Gary Scelzi is looking for his first E-town victory this weekend. (Jon Asher Photo)

Gary Scelzi entered this season with only four tracks he’s never won at. The four-time NHRA world champion races at one of those venues this weekend in Englishtown, NJ.

Scelzi has won 37 career national events in 58 final rounds and not one of those triumphs transpired at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

His Englishtown record includes a 2000 Top Fuel runner-up, a 2006 Funny Car runner-up and two Top Fuel No. 1 qualifiers, in 1998 and 1999.

Gary Scelzi is looking for his first E-town victory this weekend. (Jon Asher Photo)

Gary Scelzi entered this season with only four tracks he’s never won at. The four-time NHRA world champion races at one of those venues this weekend in Englishtown, NJ.

Scelzi has won 37 career national events in 58 final rounds and not one of those triumphs transpired at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.

His Englishtown record includes a 2000 Top Fuel runner-up, a 2006 Funny Car runner-up and two Top Fuel No. 1 qualifiers, in 1998 and 1999.

"I've been in the final there in Top Fuel and Funny Car and that's one on my hit list to get done," said Scelzi, a Fresno, Calif., native. "And I think now is a good a time as any.”

The timing is perfect for Scelzi, who has evidently broken in his new Brad Hadman-built chassis.

"It seems like the Mopar/Oakley Dodge has turned the corner," he said of the team's struggles this season to adapt to a new car and rules. "We qualified in the top half of the field for the fourth time this year last week in Chicago and we're just eight points out of the top 10 for the Countdown to the Championship (which begins for the top 10 following the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis on Labor Day weekend).

"More than likely Englishtown is going to be hot and humid. And we seem to have a really good tune-up for that. If Friday night cools down and we have a good Friday night session I think we can run with all the top guys. And, even if it's hot and humid, we can run with them and race with them on Sunday.

"I like my chances going into Englishtown. I don't know if I'll be any more motivated than I've been all year long. It's definitely one that I want. I'm going to try to not let this one slip through my fingers."

Scelzi still holds the national top-speed record at Raceway Park, a 322.42 mph run he set in 2003. "I don't think my speed record is in jeopardy with the conditions that we're going to probably have," he said, "because we're there later in the year now. You know, track records are great and world records are great, but I want wins. That's all I'm concerned about.”