THERE'S A MIDGET IN SCELZI'S FUTURE

2005 Funny Car Champ Gary Scelzi will strap into a midget race car for the 64th "Turkey Night Grand Prix" held at SoCal’s Irwindale Speedway on the 1/3-mile asphalt oval. He’ll be driving his own 2.0 liter Ford-powered midget built by noted chassis builder and USAC championship team owner Bob East.

According to Scelzi, "This is my car, I’m gearing up for the time when I retire from driving a funny car and will have an open wheel race team."

Scelzi also mentioned that his buddies John Force and Jerry Darien have told him that they’ll make it to the traditional Thanksgiving evening event where the 2005 USAC Western Sprint Car Championship will be decided. Ron Capps, who was scheduled to race at the same event will now take the holiday off and spend it with his parents in San Louis Obispo, CA. [11-21-2005]

LUCAS, DUNN FORM TEAM

Jim Dunn's Funny Car operation will be added to Morgan Lucas's Top Fuel team under the larger umbrella of Lucas Oil Racing. Tony Bartone will drive the Funny Car.

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"We're now teammates and we're going to do whatever we can to help them and vice versa," Morgan Lucas, 21, said.

"We've had some sponsorship with them (Jim Dunn Racing) the previous three years and now we're going to take it up to a full sponsorship," said Forrest Lucas, president and CEO of Lucas Oil Products. "After all, trading a little information will not hurt a thing. It will instead give us a little more presence in the NHRA to have a full-blown Funny Car team added to our stable." (Bret Kepner photo) [11-21-2005]

PEDREGON TO RUN SECOND FUNNY CAR WITH IHRA

Frank Pedregon is also adding a second car, this one to campaign in the newly added Funny Car class at IHRA. Pedregon will keep driving on the NHRA circuit and is looking for a driver for the second car.

"I'm taking email applications from interested drivers who can bring substantial funding as part of their deal," Pedregon said. I am providing a car that is a proven contender -- the same car I ran 5.70s in this year. I'll also provide a crew chief and team to attack that series -- with the plans of taking home the first championship of the IHRA's new Funny Car Series."

Interested parties can contact Pedregon only by email at fpedregon@superheropro.com.

No word if Toyo Tires will be on the second car, but the Agent thinks it a great opportunity to move into Funny Car and/or Top Fuel tires, something they can't do at NHRA. [11-21-2005]