Columbus: Gary Scelzi Saturday summary

SCELZI QUALIFIES NO. 6 IN COLUMBUS; SWITCHES TO STRATUS

HEBRON, Ohio (May 20, 2006) - Gary Scelzi was forced to switch from the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car body to the Dodge Stratus body today after damaging the Charger during the Friday night qualifying session for the NHRA Nationals at National Trail Raceway.

The elapsed time he recorded in the first qualifying round (4.749 seconds at 329.58 mph) on Friday in the Charger held through all four rounds for No. 6. It also earned Scelzi a top-speed track record.

In Friday's evening session, Scelzi's (slower than the earlier pass) 4.790/273.50 lap was disqualified after he crossed the centerline at about the 1000-ft. mark, hitting a timing pylon, which caused the damage.

After trading bodies, the reigning NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion drove to a 5.608-second pass at 174.21 mph, and finally a 4.811/316.90 in his last attempt.

"Now I have a car that I have to learn how to drive again," he said of the Stratus. "Unfortunately, it put a hole (cylinder) out down there at the end (in the final pass) and shot me right into the finish lights again (similar to his disqualification in eliminations at the last race in Atlanta), but we didn't hit them.

"It made it, it was one of the quicker runs of that session, and we'll just go up there to the starting line on Sunday and hope the stars go our way."

Scelzi faces Scott Kalitta in first round of eliminations on Sunday.

-dsr-