Scelzi Challenges for Top Five at Freedom 40 Before Late-Race Restart

Inside Line Promotions – CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (Aug. 9, 2016) – Dominic Scelzi was a contender during the first half of the night last Saturday at Atomic Speedway.

Scelzi opened the Freedom 40 by qualifying third quickest overall before he finished second in a heat race to make the feature redraw.

“We were pretty good,” he said. “We went with a different setup and were the fastest in hot laps and third in qualifying. We led the heat race until the last corner. I was searching around to find where I was best and ended up getting passed.”

Scelzi then drew the No. 6 during the random redraw to start the main event on the outside of the third row.

“The race track changed a lot for the main,” he said. “On the start we got up to fifth and then fell back to eighth. We were racing really hard with a couple of guys for sixth and seventh. The three of us were having a strong race. A red flag came out with six laps to go and I had a tire seal over on me. A lack of experience of getting that tire to heat back up cost us some positions and we ended up 12th.”

Scelzi battled the handling on the car in the closing laps as he slipped to a 12th-place result.

“I think we made strides all night,” he said. “We worked on a few different things and we gained on a couple of things. We know where we need to get better for next time we race there.

“Also, I want to extend my deepest sympathy and prayers for Bryan Clauson’s family and friends. It’s a tough time for everyone who Bryan effected, which was everyone he met.”

Scelzi is slated to take this weekend off before returning to action Aug. 19-20 at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wis., with the IRA Series.