Gio Scelzi
Gio Scelzi | |
---|---|
![]() Scelzi at Evergreen Speedway in 2020 | |
Nationality | ![]() |
Born | Fresno, California | November 28, 2001
Related to | Gary Scelzi (father) |
ARCA Menards Series West career | |
Debut season | 2020 |
Current team | Bill McAnally Racing |
Years active | 2020–present |
Car number | 16 |
Engine | Toyota |
Crew chief | John Camilleri |
Starts | 11 |
Championships | 0 |
Wins | 1 |
Poles | 0 |
Last updated on: November 7, 2020. |
Giovanni Scelzi (born November 28, 2001) is an American racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the World of Outlaws Nos Energy Drink Sprint Car, series driving the #18 sprint car for KCP Racing.
Racing career
[edit]Scelzi began his career in the micro-sprint ranks, driving at Plaza Park Raceway.[1] Racing at Lemoore Speedway as a nine-year-old, Scelzi posted 24 wins during that season.[2]
At age sixteen, Scelzi moved from his hometown of Fresno, California to Indianapolis, Indiana to be closer to sprint car competition.[1] In September of that year, he became the youngest winner in World of Outlaws history, winning a preliminary event at the National Open at Williams Grove Speedway in Pennsylvania.[3]
In 2019, Scelzi became the youngest driver to win a feature at Knoxville Raceway, using the highest groove on the racetrack to take the lead.[4] He also won his first career United States Auto Club midget race, taking the checkered flag at Placerville Speedway.[5]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e2/Scelzi_Qualifying_Evergreen_2020.jpg/220px-Scelzi_Qualifying_Evergreen_2020.jpg)
Scelzi started his 2020 season by racing at the Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[1] On January 13, Scelzi announced a partnership with Guy Forbrook to run a limited number of sprint car races in the Midwest United States, saying that he wanted to scale back his sprint car efforts for the year.[6] On January 14, Scelzi was confirmed for a full ARCA Menards Series West schedule for Bill McAnally Racing, driving the organization's No. 16 entry.[7] A midwinter trip to Australia to race sprint cars was cancelled when Scelzi left Indy Race Cars, the team he drove for in 2018 and 2019, to join Forbrook.[8] He won his first Pro Late Model race at New Smyrna Speedway on February 9, capitalizing on a last lap crash/penalty combination that took the top two cars out of contention.[9] In June, Scelzi returned to his family sprint car team for some All Star Circuit of Champions races[10] and also joined Tucker Boat Motorsports for some sprint car races during Indiana Midget Week.[11] Scelzi scored a career-best ARCA West finish of second at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring in September.[12] In the following race, Scelzi executed a bump-and-run maneuver on Taylor Gray during the penultimate lap to claim his first ARCA win.[13]
In 2023, Scelzi will join the World of Outlaws full time. He will go after Rookie of the Year honors with the World of Outlaws.[14]
Personal life
[edit]Gio is the son of former drag racing driver Gary Scelzi, and is the younger brother of sprint car driver Dominic Scelzi.[1] He attended Clovis Online High School in a blended learning model with in-person and online instruction.[15]
Motorsports career results
[edit]ARCA Menards Series
[edit](key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Menards Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | AMSC | Pts | Ref |
2020 | Bill McAnally Racing | 99 | Toyota | DAY | PHO 10 |
TAL | POC | IRP | KEN | IOW 11 |
KAN | TOL | TOL | MCH | DAY | GTW 13 |
L44 | TOL | BRI | WIN | MEM | ISF | KAN | 33rd | 98 | [16] |
ARCA Menards Series East
[edit]ARCA Menards Series East results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | AMSEC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||
2020 | Bill McAnally Racing | 16 | Toyota | NSM 13 |
TOL | DOV | TOL | BRI | FIF | 35th | 31 | [17] |
ARCA Menards Series West
[edit]ARCA Menards Series West results | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | AMSWC | Pts | Ref | |||||
2020 | Bill McAnally Racing | 16 | Toyota | LVS 10 |
MMP 3 |
MMP 4 |
IRW 14 |
EVG 3 |
DCS 4 |
CNS 3 |
LVS 2 |
AAS 1 |
KCR 9 |
PHO 27 |
5th | 560 | [18] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Bonkowski, Jerry (January 13, 2020). "Gio Scelzi hopes to use Chili Bowl as springboard to NASCAR". NASCAR on NBC. NBC Sports. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Bemis, Scott (April 3, 2017). "High School Hot Shot: Giovanni Scelzi". Your Central Valley. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ "Fresno 16-year-old Gio Scelzi youngest winner in Outlaws sprint car history". Fresno Bee. September 29, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Wright, Bill (July 28, 2019). "Gio Scelzi Becomes Youngest Knoxville Winner". Speed Sport. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Pryson, Mike (January 13, 2020). "NHRA Legend's Son Gio Scelzi Finds Sprint Cars to be Anything but a Drag". Autoweek. Hearst Autos. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Fenwick, Adam (January 13, 2020). "Forbrook & Gio Scelzi Chasing Wins in the Midwest". Speed Sport. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ "Gio Scelzi Set to Drive Iconic No. 16 for Bill McAnally Racing; Jesse Love, Gracie Trotter, and Holly Hollan Round Out Four-Car BMR West Series Lineup". ARCA Menards Series. January 14, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ "Gio Scelzi Out Of Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic". Sprint Car & Midget. January 16, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Allen, Richard (February 10, 2020). "Gio Scelzi making quick progress on pavement as he looks toward NASCAR". Inside Circle Track. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Miller, Shawn (June 3, 2020). "Gio Scelzi To Wing It With All Stars". Speed Sport. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Miller, Shawn (June 24, 2020). "Giovanni Scelzi Flashes Speed During Sprint Car and Midget Starts". MyRacePass. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Staff reports (September 26, 2020). "Gracie Trotter Makes History With Las Vegas Victory". ARCARacing.com. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
- ^ Haislop, Todd (October 24, 2020). "Gio Scelzi Earns First ARCA Menards Win With Aggression At All American". ARCA Menards Series. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ Graziano, Nick (2023-01-20). "Giovanni Scelzi, KCP Racing Joining World of Outlaws Tour Full Time in 2023". World of Outlaws. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
- ^ Levins, Matt (August 21, 2017). "Scelzi sprints to Invaders victory". Dallas County News. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ "Gio Scelzi – 2020 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ "Gio Scelzi – 2020 ARCA Menards Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ "Gio Scelzi – 2020 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 7, 2020.