SCELZI STRIKES FIRST: Giovanni Scelzi Charges from Sixth to Knoxville Nationals Prelim Victory

Scelzi steals night one with a late pass on Jacob Allen and grabs the point lead

KNOXVILLE, IA (August 7, 2024) - “Hot Sauce” is hungry.

Giovanni Scelzi is a Californian by birth but now calls Iowa home. KCP Racing, the team he competes with, is located roughly an hour’s drive from Knoxville Raceway. The pairing have won the 360 Nationals. They’ve sat on the pole of the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s. They’re hungrier than ever for a Knoxville Nationals.

And they made a big step toward that goal on Wednesday’s BRANDT Professional Agriculture Qualifying Night at “The Sprint Car Capital of the World.”

Scelzi lined up sixth for the 25-lapper and put on a show with a charge to the front. After an uneventful first half of the race for the Fresno, CA driver, Scelzi got up on the wheel to move forward. On Lap 17 he took over second. Then he sealed the deal with a daring move between leader Jacob Allen and a lapped car entering Turn 1.

Emotion flowed in Victory Lane. Scelzi yelled with joy as he rose atop the wing, and the crowd joined him with a roar.

“I don’t even know what to say. I’ve never run a prelim night. I’ve run second. This definitely sets us up good for Saturday,” Scelzi said. “Living just outside Des Moines now in Grimes, this is kind of a home for me. The first time I came here in I think 2016 or 2017 I got to work for Aaron Reutzel. And you know, Danny Lasoski being my idol was one that was obviously super successful here. And I think sometimes when you really put your mind to something at a place you want to be successful at, it makes you work harder to really do that. It’s the best racetrack in the world. Best fans in the world. There’s no question. Best racing surface you get all year long. Whether the track is a little bit wetter like it was tonight or it’s super dry, you almost have three lines of racing every time you come here. My guys did an incredible job. Hats off to Adam (Clark), Bob (Curtis), and Aaron (Beiler).”

Scelzi’s victory was his first in a 410 at Knoxville since topping a local show in 2019. But perhaps more important than the prelim win itself is where it’s currently slotted him for championship Saturday. A tally of 471 points has him atop the table after the opening night, nearly guaranteeing he’ll be starting in the first couple rows for the 50-lap finale.

The NOS Energy Drink Feature was led to green by Jacob Allen and Justin Peck. Allen inched ahead of Peck and narrowly led the first circuit. Peck built up momentum on the top and looked as if he may challenge Allen for the top spot in Turn 1 on Lap 2, but Allen got the bottom rolling and scooted away.

Allen checked out as the opening portion of the race unfolded. Back behind Scelzi looked to begin his march forward but met a tough challenge in the form of Brent Marks. The Myerstown, PA native fended off several attempts from the No. 18. Even when Scelzi got by him the first time, the yellow flag flew before the lap was completed, giving the spot back to Marks.

Scelzi finally managed to escape Marks on the 11th circuit, and then the real fun began. Two laps later he drove right by Chase Randall to grab third. And then in four more rotations he wasted no time wheeled around Justin Peck for second.

Then the pursuit of race-long leader Allen began. Up front the Shark Racing No. 1A navigated heavy traffic which allowed Scelzi to close in. The first attempt at the top spot was thwarted by Allen as he protected. But only a few laps later Scelzi made a magnificent move for the lead.

A big run off the exit of Turn 4 allowed Scelzi to dip under Allen heading down the front straightaway. With Allen to his outside, the 22-year-old was also faced with a lapped car directly ahead. Scelzi had just enough momentum to clear Allen entering Turn 1 and slice ahead of him to get to the cushion and clear the traffic in the set of corners. 

And that was all she wrote. The KCP No. 18 was dialed in with a motivated driver in the seat, and Scelzi set sail on his way to the checkered flag.

“What an incredible job by my guys,” Scelzi said. “Normally yellows are my kryptonite. And I just got by Brent Marks and the yellow came out of course. But man, the bottom got easier and easier to run as all of those crumbs got thrown up in the middle. Thank you, fans, for coming out. This is the busiest I’ve ever seen a Wednesday night. I hope everyone goes to Dingus because they can serve all of you.”

Allen held on for second wheeling his father, Bobby Allen’s, Sprint Car. It was a strong night for the Hanover, PA native as he sits eighth in points and likely on the bubble of locking into Saturday’s finale after Thursday’s prelim. Despite losing the lead late, Allen showed no signs of disappointment once the checkered flag flew.

“Honestly, I think I ran a pretty good race, a race that I’m pretty proud of running,” Allen said. “I felt like my race car was really good. We didn’t go through much lapped traffic, but I made a nice pass that I thought would maybe be a defining move on Blake Hahn. But obviously Gio had a really good car as well. There’s honestly nothing to hang our heads about. Last year I didn’t even race this race and took some time off. To come back, lead my prelim night, and run second is a huge accomplishment.”

Rounding out the Knoxville Nationals opener podium was Justin Peck aboard the Buch Motorsports machine. Peck is confident he and the Buch crew have something to build on after Wednesday but have a couple areas with room for improvement if they want to challenge for a Knoxville Nationals title.

“I feel like we’re pretty close, just need to find a little bit more speed,” Peck said. “I think our straight-line speed or straight-line grip is pretty good. I’m struggling kind of getting in the corner, and then depending on how that goes maybe struggling through the rest of the corner. Like I said, we’ll keep working. It’s cool to put it on the podium on a prelim night of the Knoxville Nationals.”

Chase Randall and Brent Marks completed the top five.

A 21st to 10th drive earned Anthony Macri the KSE Racing Hard Charger.

Matt Juhl claimed Simpson Quick Time honors in Sea Foam Qualifying.

Your Life Iowa Heats One, Three, Four, and Five belonged to Sam Hafertepe Jr., Donny Schatz, Aaron Reutzel, and Chase Randall. Milton Hershey School Heat Two went to Jamie Ball.

Anthony Macri won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Michael Kofoid. 

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are back at Knoxville Raceway for the second split-field prelim for the 63rd running of the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s on Thursday, August 8. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.

FEATURE RESULTS:

A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[6]; 2. 1A-Jacob Allen[1]; 3. 13-Justin Peck[2]; 4. 2KS-Chase Randall[3]; 5. 19-Brent Marks[4]; 6. 10-Scott Bogucki[5]; 7. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[11]; 8. 87-Aaron Reutzel[13]; 9. 14-Corey Day[7]; 10. 39M-Anthony Macri[21]; 11. 9P-Parker Price Miller[15]; 12. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[8]; 13. 9-Kasey Kahne[9]; 14. 27-Carson McCarl[10]; 15. 2-David Gravel[24]; 16. 48-Danny Dietrich[12]; 17. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[17]; 18. 15-Donny Schatz[19]; 19. 23-Garet Williamson[23]; 20. 09-Matt Juhl[22]; 21. 4W-Jamie Ball[18]; 22. 52-Blake Hahn[14]; 23. (DNF) J2-John Carney II[20]; 24. (DNF) 6B-Brandon Wimmer[16]