Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Funny Car driver Scelzi turns car over to teammate

Thursday, May 16, 2002 | 9:58 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Gary Scelzi, a three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion who made the switch to the Funny Car category this season, is stepping out of the White Cap Toyota Celica in favor of teammate Bruce Sarver.

Scelzi told NHRA.com that he would return to the category when the team's second Toyota Celica is ready in the next few weeks.

After winning the Top Fuel title three of the past four years, Scelzi and team owner Alan Johnson moved over to Funny Car at the start of the season and said he expected to compete for the series title this year.

"I'd like to win several national events and give the guys at the top a run for their money," Scelzi told the Sun back in February. "We didn't come here to finish just in the top 10. That might sound like a bold statement but we didn't come here to knit."

In the first seven races this season, Scelzi notched six elimination-round victories and was the runner-up at the Gatornationals in March. After failing to qualify at the past two events, Scelzi found himself a distant ninth in Funny Car points.

"Why waste any more time?" Scelzi told NHRA.com. "We don't have a realistic chance to win the Powerade championship this year and, to me, finishing second is the same as finishing 22nd.

"I feel like we owe Toyota and White Cap our best effort and the cars we have now were custom-made for Bruce. Hopefully, he'll jump right in there and win the Matco race in Englishtown. He certainly has the ability to do that and I'll be crewing on his car to help him get it done."

Watkins, who first served as general manager for Snake Racing in 1997, is scheduled to graduate from Thomas Jefferson Law School later this month and will continue to pursue a career in law.

"I wish Cory the best of luck in future endeavors," Prudhomme said. "However, right now our main focus is on winning races and to try to do the best job for all of our sponsors."

"Now I have the No. 1 spot and I know what it is like to be the Powerade points leader," Savoie said. "After 23 (career victories), the feeling never lightens up; it feels like my first win every time."

Savoie and Star Racing announced at Atlanta that CVEC Power Systems would sponsor the two-time NHRA champion. CVEC is forming a company that will specialize in sponsorship and marketing opportunities, licensing, and other subsidiary operations.