Pomona winner Scelzi aims to keep up momentum in Phoenix

FRESNO, Calif. (Feb. 20, 2007) - Gary Scelzi, the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car points leader, season-opening Pomona victor from the No. 1 qualifying spot, and 2005 Funny Car champion, is aiming to keep up his winning momentum at this weekend's second event of the year, the CSK NHRA Nationals at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Ariz.

With renewed confidence in the performance of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car after setting his career-best elapsed time of 4.690 seconds and career-best speed of 333.49 in Pomona, the Fresno, Calif., native is poised for continued success as this new season progresses.

January testing at Firebird Raceway in preparation for the new season and this weekend's race contributed, as well as consistency. "We ran really well there in testing," he said. "Phoenix is one of those really tricky, narrow-grooved race tracks, and the Mopar/Oakley Dodge seemed to go down there at will and the slowest we ran in testing was a 4.77 (-second elapsed time) and ran our quickest at a 4.73. (Teammate Ron) Capps ran really well there, but our car again was one of the most consistent in testing. Sometimes that doesn't mean much because other guys are trying things, but we made six out of eight runs without tire smoke and the two runs where it smoked the tires we were trying something totally different.

"Being consistently fast again will win the race this weekend. Just like Pomona. Even if the Mopar/Oakley Dodge doesn't win the race, it should go rounds, and that's what we're hoping for again. Get in the show on Friday on the first run, try to go for the pole in the late qualifying run on Friday, be consistent on Saturday and hopefully we'll get good draws on Sunday and go some rounds.

"We already know the modifications that need to be made to the car, because we were at Firebird a few weeks ago, and the track shouldn't be a whole lot different than it was in testing. (Track preparation specialist) Chad Head came in and prepared the race track and NHRA will do the same thing this weekend. The track will be at its best and hopefully so will we.

"We're not thinking about the Countdown to the Championship right now. Our goal is to win as many races as we can. We'll worry about the championship if we're in the top eight when we get to Indy, which hopefully we will be. If you win as many races as you can, you'll be in the Chase. So, that's the key, to win races."

Four-time NHRA champion (three in Top Fuel, one in Funny Car) Scelzi has never won a Funny Car event at Firebird Raceway, and has one Top Fuel win there, in 1997.

GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* Funny Car points leader after qualifying No. 1 and winning the 2007
season-opening Pomona event, by 21 points over Robert Hight
* 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 had seven quarterfinal finishes and no No. 1 qualifiers in '06
* In last year's CSK Nationals, he qualified No. 8, lost first round to Phil
Burkart
* 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 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: 4.690-second ET (Pomona 1 '07), 333.49 mph (Pomona
1 '07)
* 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 nine 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

SCHEDULE:      
FRIDAY, Feb. 23 - Sportsman qualifying begins at 8 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 1:30 and 4 p.m.

SATURDAY, Feb. 24  - Sportsman eliminations begin at 7:30 a.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at Noon and 2:30 p.m.

SUNDAY, Feb. 25  - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:     
Sunday, Feb. 25, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast one hour of qualifying
highlights at Midnight (ET).
Sunday, Feb. 25, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA Race Day at 11
a.m. (ET)
Sunday, Feb. 25, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast three hours of final
eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE:       
Friday, Feb. 23, 10-10:30 p.m.  (ET) - Galaxy 10R / Transponder 23K
(downlink freq: 12160, MHz vertical) analog
Saturday, Feb. 24, 10-10:30 p.m.  (ET) - Galaxy 10R / Transponder 23K
(downlink freq: 12160, MHz vertical) analog
Sunday, Feb. 25, 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) - Galaxy 10R / Transponder 23K
(downlink freq: 12160, MHz vertical) analog