Only eight races remain in the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season, with a two-driver fight for the championship raging between Brad Sweet and David Gravel.
Not too far behind them is first-year outlaw Giovanni Scelzi, who is fourth in points. Aboard the KCP Racing No. 18, Scelzi’s campaign has been nothing short of impressive.
The 21-year-old banked a win at Wisconsin’s Beaver Dam Raceway in June, has tallied 45 top-10 finishes in 67 races and boasts an average finish of 9.22.
With the season winding down, Scelzi remains focused ahead as he looks to finish off a strong first full season on the tour.
“Still a lot to play for. We’re definitely in the points hunt for fourth,” Scelzi told SPEED SPORT.
Expectations are always a reality, even as a rookie. Though Scelzi hasn’t invested much thought into that category in his inaugural run.
“It’s hard to kind of set expectations a little bit when it’s your first year out here, not knowing what to expect, racing that many races with the Outlaws,” Scelzi said. “But, I run 80 to 90 races every year I’ve been racing full time. A lot of similarities, a few differences but not too much different.”
One goal Scelzi set prior to the season was a top-five run in points. He’s only a handful of races away from accomplishing what he described would be “a stellar year.”
If “Hot Sauce” hangs on to fourth in the standings, he’d equal Brad Doty (1982) and Jeff Swindell (1981) as the best-finishing rookie in World of Outlaws history.
Despite the rookie tag, Scelzi is no stranger to 410 winged sprint competition. Getting his start in his native California, Scelzi contested a full-time NARC season in 2015 at the tender age of 15.
Scelzi narrowly missed out on the title that season (2017) to Bud Kaeding.
As he’s competed with the Outlaws on a part-time basis the past five seasons, Scelzi’s had ample opportunity to adjust to the nuances the Greatest Show on Dirt has to offer.
A major plus for Scelzi has been comfort with the racing format employed by the World of Outlaws.
“The similarity with the format every single night definitely helps,” Scelzi said. “Knowing exactly where you’re gonna start, knowing exactly what we have to do every night, not having any weird inverts or weird stuff like that which you get with some local racing.”
As Scelzi has rolled with the punches that first-year outlaws endure, he’s managed to still reflect on his season in a positive light.
“It’s been fun man, it’s definitely tough that’s for sure,” Scelzi remarked. “You never get a night off and you never get a night without them that’s for sure.”