Inside Line Promotions – WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Aug. 23, 2022) – Dominic Scelzi captured his first-ever Johnny Key Classic title last Saturday at Ocean Speedway.
Scelzi bested 40 other competitors to set quick time in qualifying before he advanced from fourth to second place in a heat race. He then won the dash to land the pole position for the Sprint Car Challenge Tour main event.
“I knew with how we ended on Friday we had a car to beat on Saturday,” he said. “I hoped that translated to being good. We started on the pole of the 35 lapper and led all 35. On one restart I chose the outside and (Shane) Golobic slid me into turn one and I crossed him over, but that was the only time I was challenged. The track was pretty slick. From like Lap 6 to Lap 20 it was slick from the bottom to the edge of the track with a narrow cushion on both ends. It was a really good track. I felt the bottom had slowed down enough that I chose the top for a restart. We went green and he was able to stay side by side with me before sliding me into turn one. We got right back by him and another five laps or so the track started rubbering up.”
The triumph was Scelzi’s seventh of the season overall and his first with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour. He now owns six career series victories, which ranks second on the all-time wins list.
Scelzi kicked off the weekend the previous night at the quarter-mile dirt oval, where he timed in fifth quickest overall. He advanced from third to second in a heat race, which lined him up on the inside of the fifth row in the A Main.
“We went out late and it was hard to get a good qualifying lap in,” he said. “That put me starting third in the first heat race and I should have won it, but ran out of time. I slid the leader on the last corner, but came up a bit short.
“The track was really hooked up and rough in the feature. It was really hard to pass the first 10 laps or so. I tried to stay around the bottom and away from the holes at the top. The last 10 laps we really came on. We got to third and tracked down first and second from a straightaway back. On the last lap we were all in traffic when first and second went to the top. I went to the bottom. I got inside of Bud (Kaeding) for second. We went into turns three and four and the leader decided to go low. Bud went high and ripped around us both. I went to the extreme bottom and we were three wide at the finish. It felt like I was in a Cars movie.”
The top three drivers finished within 0.206 seconds of each other with Scelzi rounding out the podium. His six positions gained were tied for the second most.
Scelzi plans to race this Friday at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif., and Saturday at Placerville Speedway in Placerville, Calif.
QUICK RESULTS –
Aug. 19 – Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. – Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 2 (3); Feature: 3 (9).
Aug. 20 – Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 2 (4); Dash: 1 (1); Feature: 1 (1).
SEASON STATS –
34 races, 7 wins, 20 top fives, 26 top 10s, 30 top 15s, 31 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif., and Saturday at Placerville Speedway in Placerville, Calif.
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Fuel Delivery Services, Inc.
Based in Stockton, Calif., Fuel Delivery Services, Inc., is a premier bulk transporter of refined petroleum products. For more information, visit http://www.
“Fuel Delivery Services, Inc., has been a partner of ours since the first year we began racing sprint cars,” Scelzi said. “They supply a lot of product for our family business as well. We’ve been fortunate to work with them for more than a decade.”
Scelzi would like to thank Red Rose Transportation, Inc., Scelzi Enterprises, Whipple Superchargers, System 1, Fuel Delivery Services, Inc., Red Line Oil, FK Rod Ends, Schoenfeld Headers, Roth Motorsports, K&N Filters, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, NAPA Auto Parts, Todd Jorgensen, Sparco, Allstar Performance, Meridian Steel, Auto Meter, Kenny’s Components and Worldwide Bearings for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
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*PHOTO BY DEVIN M. PHOTOGRAPHY* 