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Defending Event Champ Scelzi Ready To Get Down To Business In Pomona

FRESNO, Calif. (Feb. 4, 2008) – In the so-called off-season, four-time NHRA world champion Gary Scelzi spent much of his time helping run Scelzi Enterprises, competing at the Chili Bowl and racing with sons Dominic and Giovanni. But it’s time to get down to the business of Funny Car competition, he says, as the 24-event 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series opens this weekend at the CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.

“I’m really excited about getting the 2008 POWERade season started this year,” said the defending event champion, “after running the midget at the Chili Bowl, racing with the kids and getting back involved with Scelzi Enterprises. Coincidentally, I mixed in some company business with the Phoenix testing by visiting dealerships down there with some of my sales staff, so that was very productive.

“Now it’s time to get down to NHRA drag racing. We’re going into Pomona with a lot of rule changes, a lot of variables right now. Everybody is trying to build new, stiffer cars. We’re running the same car as last year, but we have a new Brad Hadman chassis. With the bad weather at preseason testing in Phoenix, however, we weren’t able to run it.

“So, there’s a lot of unknowns. Along with the excitement of wanting to get to Pomona and get going, there’s also a lot of questions in my mind that are unanswered. The cars are 100 pounds heavier. How are they going to be able to stop? Pomona is a short race track.

“I’m happy with the revised Countdown format, but I’m curious about the new qualifying rule, let’s put it that way. I’m not sold on that. But, I’m ready. Pomona has always been good. I’ve had a lot of success there, won a lot of races in Alcohol, won a lot of races in Top Fuel, and now in Funny Car. It’s always good to come back to a race as the defending event champion.

“Let’s pull the cord on this thing and get this thing started.”

Scelzi, of Fresno, Calif., has three Top Fuel victories at Pomona and one in Funny Car.

GARY SCELZI QUICK FACTS:
* Third in 2007 Funny Car point standings
* Won class-best four national events in 2007, in four final rounds
* Qualified No. 1 and won the 2007 season-opening Pomona event (against Robert Hight), again qualified No. 1 and won the Chicago event, then won in Memphis and Richmond
* His other results in 2007 are first-round losses in Phoenix, Gainesville, Las Vegas, Englishtown, Denver, Sonoma, Reading, Indianapolis, Dallas, Las Vegas 2 and Pomona 2, quarterfinal finishes in Houston, Atlanta, St. Louis, Topeka, Bristol and Seattle, a semifinal finish in Brainerd, and a DNQ in Norwalk
* Has three Top Fuel wins at Auto Club Raceway (Pomona 1 in 1997, Pomona 1 and 2 in 2000), and his first Funny Car win at this track at 2007 opening event. He’s qualified No. 1 five times at Auto Club Raceway: three times in Top Fuel, and twice in Funny Car
* Seventh in 2006 Funny Car points, with one win in three final rounds, no low qualifiers
* 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, was low qualifier six times
* 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 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
* Has 37 career national-event titles in 58 final rounds
* Career round win-loss record is 369-192
* Age 47 (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 12 Funny Car wins, 25 Top Fuel wins
* Sixth in 2003 Funny Car points, his first full season in that class
* 2008 is his sixth 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: 12-10, 3-1 in final rounds
* Said early in 2007 that he would step away from NHRA competition at end of season. An offer from NHRA team owner Ken Black to fly him to and from 10 races in 2008, so he could spend more time with family business and family, helped him change his mind and return with DSR in 2008

WEEKEND SCHEDULE: Pro qualifying sessions are scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 7-8. Qualifying continues at noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 and final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 10.

ON TV: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Feb. 9. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Raceday, a 30-minute pre-race show, at 11 a.m. (ET) on Sunday, Feb. 10. ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise the race beginning at 7:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Feb. 10.

ON THE WEB: Get live timing, scoring, multimedia and the latest news updates from every NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series event on the Internet at www.nhra.com.

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