TULARE, Calif. — A Peter Murphy Classic victory has been on Dominic Scelzi’s bucket list for a long time.
According to Scelzi, it was Murphy who kept him interested in continuing his racing career after suffering a broken back in a sprint car accident. Murphy was the first person to greet Scelzi on the front stretch of the Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway on Saturday night after his win in the 30-lap King of the West by NARC sprint car feature.
Scelzi’s red and white No. 41 Wimple Superchargers/Scelzi Enterprises sponsored car picked up the $11,000 top prize in the seventh annual race becoming the seventh different winner.
Polesitter Scelzi and Bud Kaeding brought the 24-car field to the green flag and immediately the two veteran drivers waged a back-and-forth battle which saw the lead change at each end of the track until Geoffrey Strole brought out the caution when he stopped on the apron of the first turn.
During this caution, Kyle Offill pitted and returned to the track after a visit to the work area.
Once restarted, the two top guns traded slide jobs once again as their battle resumed.
Scelzi took the checkered flag ahead of Golobic with Willie Croft, Bud Kaeding and Kyle Hirst rounding out the top five.
The finish:
Dominic Scelzi, Shane Golobic, Willie Croft, Bud Kaeding, Kyle Hirst, Tim Kaeding, Sean Becker, Justin Sanders, D.J. Netto, Billy Aton, Mitchell Faccinto, Robbie Price, Kalib Henry, Kasey Kahne, Corey Day, Tanner Holmes, J.J. Ringo, Sean Watts, Mitchel Moles, Craig Stidham, Kyle Offill, Austin McCarl, Kenny Allen, Geoffrey Strole