Dallas: Gary Scelzi preview

SCELZI SHOOTS FOR LUCK, WIN IN DALLAS

FRESNO, Calif. (Sept. 19, 2007) - Gary Scelzi is shooting for some more luck at this weekend's O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, following his NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Funny Car win on Sunday in Memphis.

It took more than luck for the four-time NHRA world champion to earn his third season victory which vaulted him from No. 7 into the No. 4 slot in the Countdown to Four playoffs, and he knows it. It took a solid performance from all the parties involved: Scelzi, the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T crew, and crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler. A repeat performance at the Motorplex this weekend would certainly help solidify their place in the points.

"Any time you win a national event, you can't wait to get to the next race," said Scelzi, who has four national events to his credit at the Texas Motorplex. In fact, he is tied with the most Top Fuel wins there, at three, with Cory McClenathan and Tony Schumacher. "And I've been excited about going to the next race. With all the changes Todd's made on the car it's shown a lot of promise.

"We haven't always had the luck that we've needed, but we seem to have gotten that in Memphis, and we're hoping it's going to carry over to Dallas."

Scelzi has no nitro Funny Car wins in Dallas, but was victorious in Alcohol Funny Car there in 1992.

"Just because we're in the top four right now doesn't mean anything for this Countdown," he added. "We have to do well in Dallas and we have to do well in Virginia (the last race in Richmond before the final four vie for a championship in the last two races of the season).

"You really don't want to be lucky. You want to be good right now because you're going to need to be good to be the POWERade champion when you leave Pomona (Calif., season finale). And good is what we're hoping to be right now.

"We've got a lot of things we're working on. We think we're going to be there at the end."

-credit: dsr