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MEMPHIS, TN (8/19/06) -- Gary Scelzi held the No. 8 Funny Car qualifying spot for the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals through three qualifying rounds, beginning with a 4.955-second pass at 301.67 mph, then a tire-smoking 6.589/137.04, and finally his quickest of the weekend, a 4.935/302.69. One round was eliminated in Friday because of a long rain delay and clean-up.
"Two out of three's not bad," said the driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T and reigning Funny Car champion. "We had as good a shot as anybody. We're starting in eighth position, we have lane choice. Don't know if that's going to be critical tomorrow or not, but it's nice to have it.
"Losing a qualifying round definitely hurts you. We had to jump ahead of schedule and see what it would take and what it wouldn't (in that one Friday session). We found out what it wouldn't and it smoked the tires at 500 feet. It got past the Christmas Tree and it got past the shake zone that we have trouble with. It didn't smoke them until it was further out.
"We'll roll the dice and see what happens tomorrow. I don't feel good, I don't feel bad."
Scelzi faces his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Mike Ashley in the first round of eliminations on Sunday.
SCELZI HOLDS NO. 8 THROUGH THREE QUALIFYING ROUNDS IN MEMPHIS
MEMPHIS, TN (8/19/06) -- Gary Scelzi held the No. 8 Funny Car qualifying spot for the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals through three qualifying rounds, beginning with a 4.955-second pass at 301.67 mph, then a tire-smoking 6.589/137.04, and finally his quickest of the weekend, a 4.935/302.69. One round was eliminated in Friday because of a long rain delay and clean-up.
"Two out of three's not bad," said the driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T and reigning Funny Car champion. "We had as good a shot as anybody. We're starting in eighth position, we have lane choice. Don't know if that's going to be critical tomorrow or not, but it's nice to have it.
"Losing a qualifying round definitely hurts you. We had to jump ahead of schedule and see what it would take and what it wouldn't (in that one Friday session). We found out what it wouldn't and it smoked the tires at 500 feet. It got past the Christmas Tree and it got past the shake zone that we have trouble with. It didn't smoke them until it was further out.
"We'll roll the dice and see what happens tomorrow. I don't feel good, I don't feel bad."
Scelzi faces his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Mike Ashley in the first round of eliminations on Sunday.
