WITH ENGINE CHANGE, SCELZI MOVES INTO NO. 8 IN TOPEKA QUALIFYING

2004 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
O'REILLY NHRA SUMMER NATIONALS
HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA (Kan.)
RACE DATES: MAY 28-30, 2004



TOPEKA, Kan. (May 29, 2004) - Gary Scelzi's HEMI-powered Oakley Dodge
Stratus Funny Car experienced engine problems today in the third qualifying
session, resulting in an an engine change and a move into No. 8 in final
qualifying for the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals.

In today's third qualifying session, Scelzi's 5.070/286.92 lap sent a
message to crew chief Mike Neff and the team that something wasn't quite
right with the car's performance. A quick engine change, spurred on by Neff
and teammate Whit Bazemore's crew chief Lee Beard, brought them up to the
line for the final session just in time for Scelzi to post his quickest pass
of the weekend in the heat of the day of 4.837 seconds at 316.75 mph.

"We went up to the starting line and the motor just didn't sound right when
we pulled up for our third qualifying session," said Scelzi. "We did the
burnout and it just seemed like it was down on power.

"So we came back, serviced the car, went up to start the car for our normal
routine to warm it up and it sounded terrible. The motor was idling high,
like a fuel pump had a problem, or some fuel system valve was sticking.

"We changed the engine in about 24 minutes and we were back to the starting
line for the final round. As soon as we started it, it sounded like the
normal motor. I did the burnout, I got on the radio and I told the guys that
we've got a race car. And, bam, up pops the 4.837-second ET, which was the
third quickest of the round.

"We're right on track now,"he added. "We think we have everything in order
to go play on Sunday and I feel pretty good about it. I will sleep well
tonight."

Scelzi, who holds the national top-speed record of 330.55 mph, will face
Gary Densham in the first round of eliminations tomorrow, which begin at 11
a.m.

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