Giovanni Scelzi Bio
Giovanni Scelzi, known widely as Gio Scelzi, is an American racing driver born on November 28, 2001, in Fresno, California. He first drew national attention as a sprint car prodigy, becoming the youngest winner in World of Outlaws history as a teenager before expanding into stock car racing. Scelzi has built a versatile résumé across dirt open-wheel cars and ARCA touring competition, working with respected teams such as Bill McAnally Racing and most recently Clauson-Marshall Racing.
The son of four-time NHRA Funny Car champion Gary Scelzi, Giovanni grew up immersed in motorsports culture and developed his craft on the tight bullrings of California’s Central Valley. As of 2025, he competes full time on the national sprint car circuit with Clauson-Marshall Racing while continuing to develop his stock car program with Bill McAnally Racing.
Early Life and Background
Giovanni Scelzi was raised in Fresno, California, where his family has long ties to motorsports through his father, Gary Scelzi, a legendary drag racer and four-time NHRA Funny Car champion. Growing up around that tradition, Giovanni was drawn early to the dirt tracks of the San Joaquin Valley. He is the younger brother of sprint car driver Dominic Scelzi, reinforcing the family’s deep presence in short-track racing.
He began his career in the micro-sprint ranks at Plaza Park Raceway in Visalia, California, and by age nine was racing at Lemoore Speedway, where he racked up an impressive 24 wins in a single season. Those formative years on California’s bullrings shaped his trademark aggressive, high-line driving style. To complete his schooling while chasing races across the country, Scelzi enrolled in Clovis Online High School, where he followed a blended learning program that combined online classes with limited in-person instruction.
Path to NASCAR
After establishing himself as a teen sensation in sprint cars, Scelzi took a deliberate step toward the stock car ladder in 2020. On January 14, 2020, he was confirmed for a full ARCA Menards Series West schedule with Bill McAnally Racing, driving the organization’s No. 16 Toyota. The move gave him a structured path into NASCAR’s developmental pipeline while still allowing time to pursue select sprint car events.
That same year, Scelzi scaled back his dirt program to focus on stock cars, partnering with Guy Forbrook for a limited slate of Midwest sprint car races and stepping away from his previous Indy Race Cars team. The dual-track plan delivered quick results. In June 2020, he returned to the family sprint car operation for several All Star Circuit of Champions events and joined Tucker Boat Motorsports for races during Indiana Midget Week, showing the breadth of his dirt track experience before transitioning fully into ARCA competition.
Giovanni Scelzi Career
Early Career (2015-2019)
Scelzi’s climb through the open-wheel ranks began in California’s micro-sprint division at Plaza Park Raceway, where he built the foundation of his craft. By age nine, he was already winning at a remarkable rate, posting 24 victories at Lemoore Speedway in a single season and earning a reputation as one of California’s most promising young drivers.
At sixteen, Scelzi relocated from Fresno to Indianapolis, Indiana, to place himself closer to the heart of America’s sprint car scene. That decision paid off almost immediately. In September 2017, he became the youngest winner in World of Outlaws history by capturing a preliminary feature at the National Open at Williams Grove Speedway in Pennsylvania. He followed that breakthrough with another historic moment in 2019, becoming the youngest driver ever to win a feature at Knoxville Raceway by committing to the highest groove in the corners. That same year, he also collected his first USAC midget victory at Placerville Speedway.
ARCA Menards Series West Breakthrough (2020)
Scelzi opened his 2020 stock car campaign by competing at the prestigious Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and by midseason had committed fully to the ARCA Menards Series West tour with Bill McAnally Racing. Driving the No. 16 Toyota for the veteran BMR organization, he quickly showed speed, posting a career-best ARCA West finish of second at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring in September.
The following race produced his breakthrough. Scelzi executed a bump-and-run move on Taylor Gray during the penultimate lap to claim his first ARCA victory. He closed the season ranked fifth in the ARCA West championship standings, a strong debut that confirmed his potential on paved ovals. Earlier in the year he had also picked up his first Pro Late Model win at New Smyrna Speedway on February 9, capitalizing on a last-lap incident that took the top two cars out of contention.
Clauson-Marshall Racing Era (2025-Present)
In July 2025, Scelzi parted ways with KCP Racing following the Double Down Duels at Eldora Speedway. He quickly landed with Clauson-Marshall Racing to finish the High Limit Racing season after an injury to veteran driver Tyler Courtney opened a seat in the team’s lineup. The move put Scelzi back in competitive equipment on the national sprint car trail.
Throughout 2025, Scelzi has continued his parallel stock car program with Bill McAnally Racing in the ARCA Menards Series West while chasing strong results on the dirt side with Clauson-Marshall. Crew chief John Camilleri has been a key collaborator in his paved-track setup work, helping the No. 16 Toyota program consistently contend for wins and top finishes.
Driving Style and Strengths
Scelzi is known for an aggressive, committed driving style built around running the highest, most demanding groove on dirt tracks. He pairs that daring with sharp race craft in stock cars, where his comfort navigating traffic and executing late-race passes has produced several bump-and-run highlights. His technical relationship with crew chief John Camilleri has helped translate those instincts into consistent ARCA West results, while his dirt experience informs his comfort level with slick track conditions and tire management.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments include his 2017 World of Outlaws preliminary win at Williams Grove that made him the youngest winner in series history, his 2019 Knoxville Raceway feature victory that set another age record, and his first ARCA Menards Series West win scored with a bump-and-run on Taylor Gray. Each milestone reflects a driver willing to take decisive action when the biggest prizes are on the line.
Giovanni Scelzi Career Wins
Giovanni Scelzi has built a varied win ledger that spans sprint cars, midgets, late models, and ARCA stock car competition. His most celebrated victories came in open-wheel dirt racing, where he set age records with the World of Outlaws and at Knoxville Raceway, while his stock car breakthrough arrived in 2020 with Bill McAnally Racing in the ARCA Menards Series West.
ARCA Menards Series West Highlights
Scelzi claimed his first ARCA Menards Series West victory in 2020 during his rookie season with Bill McAnally Racing, executing a bump-and-run on Taylor Gray on the penultimate lap to take the checkered flag. He closed that campaign fifth in series points, a debut that established him as a rising talent on NASCAR’s West Coast development ladder. His No. 16 Toyota entry has remained a consistent front-runner, supported by crew chief John Camilleri.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond ARCA, Scelzi is a two-time age-defining winner on dirt. In September 2017 he captured a World of Outlaws preliminary feature at the National Open at Williams Grove Speedway, becoming the youngest winner in series history. He added a Knoxville Raceway feature win in 2019, a USAC midget victory at Placerville Speedway, and a Pro Late Model triumph at New Smyrna Speedway in February 2020, underlining his versatility across formats.
Giovanni Scelzi Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
The Scelzi family is one of the most recognizable names in American motorsports. Giovanni’s father, Gary Scelzi, is a four-time NHRA Funny Car champion and one of drag racing’s most respected competitors. His older brother, Dominic Scelzi, is also a sprint car driver, making racing a true family tradition that has shaped Giovanni’s path from micro-sprints at Plaza Park Raceway to the national stage.
Personal Life
Scelzi attended Clovis Online High School, balancing his education through a blended learning model that allowed him to keep up with coursework while traveling the country to race. He continues to be closely associated with his hometown of Fresno, California, where his family’s sprint car operation remains active on the West Coast dirt scene.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season has been defined by Scelzi’s transition between sprint car teams while keeping his stock car program intact. After competing with KCP Racing through the early summer, he joined Clauson-Marshall Racing in July following Tyler Courtney’s season-ending injury, giving him a late-season opportunity to chase strong results on the High Limit Racing circuit.
On the stock car side, Scelzi has continued working with Bill McAnally Racing and crew chief John Camilleri in the ARCA Menards Series West, building on the foundation laid during his 2020 rookie campaign. The combination of national sprint car seat with a proven ARCA team gives him one of the most diverse schedules of any young American driver in 2025.
Looking ahead, the dual program is designed to keep Scelzi sharp on both dirt and pavement as he pursues additional wins and eyes a potential step up NASCAR’s national series ladder. His mix of historic dirt credentials and proven ARCA stock car speed positions him as one of the most watched young talents in American motorsports.
