Scelzi advances to second round in Topeka

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2005 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 9 of 23
O'REILLY NHRA SUMMER NATIONALS
HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA, Kan.
Race Dates: May 27-29, 2005


TOPEKA, Kan. (May 29, 2005) - Gary Scelzi and Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus
Funny Car crew chief Mike Neff were on their game this weekend at a hot and
steamy Heartland Park Topeka, site of the ninth round of 23 events in the
2005 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals.

After reaching the final round in two of the last three races, it looked
like the team was back to the performance dominance here in Topeka that the
fans had grown to appreciate when Scelzi qualified No. 5, then dismissed
Tony Bartone in the first round of eliminations with a 4.839-second elapsed
time at 320.97 to Bartone's losing 5.087/292.46.

Next on the agenda was the second round, with lane choice against Tommy
Johnson Jr. Scelzi launched first off the line with a strong .064 reaction
time, although T.J. was close behind with a .066. But Scelzi was barely off
the line before the car struck the tires and coasted to an 11.529-second
pass at 77.08 mph. Johnson took the win with a 4.987/307.58.

"That was very unfortunate," said Scelzi, who was looking to carve John
Force's first-place advantage in the points standings after two of the other
close contenders for the championship were ousted in the first round. "Cruz
(Pedregon) went out, (Whit) Bazemore went out. We needed to match Force and
go around him and Robert Hight round-wise, but those two guys went on, so we
took one on the chin today. But we've taken them on the chin before, and
over the head and in the gut.

"We'll recover. We don't normally have things like that happen when it gets
hot. We've had a really good car in the heat, we've had a really good car in
the cold. We're just going to brush it off as just one of those unfortunate
things and load up and we'll see these guys again in Chicago."

Scelzi fell to third in points behind Force (winner today) and Hight, and is
just 12 points out of second.

Next up is the CARQUEST NHRA Nationals in Joliet, Ill., on June 10-12, 2005.

FUNNY CAR POINT STANDINGS:
1. John Force, 715
2. Robert Hight, 588
3. Gary Scelzi, 576
4. Cruz Pedregon, 539
5. Whit Bazemore, 537
6. Ron Capps, 515
7. Tommy Johnson Jr., 502
8. Eric Medlen, 472
9. Tony Pedregon, 405
10. Bob Gilbertson, 385