Giovanni Scelzi Dominates “A” Class Winged Feature for First Golden Driller

Inside Line Promotions – TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 5, 2015) – Giovanni Scelzi celebrated a giant achievement on Saturday while he was surrounded by a subdued crowd at the 30th annual Speedway Motors Tulsa Shootout.

The 13-year-old California native led all 25 laps of the “A” class winged main event inside the River Spirit Expo Center to earn his first career Golden Driller, prompting a loud celebration on the frontstretch.

“It was kind of funny because everyone there hates California,” he said. “I was up on the wing yelling and it was pretty quiet.”

Scelzi was just as entertaining throughout the four-day event on the quarter-mile bullring. He competed in four micro sprint classes, highlighted by his performance in the “A” class winged division.

Scelzi won his heat race from the pole position and he then charged from eighth to second place in a qualifier, which gave him the most points to garner the pole for the main event.

“Last year we won everything but the Golden Driller,” he said. “I was so nervous starting on the pole. You get all the bad thoughts. The first corner I rolled through it real nice and I knew we were in good shape.”

Scelzi added a top 10 in the outlaw winged class. After maneuvering from seventh to third place in his heat race and winning his qualifier, Scelzi battled for a top five throughout the 55-lap main event before settling for a sixth-place result.

“Late in the outlaw race Kevin Swindell showed me a nose,” he said. “We got to battling and raced side by side. Running with the best micro drivers, and winning a Golden Driller, was a huge accomplishment.”

Following a heat race win, fourth-place finish in a qualifier and runner-up result in a B Main, Scelzi scratched from the outlaw nonwing Last Chance Qualifier to save the car for the “A” class winged main event.

Scelzi’s time in the “A” class nonwing division was short-lived after he was involved in a crash during his heat race. The damage included a broken rear end and front end, but the team was able to rebuild the car in time to win the “A” class winged feature.