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FRESNO, Calif. (April 23, 2008) - Four-time NHRA world champion Gary Scelzi and the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team are on a positive path with the new Brad Hadman chassis they've been tweaking for the last two NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events. They're encouraged with recent testing results and are ready to attack the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway this weekend.
"We had a great test on Monday after Las Vegas (two weeks ago)," said Scelzi, who has two Top Fuel wins in Atlanta but none in the Funny Car class. "We changed the balance of the Hadman chassis, which we felt it needed. We moved some weight around, Todd (Okuhara, crew chief) made some adjustments to the clutch, and the Mopar/Oakley Dodge made it down the track three out of four runs, which we're really excited about. A lot of the other cars testing were not making it down the track under virtually the same (hot) conditions that we had on Sunday in Vegas.
"So, Todd seems to be really pleased with the way the car's reacting. Although we've only got to race the Hadman in Houston and Vegas, we had a really good test session. For very little time being on the car, Todd feels very comfortable about our chances going into Atlanta, which makes me feel very comfortable.
"We'll go to Commerce, Ga., and hopefully it won't be a one-lane race track and NHRA will do a good job in prepping the track, so lane choice hopefully won't be a factor. And, even if it is, we should be ready."
Scelzi's accomplishments at Atlanta Dragway include Top Fuel victories in 1999 and 2000, a TF runner-up in 1997, and a Funny Car runner-up in 2004. He was also low qualifier in TF in 1997 and in FC in 2005.
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* No. 13 in points after five events in 2008 (two quarterfinal finishes, two first rounds and a DNQ)
* Has two Top Fuel national event wins at Atlanta Dragway (1999, 2000)
* No Funny Car wins in Atlanta
* Was low qualifier in Top Fuel in Atlanta in 1997; in Funny Car in 2005
* Qualified No. 8 at 2007 Southern Nationals, lost second round to Mike Ashley
* 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 372-195
* Age 47 (Aug. 11, 1960), born and raised in Fresno, Calif., where he lives with wife Julianne and sons Dominic and Giovanni
* Dominic, 10, races Restricted 600 Mini 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
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, April 25 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, April 26 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, April 27 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, April 26, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday April 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, April 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, April 25, 9:30-10 p.m. (ET) – Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, April 26, 6-6:30 p.m. (ET) – Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, April 27, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) – Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, vertical)
SCELZI AND MOPAR TEAM ON POSITIVE PATH WITH NEW CHASSIS FOR ATLANTA
FRESNO, Calif. (April 23, 2008) - Four-time NHRA world champion Gary Scelzi and the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car team are on a positive path with the new Brad Hadman chassis they've been tweaking for the last two NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events. They're encouraged with recent testing results and are ready to attack the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway this weekend.
"We had a great test on Monday after Las Vegas (two weeks ago)," said Scelzi, who has two Top Fuel wins in Atlanta but none in the Funny Car class. "We changed the balance of the Hadman chassis, which we felt it needed. We moved some weight around, Todd (Okuhara, crew chief) made some adjustments to the clutch, and the Mopar/Oakley Dodge made it down the track three out of four runs, which we're really excited about. A lot of the other cars testing were not making it down the track under virtually the same (hot) conditions that we had on Sunday in Vegas.
"So, Todd seems to be really pleased with the way the car's reacting. Although we've only got to race the Hadman in Houston and Vegas, we had a really good test session. For very little time being on the car, Todd feels very comfortable about our chances going into Atlanta, which makes me feel very comfortable.
"We'll go to Commerce, Ga., and hopefully it won't be a one-lane race track and NHRA will do a good job in prepping the track, so lane choice hopefully won't be a factor. And, even if it is, we should be ready."
Scelzi's accomplishments at Atlanta Dragway include Top Fuel victories in 1999 and 2000, a TF runner-up in 1997, and a Funny Car runner-up in 2004. He was also low qualifier in TF in 1997 and in FC in 2005.
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* No. 13 in points after five events in 2008 (two quarterfinal finishes, two first rounds and a DNQ)
* Has two Top Fuel national event wins at Atlanta Dragway (1999, 2000)
* No Funny Car wins in Atlanta
* Was low qualifier in Top Fuel in Atlanta in 1997; in Funny Car in 2005
* Qualified No. 8 at 2007 Southern Nationals, lost second round to Mike Ashley
* 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 372-195
* Age 47 (Aug. 11, 1960), born and raised in Fresno, Calif., where he lives with wife Julianne and sons Dominic and Giovanni
* Dominic, 10, races Restricted 600 Mini 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
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, April 25 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, April 26 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, April 27 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, April 26, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday April 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, April 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, April 25, 9:30-10 p.m. (ET) – Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, April 26, 6-6:30 p.m. (ET) – Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, April 27, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) – Horizons 2 / Transponder 12K (12160 MHz, vertical)
