Giovanni Scelzi Finishes Second in Trophy Cup Standings After Stellar Weekend

Inside Line Promotions – TULARE, Calif. (Oct. 23, 2018) – Giovanni Scelzi recorded a second-place finish among a stout field of 88 drivers last weekend during the 25th annual Trophy Cup at Thunderbowl Raceway.

Scelzi piloted a second entry for his family owned team during the mega event, which began on Thursday. He qualified fourth quickest in his group and advanced from sixth to fourth place in a heat race to rank eighth in points. With a 12-car inversion for the main event Scelzi lined up on the inside of the third row.

It didn’t take long for him to sniff the lead. Scelzi advanced into second place on the opening lap and he stalked the leader for the remainder of the race.

“Thursday was the best track we had all weekend,” he said. “It was slick and didn’t take rubber until the last five laps of the main. I ran the bottom and rolled right through there. Mitchell Faccinto was leading on the bottom so I started working the fence. I passed him once and slid him again for the lead, but I couldn’t make any speed in turns one and two. There was a big hole on entrance. I had to cheat it and when you do that you couldn’t make any speed.”

Scelzi settled for a runner-up result, which moved him up to second in event points. Here is a link to watch the feature: https://youtu.be/AM-569BlUYw.

He returned to the oval on Friday for another preliminary night, this time qualifying second quickest in his group and powering from sixth to second place in a heat race. He was the highest-points driver during the first half of the night so Scelzi lined up 12th for the main event.

“The cushion was big and gnarly,” he said. “It was so hard to pass with so many good cars. We raced smart and ended up with the same points total as the night before.”

Scelzi scored a sixth-place finish. Here is a link to watch the race: https://youtu.be/rqADaJSNSW0.

Scelzi then opened Saturday’s finale with a run from eighth to sixth place in a heat race. That put him fifth in points and lined him up on the outside of the eighth row for the 50-lap feature.

“We had two good prelim nights and on Saturday we had a decent heat race to put us in a great position,” he said. “In the feature we were really efficient. I latched behind Jac (Haudenschild) and we moved through the field. Whenever he’d pass someone I’d pass them too. The track took rubber halfway through so you really had to force the issue if you wanted to pass. I got to sixth and ultimately needed one more position.”

Scelzi charged from 16th to a sixth-place result, but he finished two points – or one total position – shy of winning the Trophy Cup title.

His attention shifts east as Scelzi will drive for Bernie Stuebgen this Friday and Saturday at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa., during the Tuscarora 50 with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series.

“Port is a tough place,” Scelzi said. “It’s probably the fastest and most difficult place I’ve been to. It will be a tough crowd, too. We’ve qualified good so hopefully we can do that, make the show and stay up front all night.”