Gary Scelzi: “We need to do well in Memphis to get ourselves back in this Countdown”
Fresno, Calif.
Sep 11, 2007
DSR
Now that the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series is back on his schedule, four-time NHRA champion Gary Scelzi has his sights set on making it into the Countdown to Four playoffs, as the 2007 season winds down in the next five races.
With only three races left to make it into the “favored” four to battle for the championship, beginning with the O’Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park this weekend, Scelzi is seventh in the standings and more than just eager to move up.
“It makes me a little more excited to know that I’m obviously going to be back next year, and that this won’t be my last visit to Memphis, “ said Scelzi, who’s driven the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T to two national-event wins this season in two final rounds.
“But it’s crunch time for us. We need to do well in Memphis to get ourselves back in this Countdown. We had our throw-away in Indy (first-round loss at the U. S. Nationals, initial event of the Countdown to Four) and now it’s do or die. These next events - Memphis, Dallas and Virginia - are three very important races to us.
“I don’t know what the temperatures are going to be in Memphis. I think they’re going to be a little cooler than we were used to last year, which is going to be great for us.
“But, if it’s hot, we have a tune-up for that too. We just need to go there and pay attention. I haven’t won this race since 2000 in Top Fuel, so it would be great to have a good weekend and hopefully a final-round appearance, at least, for the Mopar/Oakley Dodge.
“I know Todd (Okuhara, crew chief, along with Phil Shuler) is excited about it, so am I. “
