(Photo courtesy of Skagit Speedway)
Inside Line Promotions – ALGER, Wash. (Aug. 2, 2023) – Dominic Scelzi jumpstarted his summer in a big way last week when he recorded four feature triumphs during five races with the Western Sprint Tour.
Despite missing the first two races of the Speedweek, Scelzi climbed to fifth in the final standings thanks to wins at three different tracks in Oregon and Washington.
“It’s been a really grueling season,” he said. “Our plan was to go up to Skagit Speedway and have a good run at Summer Nationals, which is the second largest 360 race on the West Coast in my opinion. We wanted to race on the way up. I’d always wanted to run in Banks and Cottage Grove so it worked out to make a week out of it.”
The busy week began last Monday at Sunset Speedway in Banks, Ore., where Scelzi set quick time during qualifying before he advanced from sixth to fourth place in a heat race, from third to second place in the dash and from second to win the A Main during his debut at the track.
“We led every lap and luckily for us there weren’t any close calls,” he said. “The race track was really good and it got better in the main event. There was a little grip about two feet off the fence and right on the bottom. I ran the majority of the race on the bottom in turns one and two. In turns three and four I was entering against the cushion and exiting through the middle. I was trunked on the wing early because it was super slick. I raced it momentum-like. It was a lot of fun.”
The next two nights were spent at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. Scelzi opened Tuesday’s action – his first-ever race at the track – by setting quick time during qualifying. He hustled from sixth to second place in a heat race and from fifth to third place in the dash. Scelzi marched from third to capture the main event.
“The track was wet and fast and kind of hard to pass,” he said. “We got to second in the feature and with eight laps to go we had a restart. I had just gotten to the leader and got under him in turns three and four just before that caution. When the yellow came out I felt it changed the dynamic of the race as his entry changed into turn one and he started slipping off turn two after we restarted. He was entering low and sliding up on the exit. I was on the very bottom of turns one and two and diamonding turns three and four. I was able to get a good run off turn four and slide up in front of him in turns one and two with about two laps to go. He got underneath me entering turn three and I went four wheels above the cushion to drive by him for the win.”
Wednesday nearly featured a sweep of the program for Scelzi, who was quickest in qualifying, won a heat race from sixth, placed second in the dash from fourth and scored the feature triumph after starting on the outside of the front row.
“We led every lap of the main event and the track was slick and wide,” he said. “We lapped up to sixth and I think we won by a little more than seven seconds. The race went green to checkered. Around Lap 12 I was in traffic and was just hanging out. The guy in second got under me into turn three. When I saw that I did a big move on the lapped cars in front of me and then tried to run as ragged as I could the rest of the race. It worked out for our third win in a row.”
The team headed north to Skagit Speedway on Friday for the opening night of the Bob’s Burgers & Brew Summer Nationals. Scelzi was second quickest out of 45 drivers in qualifying before advancing from sixth to third place in a heat race. He maneuvered from 10th to sixth place in the A Main to earn enough points to rank second in the event standings, locking into the dash on Saturday.
“We were really good throughout the preliminary night,” he said. “We were just a little tight in the feature. I wasn’t very good against the cushion and had to run the bottom the majority of that race. I think what I took away from Friday was we had speed, but needed to be better if we wanted to compete for the win on Saturday.”
A fourth-place finish in the dash on Saturday started Scelzi on the outside of the second row in the main event.
“The track was really slick across and had a big curb,” he said. “My focus was trying not to get too tight into the curb. I got a good start and followed Trey (Starks) into second on the first lap. I stayed with him the first half of the race and then I got him in traffic off turn four. After that I had to maneuver traffic well and I think we did a good job. My car got better and better as the race went. It was huge to win the Summer Nationals and to close the week with our fourth win in five races.”
Scelzi will return to action Aug. 18-19 at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., during the Johnny Key Classic with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour.
QUICK RESULTS –
July 24 – Sunset Speedway in Banks, Ore. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 4 (6); Dash: 2 (3); Feature: 1 (2).
July 25 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 2 (6); Dash: 3 (5); Feature: 1 (3).
July 26 – Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, Ore. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (6); Dash: 2 (4); Feature: 1 (2).
July 28 – Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 3 (6); Feature: 6 (10).
July 29 – Skagit Speedway in Alger, Wash. – Dash: 4 (2); Feature: 1 (4).
SEASON STATS –
31 races, 9 wins, 21 top fives, 24 top 10s, 28 top 15s, 30 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Aug. 18-19 at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif., for the Johnny Key Classic with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DominicScelzi41
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scelzi41
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Fuel Delivery Services, Inc.
Based in Stockton, Calif., Fuel Delivery Services, Inc., is a premier bulk transporter of refined petroleum products. For more information, visit http://www.FuelDeliveryServices.net.
“Mike with Fuel Delivery Services is a great guy who wants to see us do well and make it in racing,” Scelzi said. “We really appreciate his support and look forward to the continued success with Fuel Delivery Services.”
Scelzi would like to thank Red Rose Transportation, Inc., Scelzi Enterprises, Whipple Superchargers, System 1, Fuel Delivery Services, Inc., Red Line Oil, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Roth Motorsports, K&N Filters, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, NAPA Auto Parts, Todd Jorgensen, Sparco, Allstar Performance, Meridian Steel, Auto Meter, Kenny’s Components and Worldwide Bearings for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
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- Shawn Miller on Aug 02, 2023
- Article Date: 8/2/2023 by Inside Line Promotions