Scelzi going for the gold in Dallas.
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2006 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES Round 19 of 23 O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals Texas Motorplex Ennis, Texas Race Date: Sept. 22-24, 2006ENNIS, Texas (Sept. 20, 2006) - Reigning NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion Gary Scelzi's goals at this weekend's O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals in Ennis, Texas, remain the same as they were for last weekend's rained-out Reading, Pa., event: to win, gain points, en route to finishing high in the rankings.
There is one added incentive at the highly-rated Texas Motorplex: to set a national record to earn 20 bonus points.
Seventh in the standings with five races remaining in the 2006 season, the driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger - which will be resplendent in a House of Kolor paint scheme in Texas - is just 68 points out of fifth place and 140 short of third. Up ahead, Capps and 13-time champion John Force are in a see-saw battle for the championship - a fight Scelzi is familiar with, as he, Capps and Force were in a three-way scrap for the title at the end of 2005.
The Mopar/Oakley Dodge, tuned by Mike Neff, has always been a rocket ship, having recorded 23 top speeds since Scelzi joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2003, so setting that elapsed-time national record is a realistic goal, as Scelzi aims to finish as high in the point standings as possible, knowing he is out of contention for the championship.
"The thing is, we're going to an all-concrete race track," says Scelzi, accentuating the positive. "Weather permitting, there is an outside chance that you can set a national record here, which earns you 20 bonus points.
"And, right now, we have nothing to lose. If the changes that we've made to the Mopar/Oakley Dodge can get squared away in the four runs in qualifying, there is a shot that we can set the national record for ET. And, if I know Mike Neff, I guarantee you that thought is on his mind.
"Of course, we won't be the only team trying to do that, but we have nothing to lose. We can go at this thing and run this car on the edge.
"I guess we're going to Dallas and try to run the table: qualify on the pole, set a national record and win the race."
Scelzi is a three-time winner at the Texas Motorplex: 1998, 1999, 2000 in Top Fuel, and has qualified No. 1 three times. He has not won here in Funny Car, however.
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS: * Seventh in 2006 Funny Car points after 18 events * So far, in 2006, his best results are a win in Denver, runner-up in Englishtown, N.J., runner-up in Brainerd, Minn., and three semifinal finishes in Bristol, Tenn., Joliet, Ill., and St. Louis. Also has five 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 three Top Fuel wins at the Texas Motorplex: 1998, 1999 and 2000 * Qualified No. 1 here in Top Fuel three times: 1998 (Dallas 2), 2000 (Dallas 1 and 2) * At 2005 O'Reilly Fall Nationals, he qualified No. 5, lost first round to Phil Burkart Jr. * 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 - two in Top Fuel, three in Funny Car, one in Pro Stock, two in Pro Stock Motorcycle (all four pro categories) - and one individual team competing under the DSR banner: Mike Ashley's Funny Car team, managed by DSR * 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 46 (Aug. 11, 1960), 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 eight 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: 11-8, 3-1 in final rounds WEEKEND SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, Sept. 22, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4 and 7 p.m. SATURDAY, Sept. 23, PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 3 p.m. SUNDAY, Sept. 24, Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Saturday, Sept. 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast two hours of qualifying highlights at 11 p.m. (ET) Sunday, Sept. 24, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET). Sunday, Sept. 24, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE: Friday, Sept. 22, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 11/Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, horizontal) Saturday, Sept. 23, 8:30-9 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 11/Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, horizontal) Sunday, Sept. 24, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) Galaxy 11/Transponder 15K (12003 MHz, horizontal)