(Photo by Collin Markle Photography)
Inside Line Promotions – LEMOORE, Calif. (July 13, 2015) – Giovanni Scelzi earned a third-place result out of nearly 50 micro sprint competitors during the inaugural California Speedweek, which included four races at different tracks during a four-day span last weekend.
“I had never raced against a lot of those guys,” he said. “I’m pretty happy with it. That field was just as good as the Tulsa Shootout if not better. Every time you were on the race track you had to race really hard. There was no gimmes. You had to go.”
Speedweek kicked off last Wednesday at Dixon Speedway in Dixon, where Scelzi set quick time before powering from fourth to win a heat race. That earned him the pole position for the main event.
Scelzi led the first handful of laps before ending with a runner-up finish.
“The wind was blowing really hard and the car was wicked,” he said. “We just got beat. We had chances to capitalize on it and we just never did. We were within three or four car lengths of the leader, but the track was follow the leader. We were just as fast as him, but it played it to where he won.”
Delta Speedway in Stockton hosted Speedweek Night 2 the ensuing night. Scelzi timed in 24th quickest during qualifying before he rallied from fifth to second place during a heat race to capture the 10th starting position for the feature.
“The track was pretty narrow,” he said. “We were working the middle and got a few positions really quickly. It seemed like we hit a brick wall when we got up to fourth and then couldn’t go anywhere.”
Scelzi posted a fourth-place result to remain in contention for the overall title at the midpoint of Speedweek.
Teams tackled Plaza Park Raceway in Visalia on Friday, when Scelzi qualified 12th quickest and won his heat race. That lined him up on the inside of the third row for the main event.
“I think that was a night we could have capitalized and we didn’t,” he said. “We were just as good if not better than the front runners. We had the speed to win. We just couldn’t make anything happen in the main. Then we got passed right at the end for third.”
Scelzi maintained a podium position for most of the feature before losing a spot in the closing laps to place fourth for the second straight night.
Speedweek concluded on Saturday at Lemoore Raceway with Scelzi timing in eighth quickest during qualifying. He then ended fourth in a heat race, which relegated Scelzi into a B Main. He won the consolation race to transfer into the 17th starting position for the feature.
“That track is really, really flat so there wasn’t much passing,” he said. “We tried a couple of things in the B Main and it worked really good, but in the main event we were starting too far back to do anything. I wish the track was a little more racy. That’s just how it fell. Everyone was the same speed. We passed seven cars so it wasn’t bad.”
Scelzi rallied from 17th to record a 10th-place result. It was his 10th top 10 of the season.
He is scheduled to take the next couple of weekends off before returning to competition on Aug. 7 at Plaza Park Raceway and Aug. 8 at Delta Speedway.
QUICK RESULTS –
July 8 – Dixon Speedway in Dixon, Calif. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (4); Feature: 2 (1).
July 9 – Delta Speedway in Stockton, Calif. – Qualifying: 24; Heat race: 2 (5); Feature: 4 (10).
July 10 – Plaza Park Raceway in Visalia, Calif. – Qualifying: 12; Heat race: 1 (2); Feature: 4 (5).
July 11 – Lemoore Raceway in Lemoore, Calif. – Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 4 (3); B Main: 1 (1); Feature: 10 (17).
SEASON STATS –
17 races, 2 wins, 7 top fives, 10 top 10s, 10 top 15s, 15 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Aug. 7 at Plaza Park Raceway in Visalia, Calif., and Aug. 8 at Delta Speedway in Stockton, Calif.
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GioScelzi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gary-Scelzi-Motorsports/225890834113599
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Whipple Superchargers
Based in Fresno, Calif., Whipple Superchargers manufactures superchargers for all types of cars. Whipple’s dedication to innovative thinking, hard work, attention to detail and outstanding product performance has led to a better, American made product for the performance industry. For more information, visit http://www.WhippleSuperchargers.com.
“Art Whipple is a great guy,” Scelzi said. “If we need anything he is there. He’s a family friend who has helped out a ton.”
Scelzi would also like to thank Fuel Delivery Services Inc., Fowler Packing, Carlucci Transport, Panella Trucking, Red Rose Transportation, AXA Equitable Insurance with Bob & Gina Estrada, Roth Motorsports, Scelzi Enterprises, Red Line Oil, Metric Cycles Racing Engines, Red Line Oil, FK Rod Ends, Weld Wheels, K&N Filters, Schoenfeld Headers, Kaeding Performance, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Worldwide Bearings, Sweet Manufacturing, Blast Tech, Tim Jones, Todd Jorgensen, G&J Truck Sales, Simpson Race Products, Sparco, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, ARP and Big & Deep Ag Development for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on Jul 13, 2015
- Article Date: 7/13/2015 by Inside Line Promotions