Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion Gary Scelzi has a mixed bag of memories of his previous visits to Heartland Park Topeka for the NHRA Summer Nationals. The driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T counts a Top Fuel victory, a fiery crash, and a record-breaking result among them. He’d like to add a Funny Car win to the list at this weekend’s event.

"I am looking forward to going to Topeka," said Scelzi, who has three Top Fuel crowns and one Funny Car championship on his resume. "It's where unfortunately I had one of my first major crashes in Top Fuel, but it's also one of the places where we broke the record for most wins in a season in Top Fuel. We won our seventh Top Fuel race of the year in 2000 to break the record. We beat Doug Kalitta in the final and we went on to win nine races that year. So, Topeka was a great start to a season which ended with our winning the championship.






Four-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion Gary Scelzi has a mixed bag of memories of his previous visits to Heartland Park Topeka for the NHRA Summer Nationals. The driver of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T counts a Top Fuel victory, a fiery crash, and a record-breaking result among them. He’d like to add a Funny Car win to the list at this weekend’s event.

"I am looking forward to going to Topeka," said Scelzi, who has three Top Fuel crowns and one Funny Car championship on his resume. "It's where unfortunately I had one of my first major crashes in Top Fuel, but it's also one of the places where we broke the record for most wins in a season in Top Fuel. We won our seventh Top Fuel race of the year in 2000 to break the record. We beat Doug Kalitta in the final and we went on to win nine races that year. So, Topeka was a great start to a season which ended with our winning the championship.

"Topeka has a lot of positive things going for it. It used to be an extremely fast race track. I know the new owners have spent a lot of money on the facility, but if it is hot it's going to be tricky. We're just hoping it won't be a one-lane race track," added Scelzi, who is currently 14th in the Funny Car point standings.

The highlight of the weekend for Scelzi will be having his sons Dominic (11) and Giovanni (6) with him. Both have been busy running their own race schedules, with Dominic competing in 600cc Restricted Mini-Sprints and Giovanni in Mini-Sprints. "My boys are going with me," said Scelzi. "They haven't been to a race since Las Vegas so I am excited to have them with me and they're going to hang out with Dad in the pits.

"And (World of Outlaws racer) Danny Lasoski is going to be there on Friday, who's a real close friend of mine. It's going to be fun. I'm going to make this a real positive weekend and I'm hoping that this is the weekend the Mopar/Oakley Dodge and Gary Scelzi turn this season around."