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FRESNO, Calif. (April 7, 2008) - Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series world champion Gary Scelzi is set for a serious run in the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, site of the fifth round of 24 on the 2008 NHRA professional circuit.
No. 12 in the point standings after four events, which included one DNQ, Scelzi is ready for the stellar conditions expected at The Strip, as he aims to propel himself up to the front in the Funny Car point standings.
"It's been a tough year," said Scelzi, Funny Car winner at The Strip in 2004, "but, you know what? Las Vegas is always one of my favorites. The surroundings, the race track, the facility, the people, especially after leaving Houston (where he endured questionable track conditions), help bring your sanity back knowing that you're going to a race track where they really care about the racers and they care about the fans. (Track owner) Bruton Smith spends whatever it takes to keep up the facility and make it one of the quality ones that we go to.
"I've said it in the past and I'll say it again, anything that Bruton Smith owns sets the standards for the NHRA tour, and I'm glad he does that.
"It's easier on parts, it's easier on the crew chiefs. Not that this is an easy deal, but at least we're going to a facility where we know we can go down the race track, the lanes are equal, the track is prepared the best it could possibly be, and the surface is a racing surface.
"I can't guarantee that we're gong to do well, but I have a hard time believing that we won't.
"Then we also have a planned test on Monday to try some new parts to make our Brad Hadman car even more consistent.
"I'm always excited about going to Vegas. My kids (sons Dominic and Giovanni) will be with me. They don't go to many of the races, so it's always great to have the boys with me and they get to hang out with Dad, and I sure enjoy their company.
"My whole mind set will be really good in Vegas and being back on the West Coast. This is it for me before everything is back East again until the West Coast Swing," added the Fresno, Calif., native. "I'm in a good mood and life is good.
"And what makes this trip to Vegas even better is the fact that the local Integrity Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealership is providing the Don Schumacher Racing team with vehicles for the weekend. I can't thank them enough on behalf of DSR, because it definitely makes our lives easier at the races, and we get to drive some of the baddest cars that Dodge makes."
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* No. 12 in points after four events in 2008 (two quarterfinal finishes, one first round and a DNQ)
* Has one national event win at The Strip in Funny Car (2004-2)
* Was low qualifier at The Strip in FC twice in 2005, at both events
* Qualified No. 6 at 2007 spring event at The Strip, lost first round to Jim Head
* 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 371-195
* 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
SCELZI SET FOR SERIOUS VEGAS RUN
FRESNO, Calif. (April 7, 2008) - Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series world champion Gary Scelzi is set for a serious run in the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, site of the fifth round of 24 on the 2008 NHRA professional circuit.
No. 12 in the point standings after four events, which included one DNQ, Scelzi is ready for the stellar conditions expected at The Strip, as he aims to propel himself up to the front in the Funny Car point standings.
"It's been a tough year," said Scelzi, Funny Car winner at The Strip in 2004, "but, you know what? Las Vegas is always one of my favorites. The surroundings, the race track, the facility, the people, especially after leaving Houston (where he endured questionable track conditions), help bring your sanity back knowing that you're going to a race track where they really care about the racers and they care about the fans. (Track owner) Bruton Smith spends whatever it takes to keep up the facility and make it one of the quality ones that we go to.
"I've said it in the past and I'll say it again, anything that Bruton Smith owns sets the standards for the NHRA tour, and I'm glad he does that.
"It's easier on parts, it's easier on the crew chiefs. Not that this is an easy deal, but at least we're going to a facility where we know we can go down the race track, the lanes are equal, the track is prepared the best it could possibly be, and the surface is a racing surface.
"I can't guarantee that we're gong to do well, but I have a hard time believing that we won't.
"Then we also have a planned test on Monday to try some new parts to make our Brad Hadman car even more consistent.
"I'm always excited about going to Vegas. My kids (sons Dominic and Giovanni) will be with me. They don't go to many of the races, so it's always great to have the boys with me and they get to hang out with Dad, and I sure enjoy their company.
"My whole mind set will be really good in Vegas and being back on the West Coast. This is it for me before everything is back East again until the West Coast Swing," added the Fresno, Calif., native. "I'm in a good mood and life is good.
"And what makes this trip to Vegas even better is the fact that the local Integrity Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealership is providing the Don Schumacher Racing team with vehicles for the weekend. I can't thank them enough on behalf of DSR, because it definitely makes our lives easier at the races, and we get to drive some of the baddest cars that Dodge makes."
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* No. 12 in points after four events in 2008 (two quarterfinal finishes, one first round and a DNQ)
* Has one national event win at The Strip in Funny Car (2004-2)
* Was low qualifier at The Strip in FC twice in 2005, at both events
* Qualified No. 6 at 2007 spring event at The Strip, lost first round to Jim Head
* 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 371-195
* 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
