FAMILY MAN SCELZI PUMPED FOR ATLANTA AFTER SON'S SUCCESS

Source: js
Date: 04/25/2007

Scelzi recently announced that he would step away from NHRA competition at the end of 2007 season to spend more time with family and business, and he's already being true to his promise, with 18 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series events left to this season.

"My family is coming with me to Atlanta," he said proudly. "We're coming off a great weekend with Dominic (who turns 10 on May 2) in Visalia, Calif. He qualified third out of 21 cars and ran second in his heat race and fourth in the main, and in the first race where he didn't have to start in the back as a rookie. So, we're extremely happy with that.

"And we met with (CRA Non-Wing world champion) Cory Kruseman yesterday to talk about doing some dirt races in my Mopar/K&N/Oakley Dirt Midget," added Scelzi, who also fields an Asphalt Midget for 17-year-old driver Michael Faccinto. "Michael will run all the pavement races and Cory, Michael and I will share duties on the dirt car. So, we have a lot of good things happening at Gary Scelzi Motorsports and now we just hope we get to Atlanta and the good things continue."

Ending 2007 with a second Funny Car championship is the Fresno native's goal, from which he's never strayed. "I'm very motivated anyway," said Scelzi, winner of the season-opener in Pomona, "and this year I've been motivated with the success we had early. And even though we've stumbled at the last few races I still feel really good. The Mopar/Oakley Dodge is qualifying in the top half of the field, and I think we're a win looking for a place to happen, and hopefully Atlanta is the place to make it happen."

Fifth in the Funny Car points rankings after five races, Scelzi is not yet concerned about the Countdown to the Championship, which will be pared down to the top eight drivers 12 races from now. "It's too early," he offered. "As long as we're in the top five or so, then I'm OK with it. I won't be too concerned about it until later on. There will be plenty of time to worry about the Countdown to the Championship."

Scelzi has two victories at Atlanta Dragway, both in the Top Fuel class (1999 and 2000), and has not won Funny Car at this historic track. He was runner-up in FC in 2004 and No. 1 qualifier in 1997 (TF) and 2005 (FC). Last year he qualified fifth and lost the second round to Eric Medlen.

GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:

* Fifth in Funny Car points after qualifying No. 1 and winning the 2007 season-opening Pomona event, first-round losses in Phoenix, Gainesville and Las Vegas, and a quarterfinal finish in Houston.

* Is 139 points behind leader Ron Capps, 22 points out of fourth, and 35 short of third

* Scelzi's Atlanta Dragway record includes two TF wins (1999 and 2000) and a

1997 runner-up, as well as one Funny Car runner-up in 2004. He qualified No.

1 in TF in 1997 and in FC in 2005

* Qualified No. 5 in Atlanta in 2006, lost second round to Eric Medlen

* 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 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 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:

FRIDAY, April 27 ­ PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY, April 28 ­ PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY, April 29 ­ Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m. TELEVISION:

Saturday, April 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights beginning at 6 p.m. (ET). Sunday April 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET). Sunday, April 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise final eliminations beginning at 7 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE (VIDEO NEWS RELEASE):

Friday, April 27, 10-10:30 p.m. (ET) ­ SBS 6 / Transponder 16K (12092.5 MHz, vertical) Saturday, April 28, 9-9:30 p.m. (ET) ­ SBS 6 / Transponder 16K (12092.5 MHz, vertical) Sunday, April 29, 7-7:30 p.m. (ET) ­ SBS 6 / Transponder 16K (12092.5 MHz, vertical)

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