NHRA News: Decorated duo of Scelzi and Johnson part ways (05/29/2002)

Decorated duo of Scelzi and Johnson part ways after five glorious seasons

By Rob Geiger, NHRA.com
05/29/02

"I want to win some more championships, be it in a Funny Car or a Top Fuel dragster."
-- Gary Scelzi

One of the most successful owner/driver partnerships in drag racing history has dissolved. Three-time Top Fuel champion Gary Scelzi parted ways with Foxen Canyon Racing team owner Alan Johnson today in a mutually agreed upon break-up that places Scelzi on the free agent market and pares Foxen Canyon Racing down to one Funny Car entry driven by Bruce Sarver.

Beginning in 1997, Scelzi drove his Johnson-owned and tuned dragster to 25 national event wins in 38 final-round appearances over a five-year span, placing the 41-year-old Scelzi fifth on the all-time win list for the class. The former Rookie of the Year drove to nine victories in 2000, which remains the most ever for the class in a single season.

"Alan and I had some great times and accomplished so much together," Scelzi said. "This was a very tough decision for both of us. But some recent developments with the team and the way things have played out versus what I was told would happen forced me to reevaluate my career. To a certain extent, I feel that my hand was forced so I'll just pack up and move on and wish Alan and his family the very best.

"I'd like to think I have a lot to offer a team. I think my record on the drag strip speaks for itself and my driving abilities and I'm also acutely aware of what it takes to keep pace on the business side of drag racing in regards to attracting and maintaining sponsorship commitments.

"My express wish is to land with a championship-caliber team, or even to have my own operation if I could find the right corporate backing, and win some more championship trophies. I'm not going to do this on a thrown-together level. It's either run for the championship legitimately or hang it up."

Despite all of their success in the Top Fuel ranks, Johnson and Scelzi - with Sarver running a separate Funny Car for two seasons as part of the Foxen Canyon Racing team -- switched to a Funny Car-only operation this season at Scelzi's request. The problem was there was only enough funding for one car at the start of the season so the marketable Scelzi got the nod over Sarver until a second car was up and running.

Scelzi won six elimination rounds and had a runner-up finish in Gainesville, Fla., in Johnson's Funny Car.

Seven sporadic races into the campaign, and coming off of back-to-back DNQs, Scelzi gave up the seat Sarver to wait for a car designed solely for him. At that point, the troubles began between Scelzi and Johnson when a definitive schedule for Scelzi's return couldn't be agreed upon.

"The timetable for the second car is not in concrete," Johnson said. "So in order to allow Gary to explore the many options that are coming his way we decided to release him. If our deal comes through before he lands somewhere else then he's more than welcome to come back here. But to be fair we wanted to let him go out and do what he thinks is best for him and his family. There are no hard feelings at all. I completely understand his position.

"The idea was to get a second Funny Car up and running with no pressure on Gary to win or try for the championship this year and let Gary drive the wheels off of it until he feels totally comfortable. If he's going to drive a Funny Car he needs to learn how to drive them.

"Right now he needs to do what's right for Gary. I did what's right for me. I had two choices - have a car with Gary Scelzi driving it but with no sponsor, or have a car with a sponsor with Bruce driving it.

"I did all of this switchover to Funny Car for Gary. Without question, he's a very marketable guy. That's why all these other teams are after him. But right now I feel like he needs time in the seat. I'm not upset with Gary Scelzi at all. Circumstances just fell into place this way and here we are."

Savvy to the ways of the drag racing world, Scelzi will now play the market and see what opportunities exist for one of the sport's most recognizable personalities.

"It's getting to that time of the year when sponsors and teams are putting their 2003 plans together," Scelzi said. "Without a timetable from Alan, I didn't want to get caught sitting on the sidelines waiting while all the best jobs are gobbled up. I thought maybe it was time to pursue other interests.

Scelzi won three Top Fuel championships and 25 national events with Alan Johnson, the last coming at the 2001 Reading event, where he defeated Kenny Bernstein in the final round.

"I've got nothing but good things to say about Alan Johnson and his family. It was a great five years. He just made a decision to put Bruce in the car with no guarantees as to when I'd be driving again because he wasn't sure about the funding. I can understand that."

Scelzi admits to having received several offers in the last two weeks from "some of the top teams in the sport" but hasn't signed with anyone as of yet. Surprisingly, he reopened his interest in driving a Top Fuel dragster once again citing the improved safety of the Goodyear tires as a determining factor.

"I don't just want to drive," Scelzi said. "I want to win some more championships, be it in a Funny Car or a Top Fuel dragster. There were issues I had with driving a Top Fuel car that helped my decision to switch to Funny Car but a big portion of that was alleviated by the new tire. I've been down at the top end and seen tires that might have broken apart and taken out a wing in the past hold together and stay inflated. That's major progress.

"It's sad to leave Alan. The last time we talked he sounded a little choked up and we all know how emotional I get. This is a crazy sport. I thought Alan and I would be together forever. It just wasn't meant to be, I guess, but I bet we both come out of this okay."

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