Scelzi aims to continue his Gateway hot streak
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES Round 12 of 23 O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals Gateway International Raceway Madison, Ill. Race Date: June 23-25, 2006 MADISON, Ill. (June 22, 2006) - Gary Scelzi is hot on Gateway International Raceway's quarter-mile. And it's not because of the high temperatures and humidity the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series teams have to endure here each year. It's because he's won here four times - more than any other NHRA pro driver - and he's aiming to make it five this weekend at the O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals. Now that the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car is back torching the dragstrips following an early-season slump, the reigning NHRA Funny Car champion is ready to make a major jump in the points rankings and begin to seriously defend his crown. "St. Louis has been really good to us," says Scelzi, who won the Funny Car event here in 2004, Top Fuel in 1998, 1999 and 2000, was low qualifier five times, and holds the Funny Car elapsed-time track record of 4.724 seconds, as well as top-speed track record of 330.23 mph. "We know we have a car that can win. I think (crew chief) Mike Neff and the Mopar/Oakley Dodge crew demonstrated that last weekend in Englishtown, where we were runner-up. We should have won that race, and it certainly boosted our confidence. We feel this upswing in performance is going to continue and we'll be chipping our way back up in the points and into the championship chase." As for the potentially stifling conditions here at Gateway, despite competition being held in late afternoon and evening: "Bring on the heat and humidity! We can handle it," said the Fresno, Calif., native. GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS: * Seventh in 2006 Funny Car points after 11 events * So far, in 2006, his best results are a runner-up in Englishtown, N.J., two semifinal finishes in Bristol, Tenn., and Joliet, Ill. Also has four quarterfinal finishes * 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 * Became only the second NHRA driver to have won crowns in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. Kenny Bernstein is the first * Has won at Gateway in TF in 1998, 1999 and 2000; in FC in 2004; qualified No. 1 five times * At 2005 O'Reilly Midwest Nationals he qualified No. 1, lost first round to Terry Haddock * Has set 23 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, with nine teams - two in Top Fuel, three in Funny Car, two 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: 4.696-second ET (Pomona 2 '05), 332.51 mph (Pomona 1 '06) * Qualified in top five 19 times in 2005, No. 1 six times * Age 45, born and raised in Fresno, Calif., where he lives with wife Julianne and sons Dominic and Giovanni * Dominic, 9, races Junior 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 seven Funny Car wins, 25 Top Fuel wins * Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class * 2006 is his fourth 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 at Infineon Raceway in 2003 * Is one of the few Funny Car drivers who has a round winning record against the 13-time Funny Car champion John Force: 9-8, 3-1 in final rounds SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, June 23, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. SATURDAY, June 24, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. SUNDAY, June 25, Pre-race ceremonies, 2 p.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 3 p.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, June 24, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 10 p.m. (ET). Sunday, June 25, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET). Sunday, June 25, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final round eliminations at 10 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, June 23, 11-11:30 p.m. (ET) SBS 6, Transponder 17 K (12117 MHz, horizontal) Saturday, June 24, No feed scheduled, please roll on ESPN2 show, 10 p.m. (ET) Sunday, June 25, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) SBS 6, Transponder 17 K (12117 MHz, horizontal)