Inside Line Promotions - TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 21, 2020) - Giovanni Scelzi overcame numerous obstacles throughout a challenging 34^th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire last week.

Scelzi, who was driving for Tucker-Boat Motorsports, was caught up in several wrecks while competing on the dirt bullring inside the River Spirit Expo Center.

"We were unlucky I guess," he said. "Things happen in a hurry and you can be involved in other people's crashes very easily so luck plays a big part in how your Chili Bowl goes."

Scelzi's preliminary night at the event, which featured nearly 350 total drivers, was last Wednesday. He maneuvered from eighth to third place in a heat race before picking up a position to finish fifth in a qualifier. That ranked him 12^th out of the 66 drivers competing that night and garnered the 12^th starting position in the main event.

"We did a decent job on our prelim to get into the show," he said. "Unfortunately, we got in a crash three or four laps into the race. We went to the back and worked our way into the top 10 before we were involved in a crash again. That bent the front radius rods and axle. It was hard to drive. We had to go to the back and we got back to 10^th before the race ended."

Scelzi was running inside the top 10 when he was caught up in a crash two different times. He made a late-race charge to finish the race 10 ^th. That relegated him to the fifth starting spot in a C Main during Saturday's finale.

"We got better as the race went on," he said. "I was battling for the last transfer position early. Once the track changed to be top dominant I got better."

Scelzi hustled to a runner-up result, which earned a transfer into the back of a B Main.

"We started 16^th and had to finish in the top seven to make the main event," he said. "It was a doable task, but someone spun in front of us and we had nowhere to go early in the race. The impact crushed the front of the frame. We were lucky there was a caution that allowed us to get back out."

The Tucker-Boat Motorsports team repaired the damage enough that Scelzi was able to return to the track after a quick caution on the restart. He rallied from the back to place ninth, which was only two positions shy of making the main event.

"I want to thank Chad Boat and everyone with Tucker-Boat Motorsports as well as Toyota Racing," he said. "We had great speed throughout the event and with just a little luck I think we would have not only made the main event on Saturday, but we could have moved forward."

Scelzi is scheduled to return to action Feb. 6-8 at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna, Fla., where he will compete in a late model event.

QUICK RESULTS -

Jan. 15 - River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa, Okla. - Heat race: 3 (8); Qualifier: 5 (6); Feature: 10 (12).

Jan. 18 - River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa, Okla. - C Main: 2 (5); B Main: 9 (16).

UP NEXT -

Feb. 6-8 at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna, Fla.

Inside Line Promotions - TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 21, 2020) - Derek Hagar continues to grow the midget program of Hagar Proctor Racing at each event he tackles.

Hagar recorded his career-best Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire outing last week during the 34th edition of the event held inside the River Spirit Expo Center.

"It was by far our best Chili Bowl performance yet," he said. "That's the furthest we've ever made it in the Chili Bowl. It's a big confidence boost. We made some good runs with what we have to work with. Hopefully it opened some eyes. Also, we were able to seal a deal to hopefully make our program better for next year's Chili Bowl with a Mopar SR11 engine."

Hagar kicked off the event on Tuesday by maneuvering from fifth to third place during a heat race. He then placed third in both a qualifier and B Main to transfer into the 21st starting position in the A Main.

"We were able to charge up through there to finish eighth," he said. "Some cars fell out, but we were able to pass quite a few cars, too. We drove by some good competitors that do this stuff all the time. This midget stuff is a whole different animal than what we're used to doing. To be competitive with them with the limited knowledge we have gives us a confidence boost. I started losing time in the feature and started sliding the corners. It worked out and we got up to eighth and held on for a good top-10 finish."

The performance locked Hagar into one of the B Mains on Saturday, when nearly all of the approximately 350 drivers competed.

"We started 14th and got up to ninth or 10th with about five laps to go," he said. "I was about to slide someone when someone else parked it on the bottom. I got into them and had to restart at the rear."

Hagar finished the race in the same position he started. However, it was three features better than his previous best Chili Bowl run of ending in an E Main.

Inside Line Promotions - TULSA, Okla. (Jan. 21, 2020) - Jack Dover took another step forward in his limited midget racing career last week when he captured his career-best result during the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire.

Dover made his third appearance at the famed event inside the River Spirit Expo Center and his second straight driving for Randy Washburn beginning with preliminary action on Thursday.

Dover advanced from sixth to fourth place in a heat race before ending eighth in a qualifier. That lined him up on the inside of the fourth row in a B Main.

"I started running the top and we were faster than first and second," he said. "I was going to attempt some slide jobs, but since we were in a transfer spot I just rode. We had the car set up right and we were able to get into the A Main."

The third-place showing earned a transfer into the back of the main event.

"We set up for the bottom trying some stuff," he said. "It didn't work out. Plus, we only had one yellow and only one car fell out so it didn't play out as we hoped."

Dover was credited with a 23rd-place result. That lined him up on the outside of the third row in an E Main during Saturday's finale, when the approximately 350 drivers wrapped up the spectacle. Dover overcame a slow start as he hustled from sixth to third to transfer into the D Main.

"I fell back to 11th and so I moved down and started to work the bottom," he said. "We drove our way up to third. That transferred us to a D Main and we made some progress in that race as well."

Dover capped the event by finishing 15th in a D Main.

Inside Line Promotions - CARROLLTON, Mo. (Jan. 21, 2020) - Mason Daniel became only the second driver to win the North American 410 and 360 Sprint Car Poll Rookie of the Year Awards in back-to-back years.

Daniel, who garnered the 360 award for his performance in 2018, was honored last week as the top 410 rookie in the country on the heels of his 2019 campaign.

"It's pretty special," he said. "In 2017 we were the USAC West Coast Rookie of the Year. In 2018 we were the 360 National Rookie of the Year and now we're the 2019 410 National Rookie of the Year. In 2020 we're going for the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year Award."

Daniel is tackling the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season for the first time in his career this year.

"We have a lot of work to do on the 410 side," he said. "I feel like we've adapted really well with each transition throughout my career so it means a lot to earn these Rookie of the Year Awards. Our goal is to continue to grow and this year we'll need to do that on the biggest stage as we're racing with the World of Outlaws."

The season is scheduled to begin Feb. 5-9 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., during the DIRTcar Nationals. The first two nights will be with the Ollie's Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions before the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series kicks off its season with a tripleheader to wrap up the sprint car portion of the event.

UP NEXT -

Feb. 5-9 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., during the DIRTcar Nationals with the Ollie's Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions and World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series

● Woman racer Beitske Visser shows speed at ROAR test in No. 26 BMW M4 GT4

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 21, 2020) – The 2019 SUNOCO 240 Challenge champion, Scotland’s Robbie Dalgleish, makes his IMSA Michelin Pilot Series debut this Friday (January 24) at Daytona International Speedway when the youngster joins Dutch racer Beitske Visser and IMSA veteran Stevan McAleer in the No. 26 SUNOCO/Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW BMW M4 GT4 sports car for the four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge race.

Taking on a highly-competitive Grand Sport field at the 3.56-mile famed DIS road circuit, Dalgleish qualified to compete in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season-opening event by capturing the 2019 Mini Cooper Challenge series in Europe in a tense contest with four other drivers in the final weekend of competition. Winning the series gave Robbie the opportunity to drive for the Fast Track Racing team in SUNOCO livery, thanks to the Anglo American Oil Company. 

In 2019, the SUNOCO 240 Challenge racing series formed an association with the BMW Motorsports top worldwide customer organization - the Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW team of Plano, Tex., - to compete in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Daytona with 2018 SUNOCO 240 Challenger champion Kyle Reid.  Now, Dalgleish receives his chance to pilot the No. 26 SUNOCO/Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW BMW M4 GT4 sports car at Daytona.

“I’m really excited to be flying back across to Daytona again,” said Dalgleish. "After the ROAR, I now know what to expect, so my excitement levels are all that much higher. We got on well and my times were coming down ever session, the more I got to know the car and the track. Hopefully this time, we will be much faster and ‘bang’ on the pace. It’s a long race, so we just need to stay out of trouble and be consistent. And then the result should come. 

“The car and team are both brilliant. All the guys in the team have been superb, very positive and welcoming which has just made my experience at Daytona perfect so far.” 

Visser, the BMW Junior factory driver from Dronten, Netherlands, also makes her first start in the Michelin Pilot Challenge series this Friday and was very impressive earlier this month the three-day IMSA ROAR testing program in the No. 26 SUNOCO/Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW BMW M4 GT4. Last year, Beitske finished second in the 2019 W Series point standings with open-wheel cars in Europe.

In 2018-19, Visser also served as a test and reserve driver for the Andretti Autosport Formula E Series team.

“The ROAR went well,” said Visser. “It was really good to work with the team and we made a lot of progress over the three days. So, I can’t wait to come back for the race this week!” 

McAleer, the Scotland native now residing in Cold Spring, N.Y., is coming off a spectacular 2019 road racing campaign with a series championship in the SRO GT4 SprintX Pro-Am class as well as taking vice-champion in the IMSA LMP3 series. Stevan is no stranger to the Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW BMW M4 GT4 following co-driving to two Pro-Am wins and five podium finishes in his SprintX title run.

“I am super excited to be asked to drive the SUNOCO/Classic BMW M4 GT4 in the opening Grand Sport race in IMSA this weekend,” said McAleer. “I got a call from Toby (Grahovec, Fast Track Racing team manager) about a week ago and he asked if I was available. That was an easy answer as my Robillard Racing LMP3 race had already happened at the ROAR. I am extra excited to be teamed up with Beitske Visser and Robert Dalgleish. They both did a fantastic job at the ROAR along with Toby, and it looks like the BMW can race up front this weekend for the win. With possible weather coming in -- no surprise that it’s the same every year -- but rain or shine I will focus on the best job I can do for the team.

Grahovec, a road racing champion behind the wheel in several series, drove the SUNOCO BMW last year at Daytona, but he made the decision to bring veteran McAleer to assist Dalgleish and Visser in their Daytona debuts.

“We had a strong testing performance at the ROAR with Robbie and Beitske learned the BMW M4 GT4 car as well as the Daytona road circuit,” said Grahovec, who also drove at the ROAR. “The car was faster with each session and we are confident that Stevan’s knowledge with the M4 GT4 car will definitely help his two teammates. The season-opener at Daytona is always very competitive and the weather could be a factor as well. We believe our driver lineup this weekend can compete with the front runners and battle for the coveted Daytona win.”

The relationship between the Fast Track Racing/CLASSIC BMW team and the SUNOCO 240 Challenge series has become a popular association and continues to encourage young drivers to compete for the Daytona ride.

“Our relationship with Fast Track Racing and CLASSIC BMW has turned into a superb affiliation with the Daytona event as a first prize for the Mini Challenge champion,” said Anders Hildebrand of Anglo American Oil Company Ltd. “It is a big jump from the low-powered Mini to a GT4 car, but the drivers are making the switch without any problem.

It is a life-changing prize that the drivers will never forget.”

Practice runs for the BMW Endurance Challenge at Daytona begins Wednesday (Jan. 22) at 1:30 p.m. (EST) with a second round Thursday (Jan. 23) at 9:00 a.m. (EST) and qualifying at 12:10 p.m. (EST). Saturday’s (Jan. 24) four-hour BMW Endurance Challenge event starts at 1:10 p.m. and concludes at 5:10 p.m.

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