Scelzi says Pomona is "the beginning of a war"
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2007 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES Round 1 of 23 CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.) Race Date: Feb. 8-11, 2007
SCELZI EXCITED ABOUT START OF NEW FUNNY CAR SEASON: "IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A WAR"
POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 5, 2007) - After a tough 2006 season attempting to defend his 2005 Funny Car crown, the four-time NHRA world champion (three in Top Fuel and one in Funny Car) Gary Scelzi is refreshed, reinvigorated, recharged and raring to begin the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season at this weekend's CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
If the consistent, quick and fast laps he ran in the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T in preseason testing at National Time Trials at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Ariz., Jan. 26-28, are any indication, 'Wild Thing' just may be getting his groove back. "I'm really looking forward to this season, because I feel that we've got a legitimate shot of winning another championship," said Scelzi, a Fresno, Calif., native. "We've got three new crew members, all from within DSR (Michael Knudsen, Rick Pearson and Joe Fitzpatrick, who join Mike "Zippy" Neff, Aaron Brooks, Chris Lewis, Rod Centorbi and Josh Adams). They're so excited about this season. They're fresh, they're excited, they want to work hard, they want to do well, and they haven't even won a round of racing with us yet. And that brings new life into all of us because they'll do whatever it takes."
The new Countdown to the Championship concept will not change Scelzi's and crew chief Mike Neff's season-beginning strategy. "We've always approached the championship beginning at the Winternationals," said Scelzi. "We start counting right then. Some guys say they don't. I do. And the main thing is to get in the Countdown and to be in the top four when it gets to Vegas. And if your car runs well and you win races and you're going rounds, you're going to be there. How you play it from Vegas to Pomona is simple: you have to win the last two races. If you can win the last two races there's no problem. You just have to prepare yourself. I want to be in the top two or three by the time we pull into Indy (U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend). That's what I'm hoping for. I don't want to be in the top eight, I want to be in the top two or three."
As for starting a season in Pomona: "Pomona is either real kind or real rough," said Scelzi. "But I enjoy it because it's close to home, I've had a lot of success here, I've won a lot of races here, won Bud Shootouts here, so it's a good time. The Winternationals are always exciting because everybody's stuff is new. Everybody's got their new trick trailers painted, their races cars are new, new uniforms, everything is new and fresh. You know it's the beginning of a war."
Scelzi's Pomona record includes three Top Fuel wins (Pomona 1 in 1997, Pomona 1 and 2 in 2000), but no Funny Car victories. He's qualified No. 1 four times at Pomona Raceway: three times in Top Fuel, and once in Funny Car, in last year's Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA finals.
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* 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 has seven quarterfinal finishes and no No. 1 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 (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 three Top Fuel wins in Pomona (Pomona 1 in 1997, Pomona 1 and 2 in 2000), but no Funny Car victories * He's qualified No. 1 four times at Pomona Raceway: three times in Top Fuel, and once in Funny Car at 2005 Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA finals. *Qualified third at CARQUEST Nationals at Pomona last year, lost second round to Bob Gilbertson * 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 - 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: 4.696-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 * 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 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: Professional qualifying sessions are scheduled for 2 p.m. on Feb. 8 and Feb. 9, and Noon and 3 p.m. on Feb. 10. Pre-race ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. on Feb. 11, followed by the first round of professional eliminations at 11 a.m. ON TV: On Saturday, Feb. 10, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying at 10 p.m. (ET). On Sunday, Feb. 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will broadcast NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute pre-race show, at 11 a.m. (ET) and televise three hours of eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET).