car driver to break the 330-mph barrier (330.15 mph at Route 66 Raceway in 2004)
* Career Funny Car bests: 4.690-second ET (Pomona 1 '07), 333.49 mph (Pomona 1 '07)
* Qualified in top five 19 times in 2005, No. 1 six times
* Has 37 career national-event titles in 58 final rounds
* Career round win-loss record is 373-200
* Age 47 (Aug. 11, 1960), born and raised in Fresno, Calif., where he lives with wife Julianne and sons Dominic and Giovanni
* Dominic, 11, races Restricted 600 Mini Sprints; Giovanni races Junior Sprints
* Runs Scelzi Enterprises, a custom truck body design and manufacturing business in Fresno with his two brothers
* Won his first Top Fuel crown as a rookie
* Has 12 Funny Car wins, 25 Top Fuel wins
* Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class
* 2008 is his sixth straight season racing for Don Schumacher Racing
* Is the only NHRA driver to have won in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car. He accomplished this feat by winning Nitro Funny Car at Infineon Raceway in 2003
* Is one of the few Funny Car drivers who has a round-winning record against the 14-time Funny Car champion John Force: 3-1 in final rounds, 12-11 in head-to-head match-ups
* Said early in 2007 that he would step away from NHRA competition at end of season. An offer from NHRA team owner Ken Black to fly him to and from 10 races in 2008, so he could spend more time with family business and family, helped him change his mind and return with DSR in 2008
DEFENDING ROUTE 66 FUNNY CAR CHAMP GARY SCELZI LIKES HIS CHANCES
Is only pro drag racer to have won both in Top Fuel and Funny Car at Route 66
FRESNO, Calif. (June 3, 2008) - Following his solid run to the semifinal round in Topeka, Kan., last Sunday, four-time NHRA titlist and defending Funny Car champion at the Route 66 NHRA Nationals Gary Scelzi is pumped. He's ready for more and he's eyeing another winner's trophy this weekend.
Scelzi has three victories at this facility popular among the professional drag racers and he's the only one to have won national events at Route 66 Raceway in both Top Fuel (2000) and in Funny Car (2005 and 2007). He was also the first Funny Car driver to break the 330-mph barrier, and he did it at Route 66 Raceway in 2004 when he posted a blistering 330.15-mph run.
"I'm liking my chances again this year," said the Fresno, Calif., native, who drives the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing, whose team owner calls Chicago home. "The Mopar/Oakley Dodge I think has turned the corner. Route 66 Raceway is one of the best places we go to for racing surfaces, so both lanes are equal just like they were in Topeka. So that's a big thing. You don't want to go to a race track and if you lose lane choice you know that you don't have a prayer.
"Route 66 is one of my favorites. And it's not a Bruton Smith-owned race track, so that's even a bigger surprise. We're just 30 points out of the top 10 and we're looking for a good result so we can jump up there and continue working our way towards a spot in the Countdown to the Championship (which begins after the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend for the top 10 in points).
"Let's go, Chicago! It's Don Schumacher's hometown. There will be a ton of Schumacher fans and friends and family, so we'll go put on a good show for them."
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* No. 13 in points after nine events in 2008 (one semifinal, two quarterfinal finishes, five first rounds and a DNQ)
* Just 30 points out of a spot in the top 10
* Has one Top Fuel win in Joliet (2000) and two Funny Car wins (2005, 2007)
* Qualified No. 1 at Route 66 in 2007, won event over teammate Ron Capps
* Third in 2007 Funny Car point standings
* Won class-best four national events in 2007, in four final rounds
* Qualified No. 1 and won the 2007 season-opening Pomona event (against Robert Hight), again qualified No. 1 and won the Chicago event, then won in Memphis and Richmond
* Seventh in 2006 Funny Car points, with one win in three final rounds, no low qualifiers
* Claimed the 2005 Funny Car championship, his first, by eight points over his teammate Ron Capps, 32 over third-place John Force
* Won three times in 2005, was low qualifier six times
* Is a three-time Top Fuel champion (1997, 1998, 2000)
* Became only the second NHRA driver to have won crowns in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Kenny Bernstein is the first
* Has set 24 Funny Car top speeds since joining Don Schumacher Racing in 2003
* Is first Funny Car driver to break the 330-mph barrier (330.15 mph at Route 66 Raceway in 2004)
* Career Funny Car bests: 4.690-second ET (Pomona 1 '07), 333.49 mph (Pomona 1 '07)
* Qualified in top five 19 times in 2005, No. 1 six times
* Has 37 career national-event titles in 58 final rounds
* Career round win-loss record is 373-200
* Age 47 (Aug. 11, 1960), born and raised in Fresno, Calif., where he lives with wife Julianne and sons Dominic and Giovanni
* Dominic, 11, races Restricted 600 Mini Sprints; Giovanni races Junior Sprints
* Runs Scelzi Enterprises, a custom truck body design and manufacturing business in Fresno with his two brothers
* Won his first Top Fuel crown as a rookie
* Has 12 Funny Car wins, 25 Top Fuel wins
* Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class
* 2008 is his sixth straight season racing for Don Schumacher Racing
* Is the only NHRA driver to have won in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car. He accomplished this feat by winning Nitro Funny Car at Infineon Raceway in 2003
* Is one of the few Funny Car drivers who has a round-winning record against the 14-time Funny Car champion John Force: 3-1 in final rounds, 12-11 in head-to-head match-ups
* Said early in 2007 that he would step away from NHRA competition at end of season. An offer from NHRA team owner Ken Black to fly him to and from 10 races in 2008, so he could spend more time with family business and family, helped him change his mind and return with DSR in 2008
