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NHRA: Testing results from Southwestern International Raceway in Tucson

22 January 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
TUCSON, Ariz. - Gary Scelzi paced NHRA pre-season testing Friday at Southwestern International Raceway, posting four consecutive 4.60s at speeds well over 310 mph in his Team Winston dragster.

NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car teams are testing in preparation for the 40th annual AutoZone Winternationals, Feb. 3-6, at Pomona Raceway, Pomona, Calif., the first of 23 events in the $45 million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series season for 2000.

Two-time NHRA Winston Top Fuel champion Scelzi, from Fresno, Calif., opened Friday's session with a run of 4.646 seconds at 314.68 mph, and bettered that effort during each of three additional runs. He posted his best run of the day during his final pass, a quick 4.613 at 321.35. His other two runs, a 4.636 at 321.19 and a 4.623 at 314.46, showed early season consistency for the Alan Johnson-tuned dragster.

Defending Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher powered to the 1/8-mile on three separate attempts before shutting off his Exide Batteries dragster.

Tommy Johnson Jr. made half-track runs only in the Budweiser King dragster. Johnson is subbing this weekend for Kenny Bernstein as the five-time NHRA Winston champion continues the healing process following off-season shoulder surgery.

Cory McClenathan pedaled his Joe Gibbs-owned MBNA dragster to a 5.162 at 211.03, and closed the session with a 5.220 at 193.07 as he shut the car off near the finish.

The quickest Funny Car pass of the day belonged to Gary Densham, who shut his NEC/AAA Pontiac Firebird off near the 800-foot mark and drifted across the finish line at 5.615 at 171.75.

Funny Car rookie Bruce Sarver, driver of the E-Moola.Com Pontiac Firebird, also shut off at 800-foot on his best pass, posting a 5.704 at 172.17. The former Top Fuel driver recorded an impressive .909 60-foot time on his only other run of the day.

Dean Skuza also shut his Matco Tools Dodge Avenger down near half-track and coasted to a 6.178 at 133.74. Frank Pedregon, Whit Bazemore, and Del Worsham also made half-track runs in their respective machines.

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