With most of the motorsports world on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve decided to highlight some of the sport’s legends on a daily basis. We begin each story within the pages of National Speed Sport News.

Today, Gary Scelzi may be better known for his two sprint car racing sons — Dominic and Giovanni — but he’s one of the most prolific drag racers of all time.

Throughout his career as a driver and now as a team owner and a father, he’s as well known for his off-the-wall personality as his skills in a race car.

Though, his career as a professional drag racer was relatively short, he was among the best on the NHRA circuit from 1997 through 2008.

Driving for team owner and tuner Alan Johnson, Scelzi won the NHRA Top Fuel championship in his first full season on the tour in 1997.

Scelzi won two more Top Fuel titles with Johnson in 1998 and 2000.

After bouncing around a bit, he landed at Don Schumacher Racing where he won the 2005 Funny Car title, ending a long reign in that class by John Force Racing.

Scelzi retired after the 2008 season and became more involved in the open-wheel racing careers of his sons.

Scelzi earned 43 NHRA national event victories during his career.