Scelzi, Veal Enjoying Life on the Road with the World of Outlaws
CONCORD, NC – Sept. 11, 2017 – Regardless of the measuring stick, the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series is the premier Sprint Car touring organization in the world. In 2017, The Greatest Show on Dirt has 16 full-time teams that compete at each and every event on the grueling 90-plus race schedule. But since the conclusion of the Knoxville Nationals, two additional teams have been following the tour, those of California native Dominic Scelzi and Australian Jamie Veal.
The decision process to run with the Outlaws was similar for both Scelzi and Veal. They both cited that after Knoxville their final destination was California. Scelzi is from the Golden State, while Veal keeps his equipment at Brent Kaeding’s shop during the American off-season. Of course, the level of competition was an incentive as well.
“Racing on different racetracks against the best in the world every night, it makes you better. You get to see everything,” 20-year-old Scelzi of Fresno, CA said.
Veal, who travels full-time across his native country in Australia with the World Series Sprintcars is no stranger to life on the road. “It keeps me fresh by running. As opposed to waiting two months after Knoxville before our season starts back home, this keeps us running every weekend. When I fly home, I have one off-weekend before WSS starts up,” 28-year-old Veal said.
Scelzi and Veal are young, yet accomplished drivers on their own turf. Scelzi, son of two-time NHRA Winston Top Fuel World Champion Gary Scelzi, was recently crowned Dirt Classic California champion, besting a 46-car field at the famed Calistoga Speedway worth $10,000. Veal is a year removed from one of the most dominant seasons in recent Australian sprint car history as he ruled the World Series Sprintcars (WSS) tour and claimed Australia’s biggest prize, the Grand Annual Sprint Car Classic.
Following the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series has its own demons, however — especially when you destroy a car in the middle of a three-race weekend, like Scelzi did earlier in North Dakota. “It’s tough. With no shop and just working out of the trailer, you have to unload everything to put a car back together. It makes for a sleepless night and tough morning. It definitely wears on you,” Scelzi said.
Scelzi and Veal will follow the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series through Calistoga Speedway before heading their own ways. Veal, who was named the new driver of the famed Krikke Motorsports No.2 back home, leaves us with this parting thought: “If you’re getting beat, you might as well get beat by the best.”
Scelzi, Veal and the 16 full-time Outlaws head to Calistoga Speedway this weekend for two nights of racing. Tickets are still available online for the Wine Country Outlaw Showdown this Friday, Sept. 15 and Saturday, Sept. 16. To watch the event LIVE from your own home, tune into DIRTVision.com.
