Giovanni Scelzi Earns Top-Five Finish During World of Outlaws Race in Las Vegas

Inside Line Promotions – LAS VEGAS (March 4, 2019) – Giovanni Scelzi nearly pulled off a victory during his season debut with Roth Motorsports last Wednesday at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas.

Scelzi kicked off the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown presented by Star Nursery by qualifying second quickest in his World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series group of 19 drivers. He then won a heat race and placed third in the dash to line up on the inside of the second row for the main event.

Scelzi spent most of the race in a battle for the runner-up position and he was running in that spot in the closing laps when he took the lead on a restart with only four laps remaining. However, a caution came out erasing the pass and the red flag was waved for a fuel stop.

“I asked the guys how my tires were and they said they were shot,” he said. “Since it was just a fuel stop we couldn’t add any air so I was trying to hang on after that. I got a bad restart and at that point you’re a sitting duck. That’s how it falls sometimes.”

Scelzi hung on for a fifth-place finish, which was his fifth career top five with the series.

“Not knowing what to expect with different cars and different motors, starting out that strong and having a shot at winning, it couldn’t have started off much better,” he said. “We all got along well and the team did a really good job.”

The event concluded on Thursday with Scelzi going out last in qualifying of the nearly 40 competitors. He timed in 14th quickest in his group. A charge from seventh to fifth place in a heat race locked him into the 20th starting position in the main event.

“I got up to 12th right before the rubber came in, but I was in a bad lane on a restart and made a couple of mistakes that cost us a few positions,” he said. “We fell to 16th, but made it back up to 12 th in the rubber.”

Scelzi’s eight cars passed ranked as the third most as he earned a 12 th-place outing.

“With getting a little more experience running my brother’s Schnee and running a Maxim you get to thinking a race car is all just tubing,” he said. “You just have to figure out what they like. Bernie (Stuebgen) is the best crew chief. Confidence is a big thing for me. Right now I think we could build a wheel barrow and be fast with it.

“I want to thank Bernie and the crew for their hard work as well as Dennis and Teresa Roth for the opportunity.”

Scelzi and Roth Motorsports are scheduled to compete this Friday and Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., with the World of Outlaws.

“Hopefully the weather holds out,” he said. “That’s a place I have the most laps at out of anywhere in California. Having a good Trophy Cup (last fall) and a decent showing with the Outlaws last year, I have a lot of confidence there.”

QUICK RESULTS –

Feb. 27 – The Dirt Track at Las Vegas in Las Vegas – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 3 (2); Feature: 5 (3).

Feb. 28 – The Dirt Track at Las Vegas in Las Vegas – Qualifying: 14; Heat race: 5 (7); Feature: 12 (20).

SEASON STATS –

6 races, 1 win, 2 top fives, 3 top 10s, 4 top 15s, 4 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Friday and Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series