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Scelzi Scores First Top 10 of Season at Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown Finale

(Photo by Justin Brester)

Inside Line Promotions – SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 11, 2016) – Dominic Scelzi registered his first top-10 finish of the year last Saturday during the final race of the 2nd annual Winter Heat Sprint Car Showdown at Cocopah Speedway.

However, the night was anything but easy for the Roth Motorsports backed team, which hustled to switch to a Danny and George Lasoski owned car that Scelzi piloted last year prior to the start of Saturday’s event.

“We had raced at Cocopah Speedway four times with three different track conditions so we thought we’d give the other car a shot to see what we could learn,” he said. “I can’t thank my team enough for their hard work. It was a really busy day, but it was worth it.”

Scelzi opened the event by finishing third in a heat race. He then ended second in a qualifier, which gave him enough combined points to lock into the 30-lap feature in the 12th starting position.

“It’s a good night any time you can lock into the feature without having to run a B Main, especially out of 40 cars,” he said. “We were pretty good in the feature, too. I think if we could have started closer to the front we could have run up there.”

Scelzi quickly advanced into the top 10 and he spent most of the race battling between eighth and 10th place before scoring a 10th-place result at the checkered flag.

The week began on Wednesday with Scelzi placing fourth in a heat race and seventh in a qualifier after facing a mechanical problem, which also cost the team an opportunity to start a B Main.

Scelzi kicked off Friday’s event by rallying from eighth to sixth place in a heat race. Unfortunately, he was doomed by a mechanical problem in the qualifier while running near the front. That relegated him toward the back of a B Main.

“Track position was key and our finish in the qualifier really put us behind for the B Main,” he said. “We weren’t able to overcome that and we finished 11th.”

Scelzi will transition from a sprint car to a midget this week as he tackles the 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla., where he will drive for Loyet Motorsports.

“I can’t thank everyone at Loyet Motorsports enough for this great opportunity,” he said. “I felt like I’ve learned a lot the last couple of years at the Chili Bowl and I’m looking forward to applying that once I hit the track this week.”

Scelzi’s preliminary night is scheduled for Thursday and the finale is set for Saturday.

QUICK RESULTS –

Jan. 6 – Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. – Heat race: 4 (4); Qualifier: 7 (3); B Main: DNS (7).

Jan. 8 – Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. – Heat race: 6 (8); Qualifier: 9 (2); B Main: 11 (11).

Jan. 9 – Cocopah Speedway in Somerton, Ariz. – Heat race: 3 (1); Qualifier: 2 (3); Feature: 10 (12).

SEASON STATS –

5 races, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 1 top 10, 1 top 15, 1 top 20

UP NEXT –

Thursday and Saturday at Tulsa Expo Raceway in Tulsa, Okla., for the 30th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire

MEDIA LINKS –

Website: http://www.GaryScelziMotorsports.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DominicScelzi41

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

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Panella Trucking

Panella Trucking, which started in 1934 as Ralph Panella Trucking, has grown to become one of the largest specialized agricultural trucking firms in the country and employs several hundred people during its busiest seasons hauling a variety of agricultural products. While the majority of its business is confined to California and Nevada, Panella Trucking also operates in Oregon, Washington and Arizona hauling for such Fortune 500 companies as Unilever (Ragu), Diamond Foods and Gilroy Foods (a division of Con Agra). For more information, visit http://www.PanellaTrucking.com.

“I want to thank everyone at Panella Trucking for all of their support for the race team as well as their great service for all of the tomato farmers,” Scelzi said.

Scelzi would also like to thank Whipple Superchargers, Fowler Packing, Fuel Delivery Services, Inc., Red Rose Transportation, Inc., Scelzi Enterprises, Carlucci Transport, Todd Jorgensen, Roth Motorsports, Kaeding Performance, Red Line Oil, Schoenfeld Headers, Brown and Miller Racing Solutions, Sweet Manufacturing, FK Rod Ends, Weld Wheels, Sparco, Simpson Race Products, Blast Tech, Tim Jones, G&J Truck Sales, K&N Filters, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, ARP, Big & Deep Ag Development, Meridian Steel, Kenny’s Components, Lincoln Auto Auction and Auto Meter 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.

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