Irwindale Turkey Night pre-race notes

TWO JUST-CROWNED CHAMPS TO RACE IN THANKSGIVING NIGHT GP AT IRWINDALE

Irwindale, Calif. - - Gary Scelzi and Damion Gardner, respectively the 2005 NHRA Funny Car World Champion and the 2005 USAC/CRA Champion will both be racing at Irwindale Speedway in the annual Thanksgiving Night open wheel festivities.

Gardner will drive a full Midget owned by NHRA drag racing star Cruz Pedregon in the GP. And Scelzi, who just stopped the John Force Funny Car juggernaut at 12 championships, will drive his own Focus Midget on the Irwindale third mile inner oval in a support race to the traditional 100-lapper for midgets.

In contrast to the "rookie" Scelzi, Gardner, who'll be driving a brand new Gerhardt Western Speed/Fontana, has plenty of "track knowledge" at Irwindale, having run his own Beast/360 Chevy four years ago as a when he competed in 16 of 17 events in USAC's Western States Pavement Series for Sprint Cars.

"We're just running for fun," said multi-time NHRA Champ Scelzi. "But if we just happen to finish way up there, that'll be great!" Surrre Gary, sure.

Gardner, who just completed a hard-on-the-body (but winning) season in the slam-bang "elbows-out" world of USAC Sprint Car racing, feels the same way. Surrre thing, Uh-huh.

Just so fans know, these guys are two of the world's most competitive, most ferocious racing drivers and neither will be at Irwindale for shine and giggles on "Turkey Night". Fans are urged to buy their ticket early and avoid the long lines at the box office. This event is always a near-sellout and having these two great "Champeens" on site sure won't hurt ticket sales. (626) 358-1100

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