NHRA NEWS: SCELZI WINS POWERADE FUNNY CAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

SCELZI EARNS POWERADE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN FUNNY CAR

 

POMONA, Calif. - Gary Scelzi won the POWERade world championship title
in Funny Car Sunday at Pomona Raceway by eight points over teammate Ron
Capps and in the process became the second driver in NHRA history to
earn championships in both nitro categories.

 

Scelzi and Capps each lost in the second round of the Auto Club NHRA
Finals and briefly opened the door for 13-time world champ John Force to
reclaim the title. However, Force lost on a holeshot to former teammate
Tony Pedregon later in the same round, and instantly made Scelzi the
champ in the closest margin of victory for a Funny Car world champion in
NHRA history.

 

"To win a Funny Car championship racing the guys we've had to race this
year is just incredible," said Scelzi, who joins Kenny Bernstein as the
only drivers to win championships in both Top Fuel and Funny Car. "My
big concern was not letting (my crew) down because they mean so much to
me. I am just numb right now because this is so different than the other
three. I've never had so much pressure where everything meant so much."

 

Scelzi drove his Mopar/Oakley Dodge Stratus to three victories in five
final rounds and claimed six No. 1 qualifying positions en route to the
championship. It is the first Funny Car championship for Dodge since
1983 (Frank Hawley, Dodge Charger). It is the fourth NHRA world
championship and first in Funny Car for team owner Don Schumacher, who
became the first team owner to claim championships in both nitro
categories in the same season.

 

Scelzi, who won Top Fuel championships in 1997, '98 and 2000, moved to
Funny Car in 2002 in large part to be able to try and defeat Force, who
dominated the 7,000 horsepower category during the 1990s. By winning the
title, Scelzi is the first driver to win the championship for a team not
owned by Force since 1992 (Cruz Pedregon). 

 

"We've had a consistent race car all year long, and a great tuner doing
it," Scelzi said. "I can't say enough about Mike Neff (crew chief) and
this team. It's been a hell of a ride."