FOUR-TIME NHRA CHAMP SCELZI MAKES RETURN TO NORWALK
FRESNO, Calif. (June 27, 2007) - The Inaugural Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, is not a new venue for the four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion Gary Scelzi, who drives the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing. This weekend marks a return for him to the quarter-mile at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park.
"We had a match race there with John Force a couple of years ago, on the Fourth of July, so we've been there," said Scelzi, winner of two national events this season, both times from pole position. "The track is really good, with all the improvements they've done. I'm sure it's going to be pretty incredible. I know they have spent millions on it, and Bill Bader is a hell of a promoter. I think were going to get a whole new group of fans and people who are IHRA fans who maybe never made the trek to Columbus (site of former NHRA national events in Ohio).
"So, I'm looking forward to it. I know it's going to be hot and miserable, and I think because of what we learned about the Mopar/Oakley Dodge's tune-up over the Englishtown weekend, even though it wasn't that hot there, we're going to be OK. We'll go to Norwalk and maybe we can scratch that one right off the first time we go there."
Before this season, of his 35 national-event victories, there were only two sites at which Scelzi had never won: Gainesville, Fla., and Englishtown, N.J. With the addition of Norwalk to the NHRA schedule, he now has three.
Scelzi is third in the Funny Car point standings. He and teammate Ron Capps have won five of the 10 national events so far for DSR. The Fresno native is on a "hiatus tour," as he has said he would step down from NHRA competition at the end of this year. "I'm not retiring," he explained. "I'm just taking a sabbatical to spend more time with my family and my family business."
He also holds the longest active consecutive qualifying streak at 28! His win in Chicago tied him with Don Garlits for 13th on the all-time NHRA POWERade wins list (all categories) - and 10th in Funny Car, which placed him next to Don Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein, and Mike Dunn as the only drivers with double-digit wins in both nitro categories.
GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* Third in Funny Car points after qualifying No. 1 and winning the 2007 season-opening Pomona event, and again qualifying No. 1 and winning the Chicago event. His other results this season are first-round losses in Phoenix, Gainesville, Las Vegas and Englishtown, and quarterfinal finishes in Houston, Atlanta, St. Louis and Topeka
* Is 201 points behind leader Ron Capps, 78 points short of second
* 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 24 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, 10, races Restricted 600 Mini 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 10 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 14-time Funny Car champion John Force: 12-8, 3-1 in final rounds
* Says he's stepping away from NHRA competition at end of 2007, but not retiring
WEEKEND SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, June 29 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4 and 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 30 – PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 1 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, June 30, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday July 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 1, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 8 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (ANALOG FEED):
Friday, June 29, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, June 30, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 1, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) – SBS 6, Transponder 16K (Downlink frequency, 12092.5 MHz, vertical)
