Gio Scelzi was set to take the green flag with four laps to go behind Kerry Madsen at Lakeside on Friday.
He had watched Madsen get a solid launch on numerous occasions during the 30-lap main event, but he hadn’t yet been able to get around the Tony Stewart Racing No. 14 car, or catch it for that matter.
On the final restart, though, Scelzi ran right up against the cushion in turns 1 and 2, while Madsen was further towards the middle of the track.
It allowed Scelzi, a 19-year old rising star in Sprint Car racing, to get a run and complete a pass coming to the flagstand with three laps to go.
“He never went all the way up the top in 1 and 2, and that’s where I could make speed,” Scelzi said. “I could keep the car down on in exit. He went to really protect inside across it. I knew I had the bottom in 3. My car was awesome, I could really go anywhere I wanted.”
Scelzi took the KCP Racing No. 18 to the inside and slid past Madsen, never looking back afterwards.
The win is the youngster’s first World of Outlaws victory since he won with the series in Charlotte at the end of the 2019 season.
“Yeah it’s huge,” Scelzi told Always Race Day after the win. “I think the last one came in 2020 or 2019. We’ve won some races in Knoxville, so we’ve been close – just never able to charge back and close the deal. We actually knocked the W-Link off on lap 4, so – yeah just really proud of everybody.”
Scelzi, for a long time, was referred to as Dominic’s little brother. He had a lot of talent, but not the national spotlight just yet in his racing career.
And while Gio’s little brother celebrated while watching the race from afar at a different race (the Trophy Cup) in California, the younger Scelzi hoped he got the recognition this time.
“(Dominic) qualified like shit tonight, so hopefully, for tonight, he’ll be my brother instead of me being his,” Gio said.
The World of Outlaws have four races remaining in their 2021 season, traveling to Lawton (OK) and Devils Bowl (TX) next week before ending the year at Charlotte on November 6. For more World of Outlaws coverage, visit the World of Outlaws tag here on Always Race Day.
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Results
FVP Platinum Battery Showdown – Lakeside
1. Gio Scelzi
2. Donny Schatz
3. Kerry Madsen
4. Aaron Reutzel
5. Logan Schuchart
6. Brad Sweet
7. Kraig Kinser
8. Carson Macedo
9. David Gravel
10. Jacob Allen
11. James McFadden
12. Sheldon Haudenschild
13. Spencer Bayston
14. Justin Henderson
15. Ayrton Gennetten
16. Parker Price-Miller
17. Kasey Kahne
18. Noah Gass
19. Riley Goodno
20. Brock Zearfoss
21. Brian Brown
22. Jordan Goldesberry
23. Wayne Johnson
24. Marcus Dumesny
