7/25/2022
Inside Line Promotions
Dominic Scelzi Wins Howard Kaeding Classic Opener Before Rallying for Top 10 at Salute to NARC Champion LeRoy Van Conett Event
(Photo courtesy of Ocean Speedway)
Inside Line Promotions – STOCKTON, Calif. (July 25, 2022) – Dominic Scelzi powered to his sixth feature victory of the season a week ago Friday during the opening round of the Howard Kaeding Classic at Ocean Speedway.
The performance highlighted a busy last two weekends that featured its fair share of misfortune.
Scelzi qualified eighth quickest and advanced a position to finish second in a heat race to garner the 11th starting position in the main event.
“We went out fairly late and qualified well enough to get us in the second row of our heat race, but we weren’t quite good enough for quick time or bad enough to be on the front row,” he said. “It was a tricky spot to time in at. We went third to second in the heat race. Missing out on the heat race win made me start behind the dash cars in the feature.”
Scelzi methodically worked his way forward to garner his first win at the track this season.
“We were really good from the word, ‘Go,’” he said. “I was able to run the top and bottom. Around Lap 15 or so Tim Kaeding got under me off turn four and a yellow came out. I moved down in turns three and four and got quite a bit better. I was racing with Bud Kaeding for second. He slid me in turns one and two. Tim drove by both of us on the bottom. Bud hit the wall and a yellow came out. That gave me the spot back, which was huge. I stayed on the bottom the rest of the race. We got the leader with about nine laps to go. It all worked out in my favor.”
The team returned to the track the ensuing night for a King of the West/NARC Fujitsu Series event, which Scelzi kicked off by qualifying seventh quickest. He then finished where he started – third – in a heat race to earn enough points to advance into the dash. Scelzi drew the highest pill – six – to start last in the dash and he gained one position to garner the fifth starting spot into the A Main.
“We went green and there was something in the track that cut my tire and two other guys tires,” he said. “When we came back out we just weren’t able to get through the field. We ran the top and the bottom, but I wasn’t able to move up.”
Scelzi’s 18th-place result in the main event only cost him a dozen points in the championship standings.
Similar misfortunate occurred last Saturday at the Stockton Dirt Track, which hosted the Salute to NARC Champion LeRoy Van Conett. Scelzi set quick time during qualifying, placed fifth in a heat race and finished second in a dash to line up on the outside of the fourth row in the NARC/KWS main event. Unfortunately, a cut tire hampered the team early.
“We were quick time, which was great,” he said. “That’s something we’ve focused a lot on this year. We’ve gone quick time both times this year at Stockton. In the heat race the track was slick on the bottom, but really rough on the top. On the straightaways the outside was just soot. The inside row went way better so I was in fifth by the flagstand and there was nowhere to pass. Then they ran a seventh through 12th dash and the outside got cleaned off enough to make it a better lane so we dropped a spot on the start. However, we got to fifth right away in the feature. I closed on third and fourth when we cut a tire. I had to go to the back and drove back up to sixth. It was a good rebound given the situation.”
Scelzi’s rally from the back of the pack to a sixth-place finish not only salvaged a decent points night, but it added to his lead in the championship standings. He now holds a 34-point advantage with five races remaining.
QUICK RESULTS –
July 15 – Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. – Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 2 (3); Feature: 1 (11).
July 16 – Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. – Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 3 (3); Dash: 5 (6); Feature: 18 (5).
July 23 – Stockton Dirt Track in Stockton, Calif. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 5 (4); Dash: 2 (1); Feature: 6 (8).
SEASON STATS –
32 races, 6 wins, 18 top fives, 24 top 10s, 28 top 15s, 29 top 20s
UP NEXT –
TBD
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DominicScelzi41
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scelzi41
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.
“Whipple Superchargers are known worldwide for their business,” Scelzi said. “My dad and Art Whipple are really good friends. He loves racing and when we decided to go sprint car racing he was a huge, huge factor in helping us get going.”
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 –
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.
Article Credit: Inside Line Promotions
Submitted By: Shawn Miller
