Beckman Continues Title Chase at Vegas; Scelzi Seeks First '08 Score
Two races remain in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Funny Car Series, and both hold huge significance for Team Mopar® drivers Jack Beckman and Gary Scelzi. Beckman, driver of the Mopar HEMI®-powered Valvoline/Mail Terminal Services Dodge Charger R/T, is second in the Countdown to 1 playoffs point standings with a strong chance of winning his first championship. Scelzi, pilot of the Mopar/Oakley Dodge Charger R/T, may be competing in the final two races of his storied career. Both will be looking to bring home big wins, starting this weekend at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Beckman is 51 points out of the lead, with 160 points (plus qualifying points) available in the final two events (Vegas and Pomona, Calif., on Nov. 16). "Vegas has been great to me," said Beckman, who won his first Funny Car title at The Strip in the fall of 2006, in only his fourth national-event appearance in that class. "It and Pomona Raceway are really my two home tracks, so, if NHRA were to let me choose the schedule, this is the way I'd choose to run it."
"Vegas is one of my favorite tracks," added Scelzi, a four-time NHRA world champion, who has decided to step down from NHRA POWERade competition at the end of the season. "So, maybe we can cause some problems for everybody in this Countdown to 1 for the Funny Car championship and help (Don Schumacher Racing teammate) Jack Beckman become a POWERade champion."
Two hours of ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals qualifying coverage will air on Saturday, Nov. 1 beginning at 10 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. Three hours of eliminations coverage will air on Sunday, Nov. 2 starting at 7 p.m. (EDT) on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. For more info on the NHRA, log on to http://www.nhra.com.
