Scelzi takes sixth in Pomona qualifying

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 1 of 23
CARQUEST AUTO PARTS WINTERNATIONALS
POMONA (CALIF.) RACEWAY
FEB. 10-13, 2005


POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 12, 2005) - Gary Scelzi is smiling today after racing
his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus Funny Car to two strong qualifying passes for
the CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals, the season-opening event of the
2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. His 4.768-second elapsed time at
328.70 mph put him solidly into the top half of the field, in the No. 6
position.

Scelzi posted a respectable 4.842-second ET at 312.78 mph in Thursday's
session, which placed him in fifth at the time, an important feat as the
teams were well aware that rain would probably wash out Friday's qualifying.
It did.

Today's second round of qualifying was less productive, as Scelzi struck the
tires and coasted to an 11.142/76.00 pass.

"Yes I am," he said when asked if he was happy to start the season. "It was
a little rough going there in the beginning. We missed on one shot and
that's OK. We just got more aggressive. The race track is plenty good, and
we did what we had to do.

"There's more, but we'll see what kind of weather conditions show tomorrow
and then we'll give it whatever it takes."

Scelzi will face Phil Burkart Jr. in the first round of eliminations, which
begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

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