Two-timer Scelzi aims for Houston Funny Car win

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2004 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
ROUND 5 of 23
O'REILLY NHRA SPRING NATIONALS
HOUSTON RACEWAY PARK
RACE DATES: APRIL 16-18, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438

HOUSTON TWO-TIME TOP FUEL WINNER SCELZI AIMS FOR FUNNY CAR WIN

BAYTOWN, Texas (April 13, 2004) - Houston Raceway Park has been good to Gary
Scelzi. He's won here twice during his stellar NHRA Top Fuel career, in the
fall events of 1997 and 1998, both times as low qualifier. The three-time
NHRA Top Fuel champion was also runner-up to Larry Dixon at the fall race
here in 1999 and continues to hold the Top Fuel elapsed-time track record of
4.480 seconds, set in '99.

Now that he's switched classes and has his first full season of Funny Car
competition under his belt driving the HEMI-powered Oakley Dodge Stratus for
Don Schumacher Racing, Scelzi is ready to back up these successes with a
first Funny Car victory here this weekend at the O'Reilly NHRA Spring
Nationals. 

Scelzi won one Funny Car event last year, reached four semifinals and eight
quarterfinals to finish sixth in points. His most significant achievement
was establishing a national top-speed record of 329.18 mph in Joliet, Ill.,
which still holds, and producing six of the top nine fastest Funny Car
speeds in NHRA history.

The Fresno native is the odds-on favorite to break the 330-mph barrier this
season with his HEMI-powered Oakley rocket ship. Whether the
newly-resurfaced Houston Raceway is capable of delivering that record is up
for discussion.

"From what I understand the race track is really good," he said. "I've heard
all different rumors. I'm told by a reliable source that the race track is
really good, that it's smooth and has good bite.

"The weather is going to make the difference," he continued. "I know they've
been getting torrential downpours in Texas last week, but I don't know how
it will affect Houston. It looks like the weather is going to be in the
80-degree range, which is not really suitable for world records. But the
race track should be good. We should still be able to run pretty quick and
pretty fast." 

Scelzi's 2004 season so far sees him sixth in points, 112 out of first
place, following a second-round loss at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor
Speedway last week because of a clutch malfunction. "I'm looking forward to
racing in Houston. I think we've got one of the top running cars. If we
could just get a little bit of luck I think everyone will realize what we've
got for them.

"I was pretty discouraged after Sunday in Vegas, but when you look at points
I'm a little over two rounds out of second place and not that far out of
first, and we're only four races into it. Like (crew chief) Mike Neff says,
there's no reason to panic yet.

"We've got a good race car. It's not like we have to go find performance.
We've got performance, so I'm not really concerned. Sometimes we get so
caught up in the moment that if you don't win or end up out in the late
rounds, you think the world's over. That's not the case."

NHRA Pro Nitro qualifying is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on
Friday, April 16, and 12 noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 17. Eliminations
begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 18.

ESPN2 will air qualifying coverage at 10 p.m. ET on April 17. Eliminations
will air on April 18 at 5 p.m. ET, and will be repeated on April 23 at 3
p.m. ET.

GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:

* Qualified 15th at 2003 O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, lost in first round
to teammate Whit Bazemore
* Sixth in 2004 Funny Car points after four events
* Age 43, born and raised in Fresno, Calif., where he lives with wife
Julianne and sons Dominic and Giovanni
* Is a three-time Top Fuel Dragster champion
* Has one Funny Car win, 25 Top Fuel wins
* Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class
* Is the only NHRA driver to have won in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Top Alcohol
Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car
* Holds six of the top nine Funny Car top speeds:
1. 329.18, Sept. 28, 2003, Joliet, Ill.
2. 328.70, Sept. 28. 2003, Joliet, Ill.
3. 328.38, Nov. 8, 2003, Pomona, Calif.
5. 328.06, June 1, 2003, Joliet, Ill.
6. 327.98, May 31, 2003, Joliet, Ill.
9. 327.27, Nov. 8, 2003, Pomona, Calif.

***