Scelzi aims to add Gators to his win list
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2007 NHRA POWERade DRAG RACING SERIES Round 3 of 23 ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway March 16-18, 2007
FRESNO, Calif. (March 13, 2007) - There are only two NHRA tracks at which four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion (three in Top Fuel, one in Funny Car) Gary Scelzi has never won, and Gainesville Raceway is one of them.
This weekend's ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals marks the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car driver's 215th career pro start. He's won 34 of those in his short career, which began in 1997, but none came at Gainesville or Englishtown, N.J.
With a car this season he considers the best he's ever driven, a stout record of strong, straight passes in the first two races, plus a season-opening victory, Scelzi is aiming to change that statistic this weekend.
"Except for the mishap in Phoenix (first-round loss due to loss of traction), we went right back out Monday morning (to test) and ran a 4.73 (-second elapsed time) at 328 mph under the same conditions. We know what happened on Sunday, we fixed it, and went right back out and repeated just like (crew chief) Mike Neff thought it would. I am thrilled to go to Gainesville.
"Everybody knows that this is one that I haven't won before. I've been to the final in Funny Car and I've been to the final in Top Fuel, and never have won this race. It's got a lot of meaning. It's a lot like winning Pomona. It has a lot of heritage. Kenny Bernstein ran the first 300-mph run there, and people come from everywhere to Gainesville. People from Atlanta who don't go to the Atlanta race go to Gainesville, because of all the history behind it.
"It's one of those races that I'm rally excited about. I've been excited this whole season. When you're excited about the season, it's great to go to a race you've never won, because you just feel good going in.
"I looked at the entry list and there are 23 cars entered. This is not going to be an easy show to get into and, once you get into it, it's going to be a war. We like when we go to war.
"I haven't been this excited for a long time."
Scelzi's Gainesville record includes low qualifier in 1998, 2000 and 2001 (all in Top Fuel), a 2001 runner-up finish in Top Fuel, and a Funny Car runner-up finish in 2002.
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* Third in Funny Car points after qualifying No. 1 and winning the 2007 season-opening Pomona event, and first-round loss in Phoenix, 41 points behind leader Robert Hight * Scelzi's Gainesville record includes low qualifier in 1998, 2000 and 2001 (all in Top Fuel), a 2001 runner-up finish in Top Fuel, and a Funny Car runner-up finish in 2002. * At 2006 Gatornationals, Scelzi qualified No. 8, lost first round to Del Worsham * 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 * 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 by winning Nitro Funny Car 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 WEEKEND SCHEDULE: Professional qualifying sessions are scheduled for 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17. Pre-race ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 18, followed by the first round of professional eliminations at 11 a.m. ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights on Sunday, March 18, at 1:30 a.m. (ET). ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will telecast NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET) and televise two hours of eliminations at 5 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, March 18.