Charlotte: Gary Scelzi preview

SCELZI HOPES NEW CHASSIS WILL TURN SEASON AROUND IN CONCORD FRESNO, Calif. (Sept. 8, 2008) - Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion Gary Scelzi is heading to one of his favorite race tracks this weekend for the Inaugural NHRA ...

SCELZI HOPES NEW CHASSIS WILL TURN SEASON AROUND IN CONCORD

FRESNO, Calif. (Sept. 8, 2008) - Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion Gary Scelzi is heading to one of his favorite race tracks this weekend for the Inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals, despite the fact he's never set eyes on the all-new zMax Dragway @ Concord.

"Honestly, it's no secret that Bruton Smith-owned race tracks are my favorite," said Scelzi, who drives the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing. "And now that everyone is calling this the Bellagio of drag strips, I am more than excited about seeing it.

"I don't know how Bruton can top Bristol (Tenn.), Vegas and Infineon Raceway (in Sonoma, Calif.), but, obviously, he has, so the excitement factor is extremely big.

"We're going to be bringing out our new Murf McKinney car, which is a clone to (DSR teammate) Jack Beckman's car," added Scelzi, who has struggled this season and did not qualify for the Countdown to 1 playoffs, which begin this weekend for the final six events of the season. "So, hopefully the Mopar/Oakely Dodge will have some of the performance it's been lacking all year.

"Even though I realize that it's a little late in the game," he added, "we're excited about hopefully having a car that we can compete with and try to win the race. What better way to do it than to go to an inaugural event and win the race.

"We're hoping we can turn our whole season around this weekend." Scelzi is 14th in the NHRA Funny Car rankings.