News Director 
Story By: SHAWN MILLER / GARY SCELZI MOTORSPORTS – FRESNO, CA – Hall of Fame driver Danny Lasoski will pilot a sprint car for Gary Scelzi Motorsports this weekend during the 24th annual Trophy Cup.
It will mark Lasoski’s first-ever appearance at the famed event, which is held this Thursday through Saturday at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., and it’s his first time driving for Scelzi.
“We’ve been best friends for more than 20 years,” Lasoski said. “We did a radio show in Fresno when I was driving for Dennis Roth. It was Gary, Robbie Knievel and myself. We sat there and had an adult beverage or two. We got to know each other and had a blast. His family has become my family. I’ve been around both his kids, Dominic and Giovanni, since they were born.”
While this will be Lasoski’s first Trophy Cup, he has many laps at Thunderbowl Raceway during World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series events.
“We’ve won a race there before and we’ve run terrible before,” he said. “At the end of the day the race track and surface is the same for everybody. Hopefully we can put three nights together.
“It’s an honor to drive for Gary, Julianne and the family. They could have anyone in the country drive for them and to select me is an honor.”
Lasoski’s lone win at Thunderbowl Raceway was during a NARC event in 2001.
“I think it’s awesome having a guy with that much knowledge in our shop this week and driving for our family team,” Giovanni Scelzi said. “I can learn a lot from him.”
Dominic Scelzi, who drove for Lasoski and his father, George, during four races at the end of 2015, is also excited to soak up information.
“Obviously he’s one of the best to ever sit in the seat of a race car,” Scelzi said. “To get his input on our operation and what we’ve been doing to make me fast is going to be huge. Also, I really think he will be a contender this week.”
