<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/g_scelzi07.jpg" alt="g_scelzi07" align="left"borders="0"/>
FRESNO, Calif. (July 4, 2007) - Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion Gary Scelzi is ready to get onto Bristol Dragway's quarter-mile, one of his favorite tracks on the circuit, for this weekend's re-scheduled O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
The driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car who says he'll step away from the sport at the end of this season to tend to family and business, is a one-time winner in Bristol, in 2005, the year he won his first Funny Car championship. He'd like to add another championship trophy to his mantle before he goes on what he calls a sabbatical, not a retirement.
"(Track owner) Bruton Smith has redone the track, so we know it's going to be great," said Scelzi of the re-surfacing of Bristol Dragway, the cause of the event's postponement from its original May 18-20 date. "We could easily see the high speeds that (crew chief) Mike Neff likes to run.
"The Mopar/Oakley Dodge has always been at the top of the charts in mph and, even though we're in the middle of the hot summer months right now, and at the third event of this treacherous six-race swing, we're excited about returning to Bristol.
"It's been a tough schedule for our team so far, and the tracks are going to be tricky these next few races, but we're on a path towards a top-eight spot in the Countdown to the Championship," added Scelzi, who is fifth in the standings, just 41 points out of the top three following two wins from pole position this year, "and that's what counts right now. We have to stay focused, keep our eye on the target and do our jobs the best we can."
Following these next six races, the Countdown for the top eight in points will kick in at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* Fifth in Funny Car points after qualifying No. 1 and winning the 2007 season-opening Pomona event, and again qualifying No. 1 and winning the Chicago event. His other results this season are first-round losses in Phoenix, Gainesville, Las Vegas and Englishtown, quarterfinal finishes in Houston, Atlanta, St. Louis and Topeka, and a DNQ in Norwalk
* Is 224 points behind leader Ron Capps, 41 points short of third
* Winner once in Bristol, in Funny Car, in 2005
* Seventh in 2006 Funny Car points, with a win in Denver (three final rounds), runner-up in Englishtown, N.J., runner-up in Brainerd, Minn., and three semifinal finishes in Bristol, Tenn., Joliet, Ill., and St. Louis.
* Also had seven quarterfinal finishes and no No. 1 qualifiers in '06
* 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 (Bristol, Chicago 1 and Sonoma); was low qualifier six times (Las Vegas 1, Atlanta, St. Louis, Reading, Las Vegas 2, Pomona 2)
* 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 a member of the largest team in NHRA pro history: Don Schumacher Racing - one in Top Fuel, three in Funny Car, one in Pro Stock, two in Pro Stock Motorcycle (all four pro categories)
* 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
* Age 46 (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 10 Funny Car wins, 25 Top Fuel wins
* Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class
* 2007 is his fifth 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: 12-9, 3-1 in final rounds
* Says he's stepping away from NHRA competition at end of 2007, but not retiring
SCELZI SET FOR BRISTOL RETURN
FRESNO, Calif. (July 4, 2007) - Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion Gary Scelzi is ready to get onto Bristol Dragway's quarter-mile, one of his favorite tracks on the circuit, for this weekend's re-scheduled O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
The driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car who says he'll step away from the sport at the end of this season to tend to family and business, is a one-time winner in Bristol, in 2005, the year he won his first Funny Car championship. He'd like to add another championship trophy to his mantle before he goes on what he calls a sabbatical, not a retirement.
"(Track owner) Bruton Smith has redone the track, so we know it's going to be great," said Scelzi of the re-surfacing of Bristol Dragway, the cause of the event's postponement from its original May 18-20 date. "We could easily see the high speeds that (crew chief) Mike Neff likes to run.
"The Mopar/Oakley Dodge has always been at the top of the charts in mph and, even though we're in the middle of the hot summer months right now, and at the third event of this treacherous six-race swing, we're excited about returning to Bristol.
"It's been a tough schedule for our team so far, and the tracks are going to be tricky these next few races, but we're on a path towards a top-eight spot in the Countdown to the Championship," added Scelzi, who is fifth in the standings, just 41 points out of the top three following two wins from pole position this year, "and that's what counts right now. We have to stay focused, keep our eye on the target and do our jobs the best we can."
Following these next six races, the Countdown for the top eight in points will kick in at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend.
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* Fifth in Funny Car points after qualifying No. 1 and winning the 2007 season-opening Pomona event, and again qualifying No. 1 and winning the Chicago event. His other results this season are first-round losses in Phoenix, Gainesville, Las Vegas and Englishtown, quarterfinal finishes in Houston, Atlanta, St. Louis and Topeka, and a DNQ in Norwalk
* Is 224 points behind leader Ron Capps, 41 points short of third
* Winner once in Bristol, in Funny Car, in 2005
* Seventh in 2006 Funny Car points, with a win in Denver (three final rounds), runner-up in Englishtown, N.J., runner-up in Brainerd, Minn., and three semifinal finishes in Bristol, Tenn., Joliet, Ill., and St. Louis.
* Also had seven quarterfinal finishes and no No. 1 qualifiers in '06
* 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 (Bristol, Chicago 1 and Sonoma); was low qualifier six times (Las Vegas 1, Atlanta, St. Louis, Reading, Las Vegas 2, Pomona 2)
* 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 a member of the largest team in NHRA pro history: Don Schumacher Racing - one in Top Fuel, three in Funny Car, one in Pro Stock, two in Pro Stock Motorcycle (all four pro categories)
* 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
* Age 46 (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 10 Funny Car wins, 25 Top Fuel wins
* Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class
* 2007 is his fifth 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: 12-9, 3-1 in final rounds
* Says he's stepping away from NHRA competition at end of 2007, but not retiring
