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Scelzi Generates Smiles Before, During and After His First-Ever Chili Bowl

(Photo by Phil Pace Photo)

Inside Line Promotions – TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 21, 2014) – Sometimes racing becomes larger than life.

Dominic Scelzi makes sure that it doesn’t.

Scelzi and fellow Cole Wood Racing drivers Cole Wood and Chase Johnson kicked off the 28th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire last week by taking a visit to The Children’s Hospital at St. Francis in Tulsa with the Big Al Kid’s & Motorsports Foundation.

“It means the world to me,” Scelzi said. “Being able to meet all those great kids and see what they struggle with every day, for them to smile and have all their worries go away it means the world. Being able to put a smile on someone’s face, it gets rid of your struggles for a little bit, too.”

The special visit was the first of many smiles for Scelzi, who made his Chili Bowl debut driving for Cole Wood Racing during his qualifying night last Thursday at Tulsa Expo Raceway.

Scelzi led all eight laps to claim his heat race, which earned him enough points to advance to a qualifier.

“I got a really good jump on the start and was able to drive around the (polesitter),” he said. “That was really the only time I went to the top was that first corner. I was just kinda feeling the car out. I was fortunate that the last few laps I did feel comfortable.”

Scelzi then finished where he started – fourth – in his qualifier to advance to the 25-lap main event, which he lined up in 13th before the green flag.

“I had a lot of good guys in front of me and behind me,” he said. “I drove up to eighth or ninth place and I made contact with another car and fell back to 15th or 16th.”

Scelzi placed 14th in the feature, which gave him enough points to start seventh in a C Main during Saturday’s finale.

Scelzi spent much of the first half of that race battling for the sixth-and-final transfer position before he was crashed entering turn one on a restart. The collision sent Scelzi’s car upside down and ended his night early.

“I’m a little disappointed with the way that we ended,” he said. “We were fast every time we hit the race track and kept getting better. I was one spot away from a transfer and got taken out. Who knows what would have happened if I would have transferred to the B Main.

“All in all, I can’t be upset about it. I was really fortunate to run for such a great team and great people. I’m really happy with what I was able to do and I hope I’m invited back. I had one of the best times of my life. I can’t thank the Woods and the Johnsons enough for becoming close friends and I look forward to racing with them in the future.”

Scelzi is set to return to action in his sprint car March 5-6 at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev., with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series.

QUICK RESULTS –

Jan. 16 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. – Heat race: 1 (2); Qualifier: 4 (4); Feature: 14 (13).

Jan. 18 – Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. – C Main: DNF (7).

SEASON STATS –

2 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 0 top 10s, 1 top 15, 1 top 20

UP NEXT –

March 5-6 at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev., with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DominicScelzi41

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gary-Scelzi-Motorsports/225890834113599

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Fowler Packing

Fowler Packing Company was established in 1950 by Sam Parnagian and through the years has grown and expanded under the active management of Sam’s four sons and other family members. Today, Fowler Packing is one of the largest shippers in the fresh produce business, handling more than seven million boxes of stone fruit and table grapes, and 15 million boxes of citrus per year. For more information, visit http://www.FowlerPacking.com.

“Fowler Packing is one of the biggest packing companies for fruits and stuff in the valley,” Scelzi said. “They are a very valued sponsor and without their help we couldn’t have done as much this year.”

Scelzi would also like to thank Whipple Superchargers, Red Rose Transportation, Sparco, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, K&N Filters, Schoenfeld Headers and Fuel Delivery Service for their continued support.

INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –

Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports teams. 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 and to join Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or InsideLinePromotions@gmail.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.

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